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| The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread | 
 enlarge | Author: Peter Reinhart
Creator: Ron Manville
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Category: Book
List Price: $35.00
Buy New: $21.94
You Save: $13.06 (37%)
New (35) Used (12) from $21.77
Avg. Customer Rating:  186 reviews
Sales Rank: 1103
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.2
Dimensions (in): 10.1 x 9.3 x 1.4
ISBN: 1580082688
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.815
EAN: 9781580082686
ASIN: 1580082688
Publication Date: December 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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| Customer Reviews:
I Cannot Praise This Book Enough June 9, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Prior to purchasing this cookbook, the only bread cookbook I used was "The Bread Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum. I didn't think anything could top "The Bread Bible", so I was skeptically optimistic about "The Bread Baker's Apprentice". So far, the recipes I've tried have equaled the recipes in the Bread Bible. Peter Reinhart's cinnamon roll dough is wonderful, and with Peter Reinhart's bread formula lessons and instructions, I was able to create my very first bread recipe...and it came out fantastic! On a separate and important note, if you're used to baking bread with measuring cups and/or kneading by hand, this may not be the book for you. Although he gives instructions for both, it's much easier if you have a scale and kitchenaid stand mixer with dough hook. With bread baking, it's very important to have the right tools for the job. He also uses a lot of techniques that require special equipment or make-shift home alternatives like oven steaming, baking stones, couches, etc. Be prepared before you buy this book that you may have to make a lot of creative substitions or changes if you don't have or don't want to buy some of the above things I mentioned. Again, great GREAT book if you have the right tools for the job.
Excellent information for the Bread Baker June 4, 2008
I originally became interested in this book because of the reputation of the author, Peter Reinhart, in the world of bread baking - his reputation is that of a truly talented baker who loves to push outside the normal accepted envelope. When I first recieved the book I immediately skimmed through it, reviewed the recipes, and was impressed by the diversity of them. Then I started to actually read the beginning of the book and was very impressed with the author's style. He covers the mechanics of the bread making process without making it feel like we are back in class having information pushed at us. His style is very open, personal, and yet delivers a vast amount of very intersting information which will help the bread baker understand the entire process. This will help them learn how to "adjust" their steps when something does not turn out exactly as expected - which can often happen when there is a change in weather conditions, ingredients consistency, performance of the appliances used, etc. I can honestly say that my baking has improved considerably since I have read this book and now better understand WHY we do each step, as well as what the end result of each step should be. My wife has also now changed her favorite bread from a French Loaf recipe that I have baked for her for years to a new recipe that is given in this book which introduced to me the concept of Cold Fermentation - which gives this bread a wonderful, layered, complex taste.
It truly is a great book for the experienced Bread Baker who wants to do Hearth breads and a MUST HAVE for novice bakers who are just starting to gain skills and knowledge in bread baking.
Incredible Bread Book for Experienced Bakers May 17, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Peter Reinhart has written an amazing book for the intermediate and advanced baker. The recipes are packed with tips and ideas for variations and there are chapters on how to create sourdough starters and other types of pre-ferments. Although a beginner could most definitely take advantage of the book, it is best suited for experienced bakers who are ready to take on challenging recipes that may take three or four days to complete. Some of my favorite breads include the sourdoughs, the Greek Celebration Bread, the Ciabatta and the Tuscan bread.
Ken May 11, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This wonderful book is a joy to read, I now look at bread in a new light, the writing is easy to understand, and the writers passion for the subject really comes through.
One of the sections I found fascinating is the chemical process that the loaf goes through, it amazing how interesting our daily bread is.
I definately be buying more on the subject.
Ken Robinson
Australia
Surpassed all my expectations! April 27, 2008
I purchased this book based on previous Amazon reviews and was expecting it to be good - but I didn't expect it to take over my life and my kitchen! I have bowls of sour dough seed starters, barms and pate fermente. I'm stretching my dough to see if it passes the "window pane" test and sticking my milk frothing thermometer into the risen dough to see if it is warm enough - there is so much to learn in this book and it is so much FUN!!! You can use a machine mixer if you like - the author is encouraging of a variety of methods of kneading and proofing - and so far I have had great results - the instructions are very detailed and easy to follow.
My only criticism is that I would want a few more pictures of the dough in its different stages particularly for the more complex recipes involving several different stages of wild yeast starter. I had no visual reference to see if my starter looked right on the final day. But a small point in an otherwise magnificent book!
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