Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes
by Jeffrey Hamelman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jeffrey HamelmanEdition: Hardcover
Published: 2004-09-03
ISBN: 0471168572
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Wiley
Book Reviews of Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes
Book Review: Not for the home baker - nor the beginner
Summary: 1 Stars
This book is absolutely not for the home baker, or the inexperienced baker. Though I'd never attempted to make a loaf of bread before, I purchased this book with the expectation that after reading 400 pages about bread I should be fairly proficient at it. Not only was the book a horrible read (extraordinarily boring and lacking any kind of character)but it is exclusively geared toward those with high-end industrial equipment (which I do not have) or to those who are making bread in large quantities. Having been extremely disappointed in his first 86 excruciating pages, I decided to learn the "how-to" of baking bread elsewhere. I found a great three page article online which I printed out, and by that afternoon I had baked my first outstanding loaf of bread. Several weeks and half a dozen loaves later I returned to Hamelman's book, confident in my newly developed baking skills and anxious to try one of his award winning recipes. What I found was disaster. Hamelman's recipes have come to be unaffectionately known as 24 hour bread in our home. What is most discouraging is that I have thus far made three attempts at one of his basic white bread recipes with no success. To dedicate several hours into something as simple as bread and fail is discouraging - but to carefully tend to a piece of dough for 24 hours and at the end of the day have either a nonworking (crumbly, hole-y) loaf, or worse, no bread at all - well, it's just plain maddening! I did, however, just read a couple reviews in which the readers suggest his recipes in the home column are inaccurate, so I wonder whether this is true of the two recipes I have tried. Perhaps someday I will try a third recipe, but for now this book is going back on the shelf while I search for better one.
Summary of Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes
The warm, complex aroma of a fresh-baked loaf of bread can be utterly tantalizing; the first bite, a revelation. In Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes, award-winning master baker Jeffrey Hamelman presents the definitive, one-stop reference on the art and science of bread baking - a kitchen essential for seasoned home bakers and professionals alike. Hamelman, a professional baker for nearly three decades, was a member of the United States national baking team that won first place in the 1996 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, the bread-baking World Cup. Here, he shares this experience, putting world-class artisanal loaves within reach of any serious baker. Opening with a comprehensive overview of the foundations - essential ingredients; hand techniques for kneading, scoring, and shaping; the basic process from mixing through baking - he lucidly guides bakers through all elements of this richly rewarding craft.Bread contains 118 detailed, step-by-step recipes for an array of breads: versatile sourdough ryes; breads made with pre-ferments; and simple, straight dough loaves. Recipes for brioche, focaccia, pizza dough, flat breads, and other traditional baking staples augment the diverse collection of flavors, tastes, and textures represented within these pages. From the delicate flavor and aroma of classic French baguettes to the mellow smoothness of Roasted Garlic Levain, a bread for every season and every palate is here.
Each recipe clearly outlines the key stages, with easy-to-use charts that list ingredients in both American and metric measures, quantities appropriate for home baking, and baker's percentages. Hundreds of drawings vividly illustrate techniques, and 35 handsome color photographs display finished breads. Sidebars accompany each recipe and section with valuable tips, from the subtle art of tasting and evaluating breads to the perfect fare to complement Vollkornbrot. A complete chapter on decorative breads - with instructions on techniques as well as a wide variety of exquisite patterns - will inspire magnificent display creations.
Laced throughout the book, Hamelman's personal narratives offer a compelling portrait of a lifelong love affair with bread and vividly communicate this passion. For bakers seeking to finesse this time-honored craft or simply to learn the tricks of the trade from a real master, Bread is a resource to be consulted time and time again.
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