The Bread Bible
by Rose Levy Beranbaum
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Book Summary Information
Author: Rose Levy BeranbaumEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-10-17
ISBN: 0393057941
Number of pages: 640
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Book Reviews of The Bread Bible
Book Review: bread book comparison
Summary: 5 Stars
I wanted a book that gave me not just recipes, but information on making bread. What makes a loaf firmer or softer? So I got a number of books from the library, and bought one book. Here is a comparison of them. I have NOT tried recipes from all of them, since at this point my main goal is information, not recipes (or 'formulas' as they like to call them).
Bread Science: The Chemistry and Craft of Making Bread, by Emily Buehler.
This is an independently published book; get it from Two Blue Books - it is more expensive used on Amazon than new direct from them. This book gives detailed coverage of bread making. There is a long chapter on the science of bread making that goes into more detail than you need, although it is interesting. You don't need to read that chapter; the rest of the book has enough information. And it is very good information on ingredients and processes. There are good diagrams on how to knead and how to shape. I found this useful and highly recommend this book.
The Bread Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum.
A big book with a lot of good information. This gives a lot of information on techniques, and includes useful information like expected ingredient ranges (water compared to flour). She covers equipment in depth, such as a comparison on mixing machines - and how to use each one. I am very pleased with this book, and highly recommend it. My understanding of how my actions impact the final bread have definitely improved with this and the Bread Science books. This is the book that finally turned the corner for me on how much kneading is required (more than I thought).
BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with Over 200 Magnificent Recipes, by Shirley O. Corriher
This book only has a small chapter on making bread. It does give a decent overview, including the basics on shpaing, steaming, and such. But there certainly is not as much detail, and she does not emphasize flavor development the way some of the other books do. There are also no diagrams on how to knead or shape. Don't get this to be your primary book on making bread. Of course, there is a lot more in this book on other types of baking. The rest of the book chapters are called Cakes, Steam Leavened, Pies, and Cookies. There is some good information, but your cholesterol will suffer. She loves butter and cream, and makes no stab at making the recipes healthier. And I've never seen such a complicated brownie recipe before. I'm sure it's great. Just be aware what you are getting before you dive in to this book.
Local Breads: Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe's Best Artisan Bakers, by Daniel Leader
This book has information on ingredients, equipment, and techniques, including some diagrams, but the overview is higher level than in, say, The Bread Bible. Still, there is a lot of good information. The various sections include additional information and Q&A after some recipes. It seems to have a nice variety of recipes. Overall, this doesn't seem like a 1st choice for information but a good supplement book.
The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread, Peter Reinhart
Reinhart's books include a lot of story telling. This can be interesting, but certainly takes a lot of space. He includes his description of the required steps in the 2nd section of the book. There are some excellent pictures, such as the windowpane test. And there is a nice chart showing all the recipes and what techniques it uses, which is nice if you want to select a recipe that uses a biga, for example. He is a big advocate on slow rises and preferments, which most of these writers are. Personally, I prefer Beranbaum's book; I felt that book is better organized, has more information, and is a bit clearer. But this book is still a good choice, particularly if you prefer pictures to diagrams.
Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor, Peter Reinhart
Again, this has Reinhart's narrative style. His focus is, no surprise, whole grain breads. A lot of the basic information is repeated here, although in less detail than his Apprentice book. His recipes might initially strike you as very complicated. I made a 'spent grain bread'. It uses a soaker plus a biga, then makes the dough. However, it really was very straight forward and easy. So you might not want this as your only bread book, but it gives a lot of ideas for other breads.
With my new understanding on how to make bread, I expect I will be less dependent on pre-made recipes. That being said, having the recipes saves you from (failed) experiments and helps give new ideas. So for a good understanding, I recommend Beranbaum's "The Bread Bible" and Buehler's "Bread Science". I also might get Reinhart's "Whole Grain Breads" for a focus on those styles of bread.
Summary of The Bread Bible
The new baking masterwork from the author of The Cake Bible and The Pie and Pastry Bible.
The Bread Bible gives bread bakers 150 of the meticulous, foolproof recipes that are Rose Levy Beranbaum's trademark. Her knowledge of the chemistry of baking, the accessibility of her recipes, and the incomparable taste of her creations make this book invaluable for home cooks and professional bakers alike."Understanding" and "Pointers for Success" sections explain in simple, readable language the importance of various techniques and ingredients demonstrated in a recipe, providing a complete education in the art of baking, with thorough sections on types of flour, equipment, and other essentials. Easy-to-use ingredient tables provide both volume and weight, for surefire recipes that work perfectly every time.
Recipes include bread made with yeast starters, quick breads, flatbreads, brioche, and much more. From ciabatta, semolina, rye, and sourdough breads to bagels, biscuits, crumpets, and pizza dough, The Bread Bible covers all the baking bases. 225 line drawings and 32 pages of color illustrations
Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible introduced readers to a newly illuminating baking-book approach--a precisely detailed yet accessible recipe format emphasizing baking science. The Bread Bible follows the same plan, offering 150 recipes, arranged by type, for a great variety of baked goods--from muffins, popovers, and English muffins to sandwich loaves, focaccia, rolls, hearth breads, rye bread, challah, and more, with a particularly vivid (and passionate) stop at sourdough loaves. Instruction is abetted by 32 pages of photos plus 300 step-by-step illustrations that depict, for example, bagel forming, in exact, imitable detail. In addition, an introductory section, "The Ten Essential Steps of Making Bread," includes a particularly lucid discussion on the way yeast works plus an invaluable comparison of kneading methods. Like the book's final look at ingredients, these "mini-texts" provide information uncommon to most home bread books, rendered in simple language that allays fears of putting one's hand in the dough.
All this is impressive indeed, and readers bitten by the bread-baking bug will welcome the ultra-thorough Beranbaum approach. The less committed may find her technical demands too painstaking (her baguette recipe requires two starters, for example; though simpler loaves are, of course, offered) or even impractical (ingredient quantities using grams are sometimes given in minute fractions, requiring a special scale). The frequent inclusion of alternate mixing methods and equipment options can also make the formulas unwieldy. On the other hand, features like Pointers for Success and Understanding often yield exciting discovery as well as rewarding results. In short, this Beranbaum bible answers virtually every bread-making question, as well as providing exemplary formulas. It's the real deal for those willing to bake along with Rose. --Arthur Boehm
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