From the simplest
dinner rolls to traditional croissants and all types of yeast breads in
between, home cooks—even those short on time and skill--CAN bake fresh
bread from scratch. How is this possible? By breaking the process into
two separate steps, with the mixing and kneading done the day before and
the baking done when the next day. And the best part? Not only does
this make bread baking much easier to fit into a busy schedule, but it
also results in a better finished bread product.
The make-ahead bread concept focuses on a long, slow rise, so that the dough rests for a day or two, allowing it to develop flavor (called fermentation by pro bakers). This means that home cooks no longer have to be a slave to their kitchen when they have dough resting. Instead, they could be at work, playing with their kids, sleeping—or doing anything they want. Make Ahead Bread features 100 yeast bread recipes that benefit from the long rise method so that home cooks can have freshly baked bread whenever they want it, any day of the week. In addition, cooks will find recipes for homemade butters, spreads, and sauces as well as recipes for using up leftover bread. |
Another great bread book that makes me want to bake more bread, eat more bread, and then fear the waistline effects. I never would have thought of a combination like Maple, Onion, and Bacon loaf...but now that they said something....and I definitely like the first recipe for Bacon, Tomatoe, and Cheddar loaf. Yum.
I made a cinnamon bread that I love, but this book puts in an optional option of putting some crumbled graham crackers in the filling for texture. That's something I'll have to add and try. (note to self: 2 crushed crackers)
They have monkey bread, which we all know from home-ec, but then a second: sweet potato monkey bread. Hm. The book offers non-traditional among the traditional. Strawberry rolls with walnut swirl? Why not?
Besides the staple loaves, rolls, and such, they have a wide variety of flat breads, which a lot of books lack, and they throw in pastries, turnovers, and bread recipes for leftover breads. Finally, yummy butters and spreads.
This is probably the best bread book I've read - there are beautiful full sized pictures, more recipes than you could try in a lifetime, unique breads that will have guests wondering what your secret is, and detailed instructions. Definitely a winner.
Received this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
