Do you want to make bread? Do you want to make better bread? Several professional baker/authors have said that it is possible to make better bread in a home kitchen than they make in their commercial bakery.
YOU CAN make GREAT BREAD at home.
Before we talk about how - we should talk about - What is Great Bread? - Why make Great Bread?
What is Great Bread - In my opinion, Great Bread is bread YOU (and those close to you) LOVE to eat. Generally we talk about bread having 3 areas of measure: Crust, Crumb and Taste
Crust - Some people like crispy/crunchy/thick crust. I understand that this is how many European breads are - and in my neighborhood, my neighbors from Switzerland and France love that crusty bread.
But many Americans prefer soft crust like the wonder bread they grew up with.
Crust comes as a result of the dough and the baking technique. I can get a crusty shell on some recipes, but not others - even using the same oven technique.
A soft crust can be achieved on most breads with an oven technique intended for soft crust - and then placing a not quite cooled loaf in a sealed plastic bag so the moisture softens the crust a bit more.
Crumb - I prefer a light and tender crumb. That comes from a good rise (more than 2x) and not overbaking, but allowing to fully cool before cutting. But others want more of a bite to their bread - kind of like pasta al dente. My double flax bread is often like this - a good, almost meaty texture flecked with whole flax seeds. While baking technique has an impact on the crumb, I think it is mostly the recipe.
Taste - Aside from some caramelization of a 'well done' crust, this is almost exclusively a result of the recipe. At least 8 of my 12 approved varieties are built on the same basic recipe - to which herbs, vegetables and even other grains and fermentation time are added for flavor.
What is Great Bread to YOU? What combination of Crust, Crumb and Flavor results in YOUR favorite bread?
You say that you don't really have a favorite? What do you do? Take 3 months and taste all the varieties you can - and keep a log of what you like. Eat it as fresh as possible - and sometimes not as fresh as you would like (but you can fix that in your own kitchen).
Once you know what you think is the best bread - you have a target. Then research (there is a lot of info on line) recipes for that kind of bread. Make sure you read the baker's notes as to technique and other intangibles. Pick a few different recipes and try them out. And, don't think that just because it came out that way one time, it will always be the same. And, focus on the flavor first. If it doesn't taste good, the looks won't matter. Looks are one thing that can improve with technique and practice. Flavor changes from technique are much more subtle than the visual changes.
Why should you make Great Bread? You really have to ask yourself whether it's worth the effort. If you can go to your favorite bakery and get bread as good as you think you might be able to make it WITHOUT the practice and expertise you need - MAYBE you DON'T think it's worth the effort to do it yourself. My favorite pies are pecan and banana cream. But, at certain times of the year, I can buy a wonderful pecan pie from Costco and get my fill. I have made pecan pies, and they have come out great. But, it's just not worth it to make them at home when I have this alternative. Yes, many Costco locations have artisan bread - and our's just put in a new bakery. If they can meet your desire for Great Bread - why do it yourself. That's a decision YOU have to make based on your alternatives.
And, as you see below (and we will go into depth in the future), YOU will need to make a lot of bread before you can expect to make a handsome loaf of bread with the crust, crumb and flavor of your preference. Is it worth it to you to go through this practice??
YOU need to answer these questions.
If YOU still want to make Great Bread (and you can), come back next week for the elements of making Great Bread. You will also learn through this series, just WHY YOUR BREAD can be better than your local bakery (even Costco's bakery).
A teaser -
What will help you make better bread?
- Practice, practice, practice
- Focus on your style
- Use basic equipment
- Read what others are doing
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