Bread Making: A Home Course Crafting the Perfect Loaf, From Crust to Crumb

Here is the first book to lead beginning bakers through every step needed to master core bread-making techniques. This in-depth course in the craft of making bread will turn the most hesitant beginner into a confident bread baker. The course begins with a thorough introduction to ingredients and equipment, including the properties of the many types of flour available, the benefits of a good bread knife, and the relative merits of bread machines, stand mixers, and food processors. With ingredients and equipment mastered, the reader moves on to the basic steps of making bread. From measuring flour and yeast to slicing a warm loaf, Chattman leaves nothing to chance. She describes why dough is kneaded, how fermentation makes the dough rise,how to store fresh bread, and everything in between. The second section of the book offers detailed recipes for creafting artisanal loaves of every bread style. There are tips for coaxing the most flavor from simple straight doughs, day-by-day instructions for cultivating a foolproof sourdough starter, and tried-and-true bread-machine recipes. From simple baguettes to yeasted flatbreads and whole-grain sourdoughs, here are irresistible breads to complement every meal and suit every skill level.