Book recomendations

[Frances]

I know that Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice and the Hamelman one are the most recommended books, but seeing as I've already got a nice wild yeast culture going and have quite enough information about what is actually happening in the dough for the time being thank you very much - although I'll probably come back for more later - right now I'd like to know what other books are out there?

Specifically I would like a practical one with different wild yeast recepts, one that will help me vary my bread a bit. Can you add butter to the dough? Or milk? Or pumpkins? Can you make bagels with a wild yeast starter? That kind of thing...


What about Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads, has anyone got that one already?

[n2iko]

Re: Book recomendations

I have the whole grain book. I like it as well or even better than "the apprentice". I prefer a whole grain bread to white. His approach to this book
is a bit more relaxed. I would buy it again.


--mr.jim

[Dutchoven]

Re: Book recomendations

Frances
You can certainly do any of those things...bake times will be slightly different with doughs enriched with butter, milk, eggs, etc.
As for the bagels the answer is yes also...CJim might use a wild yeast starter for his bagels but I am not sure...I might not recommend it because bagels can be a touchy subject and I am somewhat of a traditionalist New Yorker when it comes to bagels...proof time will most likely be longer...could be an interesting experiment though...
The Whole Grain Breads book is a worthy investment...I received it as a gift at Christmas and have enjoyed the alteration in some of the technique of creating great bread...
Good luck and be sure to post the results
Best
Dutch

I know that Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice and the Hamelman one are the most recommended books, but seeing as I've already got a nice wild yeast culture going and have quite enough information about what is actually happening in the dough for the time being thank you very much - although I'll probably come back for more later - right now I'd like to know what other books are out there?

Specifically I would like a practical one with different wild yeast recepts, one that will help me vary my bread a bit. Can you add butter to the dough? Or milk? Or pumpkins? Can you make bagels with a wild yeast starter? That kind of thing...


What about Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads, has anyone got that one already?

[gjbingham]

Re: Book recomendations

Reinhart says that a wet sourdough started can easily be substituted for pate fermente in virtually any artisan type bread. Frances, if you don't own this book, buy it. You'll be very very happy with the numerous varieties of recipies for breads from all over the world and great photos of bread shaping techniques.

[Frances]

Re: Book recomendations

Thank you for the feedback! Ok, I'll order the whole grain one right away and let you know how it turns out...

[Thirties]

Re: Book recomendations

Thorne's Outlaw Cook.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Book recomendations

Frances,

Bar none on the new book side of the equation: Daniel Leader, Local Breads. I've used it extensively, along with Reinhart's Whole Grain. Both are light years ahead of what we could get only a few years ago.

Jim

[Dutchoven]

Re: Book recomendations

Well then, I will make the investment in Leader then and not Hamelman...I have his Bread Alone
Dutch

[Frances]

Re: Book recomendations

Reinhart's Whole Grain arrived a couple of days ago. Lovely book! And with all the new info (whew!) of course there are lots of new questions, too...

Basically, compared to regular sourdough bread, what he is saying is you should soak the whole meal flour for a day before making the dough. Right?

But from what I can see his recipes all call for instant yeast as well as a preferment... Has anyone tried any with just the sourdough starter? I don't really see why it shouldn't work with longer rising times...

Yesterday I tried his whole wheat mash bread. The reason being my oven was just at the right temp for making the mash (about 70 C) the day before baking . And its very very nice. But not quite as good as the sourdough. Astonishingly good considering that its whole grain though...

Last question for the time being: is there any reason against treating one of the regular soakers in these recipes like a mash and putting it in the oven at 70 C for three hours?



Ok ok, maybe I'll stick to the book a bit before experimenting Here's the bread aynway (the tin-baked one in the foreground):

[Thirties]

Re: Book recomendations

If sourdough bread interests you, you must read this book:

Amazon.com: Outlaw Cook: Matt Lewis Thorne, John Thorne: Books

.

[dvonk]

Re: Book recomendations

Paula Figoni "How baking works" - Forno Bravo Forum: The Wood-Fired Oven Community

Frances, just in case you didn't seen that post. It's not exactly (well, exactly not) what you are looking but this book worth.

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Book recomendations

Amazon.com: Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery: Recipes for the Connoisseur: Nancy Silverton: Books

This book is what got me started on the whole wood-fired thing. I started baking her breads and was looking for a way to improve...

All wild yeast recipes...

[dbhansen]

Re: Book recomendations

I'll second that vote for the La Brea book; an excellent resource.

And Frances, this comes a little late, but your breads look AMAZING!! I can't wait to start baking in my WFO using recipes from all these great books.

[dbhansen]

Re: Book recomendations

By the way, the La Brea book has the best sourdough waffle recipe I (and my family, and friends, and their friends...) have ever tasted. It also has a sourdough bagel recipe, but I haven't tried that yet.

[carioca]

Re: Book recomendations

By the way, the La Brea book has the best sourdough waffle recipe I (and my family, and friends, and their friends...) have ever tasted. It also has a sourdough bagel recipe, but I haven't tried that yet.

Hey!

I've scoured the internet for a recipe for waffles like my granma made in the rhineland - the result is I'm getting fat but haven't found the real mckoy yet.

The best I had so far used sour cream...

I would be interested in your recipe ingredients, if you would be kind enough to list them!

Cheers,

LMH

(My oven dwells at Picasa Web Albums - carioca - Forno_del_gallo )