Friday, August 21, 2009

My Secret Obsession with Bread Making

The past few months I've been secretly obsessed with the book: Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day, written by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. This book is awesome. It's bread making made easy.

Prior to getting the Artisan Bread book I had never tried making my own bread...honestly I'd never made anything using yeast. Just the thought of baking with yeast scared me. It seemed way too involved and complicated.

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day has definitely changed my way of thinking about bread making. Now I know it couldn't be easier and I'm totally addicted. The book demonstrates how with a few basic recipes you can create all kinds of wonderful breads.

So far I've made:

Italian semolina bread with sesame seeds; dense with a nice crunch.


100% whole wheat sandwich loaf; both good and good for you.


Boule (the master recipe)

Focaccia with olive oil and garlic and roasted red pepper fougasse


And last but not least sticky pecan caramel rolls


I think I'll go make a batch of these now...

19 comments:

  1. I've never made bread and have always been envious of people who do. It always seems so ambitious and out of my league.

    But your post and pictures have me inspired! Maybe I'll get my hands on that book.

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  2. I got that book at Christmas and have been baking my way through it ever since. Life changing is not an over statement. Fantastic photos -- I'm inspired to try some of the sweet breads which I hadn't attempted yet.

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  3. Your bread looks absolutely wonderful! Being a big bread fan, five minute bread recipes would definitely be for me!

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  4. ...which reminds me of another Amalfi Coast tip:

    You have to absolutely visit the artisanal fornaio (breadmaker) in MONTEPERTUSO, a small hamlet above Positano. Awesome bread, traditionally made in the middle of the night. I used to march 15km up the hill at dawn after parties on the beach and have breakfast on the still-warm loaves, sweet espresso and homemade orange marmalade. Delicious!

    Restaurants to check out in Montepertuso: La Tagliata and Il Ritrovo...

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  5. Huge bread fan here and all those looked incredible. The Italian semolina, the Boule and Sticky pecan rolls have me dreaming of bread making and that's one thing I have never attempted in my kitchen. Great job with them!

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  6. I have the book but I need to get something to throw it into (Dutch oven). Any suggestions?

    Your bread is my inspiration to do something about using the book.

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  7. Ever since I've returned from Turkey, I've been obssessed with bread and I thought I'd be sick of it already. But I'd do anything for a crust, loaf of carb. I'm not big on the soft ones.

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  8. You are making me want to get that book! I always want to do so much more bread baking than I do now... which is maybe 2 loaves a year. I've promised myself that when fall/winter weather hits, I'm going to make lots more bread. This book sounds like the way to get there!

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  9. Wow, they all look so delicious! Nothing like home made bread!

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  10. I'm not going to lie. Yeast scares me. But maybe I need to get over my fear. Because your creations look so amazing!

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  11. Beautiful loaves! I love that first one most with the sesame seeds on there...yum!

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  12. I LOVE that bread recipe - I've made it dozens of times, and its also my pizza dough recipe.

    I love your sesame seed loaf! :D

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  13. Wow you are a bread genius! They all look sensational.

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  14. wow - now I really need to get my hands on a copy of that book!

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  15. All these breads look great! I'm going to have to get that book.

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  16. That foccacia looks absolutely wonderful, and as a fiber-hound I'm all over that whole wheat bread. ;)

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