Books and a goo first try Hearth Bread and Flatbread Discuss Books and a goo first try in the Brick Oven Cooking forums; Hi everyone. I have been lurking here a while and am excited to build my WFO this coming spring. I ...

[captkingdom]

Hi everyone. I have been lurking here a while and am excited to build my WFO this coming spring. I really cant wait and have been experimenting in my gas home oven with a couple of stones.
I have a lot to learn and hoped you would not mind recommending a few of the best books on bread making. I am interested in learning of Artisan breads and both white and whole wheat.
Today I baked my first loaf that I thought turned out anywhere near well and will try to post the pictures. I used the Recipe for Parisian Baguette's with Pate Fermente as a guide, but as I have a nasty habit of modifying any recipe I come across, as well as the fact I had only all purpose flour, I put my own (ignorant) twist on it and multiplied by 1.5.
I added all the yeast, salt, water and 2/3 of the flour and last night and stirred by hand thoroughly until it became sticky. I don't have a bread machine nor do I really plan on buying one. So mixing and kneading are by hand.
After church at noon, I removed the covered batter to warm up for an hour. I then mixed in the rest of the flour and kneaded by hand for quite some time, though never exceeding about 68 degrees. I let this rise covered for 3 hours or so, well over doubling, formed a single loaf which I let proof for an hour. I then baked it at 525 for nearly a half hour and reached only 198 internal temp.
The crust was terrific, the kids loved it as did my wife, though she would prefer slightly less crustiness
The crumb was nice and chewy but rather dense and the holes were quite small.
Anyway thanks for a great site and fun community, virtually everything I know about baking bread I have learned here in the last few months.

If anyone would not mind condescending to school a newbie and also recommend a couple books for my wife to get me for Valentines I would appreciate it

[gjbingham]

No condescending around here, (unless people are addressing me).

I think the best book to start with is Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice. He has a series of books that expand on this work. I also have the Bread Baker's Bible, which I don't like as much, but has a different variety of breads, and more from North America. From your pics, you appear to be off to a good start.

[Frances]

My favourite is Hamelman's bread book. Did your wife say how many books you can ask for?

[nissanneill]

Hi Captkingdom.
there are numerous good and a few great books on bread making. I agree with the others and have them, I also have another on order and can't form a comment yet but will do on it's arrival.
I put a post up the other week which has a really good book that should be easily available and I like it as it has a host of different and much wider variety of breads, rolls, sweets and other breads.

.fornobravo.com/forum/f30/another-excellent-bread-book-6007.html

Try BookFinder.com: Search for New & Used Books, Textbooks, Out-of-Print and Rare Books

type in the author or title in the window to find a range of new or used copies.

Neill

[AnnieMacD]

My recommendations are: The Bread Baker's Apprentice (see above), Hammelman (see above), The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard and The Bread Bible by Rose Levy-Beranbaum. Peter Reinhart has a pizza book out called American Pie - I use his sourdough crust for all my pizzas. If you need more, let us know - I'm a collector of baking books! Your bread looks great.

[captkingdom]

Thanks everybody. I am looking forward to improving and getting a better loaf that is not so dense.