There are a lot of bread baking books on the market these days. So, which one should you choose if you want to start baking your own bread? Or, if you’re an experienced baker, which book should you add to your collection? We’ve put together a list of the best bread baking books for both beginners and advanced bakers alike!
Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza [A Cookbook] by Ken Forkish
If you’re just starting out on your bread baking journey, then this is the book for you. Ken Forkish walks you through the basics of bread baking, from mixing and fermenting dough to shaping and baking loaves. He also includes recipes for both traditional and creative breads, so you can put your new skills to the test right away.
The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart
In The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, author and baking instructor Peter Reinhart provides home bakers with a master class in bread making, covering everything from the best tools and ingredients to time-saving shortcuts and troubleshooting tips. With easy-to-follow instructions and more than 100 photographs illustrating the process, this book has everything you need to bake your way to bread-making success.
Reinhart begins with an overview of the basic ingredients in bread making, including flour, water, salt, yeast, and fat. He then covers essential tools and equipment, from mixing bowls and measuring cups to baking stones and steam injection systems. With this foundation in place, Reinhart moves on to a detailed, step-by-step exploration of the bread baking process, from mixing and kneading to shaping, proofing, and baking.
The No-Fuss Bread Machine Cookbook: Hands-Off Recipes for Perfect Homemade Bread by Michelle Anderson
With this collection of quick bread recipes, all you have to do is throw everything in your bread machine and let it go. Whether you have a 1-pound, 1.5-pound, or 2-pound bread machine, these set-and-forget recipes provide a failproof starting point for unique bread dishes.
Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes by Jeffrey Hamelman
Bread baking is truly an art, one that is best learned by doing. In this comprehensive guide, Jeffrey Hamelman, a respected professional baker, provides detailed instructions on every aspect of the craft, from mixing and shaping to baking and storing.
Hamelman also offers more than eighty original recipes for a wide variety of breads, from classic French baguettes to American sourdoughs, providing home bakers with the tools they need to create delicious, artisanal loaves.
Whether you are a beginning baker or an experienced professional, Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes is an essential resource for anyone who wants to bake bread that is delicious, nutritious, and made with the best ingredients.
Artisan Sourdough Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Delicious Handcrafted Bread with Minimal Kneading by Emilie Raffa
Sourdough bread baking is enjoying a renaissance, as more and more people are interested in baking their own bread using time-honored methods. In Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, Emilie Raffa shows you how easy it can be to make your own sourdough starter and bake delicious sourdough bread at home.
With clear, step-by-step instructions and more than 60 recipes, Artisan Sourdough Made Simple is the perfect guide for anyone who wants to make delicious sourdough bread without all the fuss.
The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum
The Bread Bible is the one book you need on the subject, whether you want to bake bread at home or are a professional baker. This comprehensive guide covers everything from the best flour for bread baking to troubleshooting tips and techniques for shaping and baking all kinds of breads, including yeast breads, quick breads, flatbreads, and more.The Bread Bible also includes recipes for classic breads from around the world, such as challah, brioche, bagels, and sourdough bread. The Bread Bible is the ultimate resource for anyone who loves to bake bread.
Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson
Chad Robertson is the co-founder of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, one of the most acclaimed bakeries in the world. In Tartine Bread, he shares his secrets for making exceptional loaves, including his basic country loaf made with just flour, water, salt, and yeast.
Robertson’s step-by-step instructions and make it easy to follow his methods, even for novice bakers.
Bread Illustrated: A Step-By-Step Guide to Achieving Bakery-Quality Results At Home by America’s Test Kitchen
From the experts at America’s Test Kitchen, this comprehensive guide to bread baking illustrates the key steps as well as all-new recipes for classic and specialty breads.
Bread Baking for Beginners: The Essential Guide to Baking Kneaded Breads, No-Knead Breads, and Enriched Breads by Bonnie Ohara
Bread baking is a simple process that anyone can learn, and this book will teach you the basics of bread baking, from kneading and shaping dough to baking perfect loaves.
In Bread Baking for Beginners, you’ll learn how to make a variety of breads, including:
– Kneaded breads, such as white bread, whole wheat bread, and challah
– No-knead breads, such as ciabatta and focaccia
– Enriched breads, such as brioche and cinnamon rolls
New World Sourdough: Artisan Techniques for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads; With Recipes for Birote, Bagels, Pan de Coco, Beignets, and More by Bryan Ford
New World Sourdough is a best-selling cookbook that offers an innovative approach to baking fantastic, creative sourdough breads at home.
Bryan Ford, Instagram star and host of The Artisan’s Kitchen on Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network, will teach you how to make various bread, as well as other innovative baked goods from start to finish. With less emphasis on precise crumb structure or temperature monitoring, Bryan focuses on the techniques, tips, and tricks needed to make beautiful breads that are delicious and satisfying.
So there you have it, the best bread baking books to get you started on your bread baking journey. No matter what your skill level, there is a book on this list that will suit your needs. So what are you waiting for? Get baking!
Happy reading, and happy baking!
Do you have a favorite bread recipe? Share it below!
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