The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread

[JimBob]

I would like to know if anyone would consider The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread as a good book that explains the basic science of bread making in great detail?  If not would anyone have a better suggestion?

Thanks

[David]

It's a gtood book ,but I would suggest you look at "Bread-A Bakers Book of techniques and recipes' by Jeffrey Hamelman.Every time I open it ,I learn something and see things I missed before.Packed with information if lacking in the color "coffee table book" photos.(which i also happen to enjoy BTW)

[Randy]

The BBA is a great bread baker's book filled with information with exceptional recipes with detailed instructions for both mixer and by hand..  This last week I made the Portuguese sweet bread which is the origin for Hawanion bread.  With smoked ham it was unbelievable.  At the KA baking circle it is the number one bread bakers book.  Out of every 100 or so cookbooks a winner rises to the surface, this is one of those books

[apizza]

My favorite right now is "The Bread Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum. I make her ciabatta often. Most of the recipes I have tried were wonderful. I suggest you try what I did. Take both books, and others, out of the library. Spend some time with them and make a decision. The BBA was great, but I decided to purchase The Bread Bible. It just appealed to me more. I still check out BBA now and then and try a new bread. What's wonderful about both books is the author's passion for bread making comes out. That's part of the inspiration we home bakers need.

[JimBob]

I purchased the BBA today and I'll have to say that this is just what I needed.  It sets the foundational understanding of the base ingredients the processes needed to make a good tasting bread and how changes in one can effect the outcome of the final product.  I would suggest this book to anyone who does not have a full understanding of the bread making art.  I know I'll be asking fewer questions!!! 

[Ed]

Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Bakers Apprentice, really imparts a great deal through his writing.  I find his books to be a very good read and very informative in covering concepts including starters, cold fermentation, slow rise and various aspects of baking science.  You may want to consider reading his book Crust and Crumb.  It has his award winning sourdough recipe in it as well as the US baking team's recipe for baguettes.

The pizza dough recipe in Apprentice is great.  If you substitute High Gluten flour for the type of flour in the recipe you will have some great stuff to make New York Style pizza's with.

I just got American Pie (his book on pizza) and I don't have a lot to say about it yet but both Apprentice and Crust and Crumb are well worth the money.

Ed

[elsegundo]

It is possibly the best book on bread on the market. What he and Beranbaum and Hamelman all agree on the need to weigh the ingredients and the importance of time and temperature. BBA also is a great look at the science involved with discussion on enzymes and bacteria. The lessons for pizza making are obvious. It is worth every penny.  Reinhart would be great on his own TV show. Go wild; buy all three. I did.

[Matthew]

It's a gtood book ,but I would suggest you look at "Bread-A Bakers Book of techniques and recipes' by Jeffrey Hamelman.Every time I open it ,I learn something and see things I missed before.Packed with information if lacking in the color "coffee table book" photos.(which i also happen to enjoy BTW)

I picked up Bread by J. Hamelman yesterday & haven't been able to put it down.  The BBA was really good; but this book; amazing! 

Matt

[dmcavanagh]

Can't go wrong with BBA or any of Reinhart's books. If you're in doubt, go to the library and check it out. I've done that several times and have learned a great deal. I recently purchased his new book, "Artisan breads every day", it's kind of a condensed version of BBA but still a great book in it's own right.