There’s always something new to learn; another skill to add to your repertoire. Sometimes it helps to have a hands-on, personal education. That’s why I launched The Academy—one day courses that give you the practical, technical insight you need, in a way that fits into your schedule. There’s a great lineup of courses so [...]
Let’s get specific. Really specific. Let’s talk baguettes. Baguettes are often grouped into the category of french bread or the even larger category artisan breads. What sets a baguette apart? Baguettes are typically: 2-3 inches in diameter 2 feet in length High crust to crumb ratio The crust/crumb ratio makes this bread extremely easy to overbake. However, do [...]
You can just tell some products and batches are better than others. But can you pick out what makes one better than the next, and replicate it consistently? If you set objective parameters and qualifications for areas such as size, shape, crumb, crust, etc., baking quality moves from one person’s opinion to a reliable standard. Why is this so [...]
Is artisan bread really healthier than plain white bread? The use of bleached flour and the addition of dough conditioners, emulsifiers, and mold inhibitors are seen as unhealthy and blamed for our modern health issues. As consumer preferences have begun to shift to more wholesome ingredients, artisan bread began gaining in popularity. What [...]
Crusty exterior with a golden brown color dusted with flour – the inside crumb is chewy with irregular holes, moist but not sticky and offers some resilience when chewed. If this reads like poetry then you are probably a closet foodie, baker, or sensory analyst who pays close attention to the texture of your artisan [...]
When you score bread, it helps visually and with crust development. Bread scoring is one of those little parts of baking that’s actually hugely important. Just by the way you slice the top of a loaf before baking, you alter the: Visual Appeal Scoring is a way we help identify types of bread—like how [...]
A baking stone helps make crispier crusts on breads and pizzas. Baking Stone What is a Baking Stone? A baking stone is a portable cooking surface used in baking. They may be made of ceramic, stone, tile, etc. The baking stone helps give bread and pizza a golden, crispy crust. [...]
Bread Scoring What is Bread Scoring? Bread scoring of proofed dough pieces is the final step prior to baking. Scoring creates an incision on the skin/surface of the dough, and can have a direct impact on overall appearance of the bread loaf.1 In small scale production, this process is done manually with [...]
How The FDA Defines Breads and Rolls What is the difference between a bread and a roll? Baked goods such as breads and rolls are legally defined and identified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on their formulation (type and amount of ingredient used) and unit weight. The FDA provides [...]
Ciabatta What is Ciabatta? A ciabatta is an Italian yeast-leavened artisan and hearth-type bread made with a lean formula. It is characterized by having a crisp crust and a large, irregular and open crumb grain (cell structure). The flour’s high water absorption level is the basis for ciabatta’s dough stickiness and weakness, [...]
