THE BREAD BIBLE

When this bread book came out in 2003 it created a storm.  It polarised people into lovers or haters of the Beranbaum approach to bread making.  The lovers bought it for their friends to spread the love ever-wider; the haters used it as a doorstop rather than inflict pain upon their nearest and dearest.

Most of the criticism stemmed from the extremely detailed explanations surrounding the recipes.  It must be remembered, however, that this is a bible about bread – the ultimate ‘go to’ source on all things bread.  Think encyclopedia.  Think university professor in your kitchen. It’s not meant to be simplistic.  It’s meant to be so comprehensive that seasoned bread makers learn something new.

The other cause of angst was several significant recipe errors. Despite their comparatively small number in this expansive 640 page volume, it was problematic for those new to bread making and working with wet dough.  Fortunately for us now the corrections are listed here.  The third edition of the book also includes the corrections.

There are about 150 recipes, covering quick breads (sans yeast), flatbreads, sandwich loaves, hearth breads (artisan style), sourdough and brioche (sweet breads).  The yeasted breads are usually started with a properly fremented sponge, which adds to the overall time needed to make a loaf.  For those who would like to produce multiple loaves, the ratio of flour, water, yeast and fat for each bread is provided.  The photography is superb, and some would say worth it for this alone.  There is also an extended introduction, ‘The ten essential steps to making bread’, and a thorough section on bread making equipment.

If you want to replicate Rose’s breads exactly, then you will need to use the precise flours and baking equipment listed.  But don’t be dismayed – you’ll still get the most out of your favourite flours and bread pans by following the instructions as closely as possible.  Once you feel more comfortable with the Beranbaum principles, experimentation can really begin.

It sounds trite to say ‘read the recipe’, but in this case it really is good advice.  Read the recipe all the way through, perhaps even twice.  Plan your bread making process, especially for the first few loaves.  And be patient.  These recipes are time consuming.  It’s not so much the actual hands-on work, but the rising and baking times.  Expect it to take time, from six to 24 hours.  This is not a quick bread-fix method.  The beauty of it is that, once properly understood, a long bread-rising time can be moulded to fit your own schedule, even spread out over a few nights after work.  You don’t need 12 consecutive hours to devote exclusively to bread making.

So all in all, this is an exemplary and remarkable bread book, but it is not for everyone.  It’s about understanding the science behind bread making and enjoying the journey from raw ingredients to finished loaf.  If you’re interested in this aspect of bread making, you will truly love this book.  On the other hand, if you simply want good home-made bread with the minimum of fuss (and all of us do at some time), consider trying something designed for beginners instead.