I debated waiting until I baked every single formula in this massive tome before marking it "read" here. The debate is over. I have not baked through this textbook cover to cover. I mean I will, I am, but unless the formulas are *very* different from the first 10 I'm confident reviewing the introductory chapters for each section and a third of the bread formulas as baked is enough.

I'm actually documenting my progress through this book on Instagram if you'd like a real-time preview of each formula and chapter. Just search for my name and you can follow along

In short, this is the best baking book I've read/baked through and if you, like me, really throw yourself into your hobbies you won't be disappointed with it either.

Every year I commit to cooking through a recipe book from start to finish. It all started years ago with Mastering the Art of French Cooking, inspired by the movie based on Julie Powell's Julie & Julia. Since that first project I've tackled Hazan's Italy and Bayless' Mexico but this year I decided to feed my inner baker and chose this as my launching point. Well it will take me a few years to finish at my weekend baker pace but I will certainly get there.

The science and technique are thoroughly explained for each stage of the break making process and I've already surpassed my former bread machine results simply because I have a much better understanding of what happens to all that flour, water, and yeast as it transforms into boules of thigh thickening magic.

I've also noticed a certain pedagogy to the way each formula is introduced. It isn't apparent from a glance if you, like me, had never successfully hand kneaded a baguette but each formula leads onto the next. The result is an accumulation of skills and confidence for all manner of dough situations: wet, dense, enriched, or slow to rise. ( )

I debated waiting until I baked every single formula in this massive tome before marking it "read" here. The debate is over. I have not baked through this textbook cover to cover. I mean I will, I am, but unless the formulas are *very* different from the first 10 I'm confident reviewing the introductory chapters for each section and a third of the bread formulas as baked is enough.

I'm actually documenting my progress through this book on Instagram if you'd like a real-time preview of each formula and chapter. Just search for my name and you can follow along

In short, this is the best baking book I've read/baked through and if you, like me, really throw yourself into your hobbies you won't be disappointed with it either.

Every year I commit to cooking through a recipe book from start to finish. It all started years ago with Mastering the Art of French Cooking, inspired by the movie based on Julie Powell's Julie & Julia. Since that first project I've tackled Hazan's Italy and Bayless' Mexico but this year I decided to feed my inner baker and chose this as my launching point. Well it will take me a few years to finish at my weekend baker pace but I will certainly get there.

The science and technique are thoroughly explained for each stage of the break making process and I've already surpassed my former bread machine results simply because I have a much better understanding of what happens to all that flour, water, and yeast as it transforms into boules of thigh thickening magic.

I've also noticed a certain pedagogy to the way each formula is introduced. It isn't apparent from a glance if you, like me, had never successfully hand kneaded a baguette but each formula leads onto the next. The result is an accumulation of skills and confidence for all manner of dough situations: wet, dense, enriched, or slow to rise. ( )

More than half the book is about pastry, but the other half is about bread making. Excellent technical information on bread making in the French manner. Fantastic recipes, given as formulas with very short instructions, but easy to follow. Recipes geared at the professional baker, but home amounts are also given. ( )