Cookbook Review: Bread Making: Crafting the Perfect Loaf from Crust to Crumb

Do you want to master the art of baking delicious homemade bread in your own kitchen? If you love the smell and taste of freshly baked bread but you’ve never quite been able to master the baking technique necessary to turn out perfect loaves time and time again, then Bread Making: Crafting the Perfect Loaf from Crust to Crumb by Lauren Chattman is the book you have been waiting for.  

Designed specifically to meet the needs of novice-level bakers, Bread Making: Crafting the Perfect Loaf from Crust to Crumb is much more than a collection of bread recipes. The book is designed as a home course in bread making. When you read this book, you’ll learn all about the essentials steps necessary to learn how to make bread, as well as become educated about the ingredients and equipment needed.

Each chapter features a question and answer section that addresses the concerns that new bakers are likely to have, as well as to answer questions that people tend to have when first learning how to make bread.  

About Bread Making: Crafting the Perfect Loaf from Crust to Crumb

Part One

The first part of Bread Making: Crafting the Perfect Loaf from Crust to Crumb features details on ingredients and equipment, as well as the basic steps in bread making. In this section, you’ll learn about the different types of flours and other ingredients used in bread baking as well as the types of kitchen tools and equipment that is necessary, as well as the skills and knowledge necessary to begin making your own bread.

If you want to truly learn how to make bread, you should read part one in its entirety before going on to the second part, as it will help you develop the foundation of knowledge necessary to begin developing your bread making skills.

Part Two

Once you are familiar with the basics of bread making presented in the first part of this book, you’ll be able to move on to start applying what you have learned to begin the baking process for yourself. The second part of the book focuses on techniques and recipes, with separate chapters for each type of bread covered, as well as a separate chapter specific to baking with a bread machine. Included bread types are:

• Simple Breads from Straight Doughs
• Baking with Yeasted Pre-ferments
• Sourdough Baking
• Yeasted Flatbreads
• Whole-Grain Breads
• Bread Machine Baking

Additional Information

This book also features additional information that can be invaluable to home bread bakers. For example, it features a glossary of bread-baking terms, tips on how to convert volume to weight measurements, recommended websites for home bread bakers and suggestions of artisan bakeries that readers might enjoy visiting.

Note: Thanks to Storey Publishing for providing me with a review copy of this book.