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Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day: Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads [A Baking Book]
The renowned baking instructor distills professional techniques down to the basics, delivering artisan bread recipes that anyone with flour and a fridge can bake with ease. Reinhart begins with the simplest French bread, then moves on to familiar classics such as ciabatta, pizza dough, and soft sandwich loaves, and concludes with fresh specialty items like pretzels, crackers, croissants, and bagels. Each recipe is broken into "Do Ahead" and "On Baking Day" sections, making every step—from preparation through pulling pans from the oven—a breeze, whether you bought your loaf pan yesterday or decades ago. These doughs are engineered to work flawlessly for busy home most require only a straightforward mixing and overnight fermentation. The result is reliably superior flavor and texture on par with loaves from world-class artisan bakeries, all with little hands-on time. America's favorite baking instructor and innovator Peter Reinhart offers time-saving techniques accompanied by full-color, step-by-step photos throughout so that in no time you'll be producing fresh batches of Sourdough Baguettes, 50% and 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaves, Soft and Crusty Cheese Bread, English Muffins, Cinnamon Buns, Panettone, Hoagie Rolls, Chocolate Cinnamon Babka, Fruit-Filled Thumbprint Rolls, Danish, and Best-Ever Biscuits. Best of all, these high-caliber doughs improve with a longer stay in the fridge, so you can mix once, then portion, proof, and bake whenever you feel like enjoying a piping hot treat.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2009
423 people are currently reading
1945 people want to read
About the author
Peter Reinhart
23 books100 followersPeter Reinhart is a master baker, educator, and award-winning author, renowned for his deep exploration of bread and pizza. His books, including The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza, and Bread Revolution, have redefined the way people think about baking. With multiple James Beard Awards under his belt, he is considered one of the most influential voices in the world of bread and artisan baking.
A passionate teacher, Peter serves as a Chef on Assignment at Johnson & Wales University, where he shares his expertise with aspiring bakers. He has also worked as a consultant for major food brands, helped develop innovative baking techniques, and even delivered a TED Talk on the transformative power of bread.
His lifelong quest for the perfect pizza led him on a journey across the U.S. and Italy, documented in American Pie, and continues through Pizza Quest, a blog where he explores the art and craft of pizza-making.
Peter’s work goes beyond recipes—he delves into the history, science, and philosophy of baking, believing that bread is not just food but a metaphor for transformation and discovery. Whether you’re a home baker, a professional, or just someone who loves a good loaf, his books offer inspiration, technique, and a deep appreciation for the magic of fermentation.
A passionate teacher, Peter serves as a Chef on Assignment at Johnson & Wales University, where he shares his expertise with aspiring bakers. He has also worked as a consultant for major food brands, helped develop innovative baking techniques, and even delivered a TED Talk on the transformative power of bread.
His lifelong quest for the perfect pizza led him on a journey across the U.S. and Italy, documented in American Pie, and continues through Pizza Quest, a blog where he explores the art and craft of pizza-making.
Peter’s work goes beyond recipes—he delves into the history, science, and philosophy of baking, believing that bread is not just food but a metaphor for transformation and discovery. Whether you’re a home baker, a professional, or just someone who loves a good loaf, his books offer inspiration, technique, and a deep appreciation for the magic of fermentation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
October 8, 2014
Given that bread has been around for so long I should not be surprised that I did not think it possible that fundamental revolutions in the making of it were still possible. But they are! The famous "New York Times No-Knead Bread" showed me that making a lovely and tasty loaf of country style bread could be so easy it was hard to even take credit for it. I made that bread for a while, but the easiness of it, and the fact that it did not fill the house with bread smell during baking, left me wanting more. So I searched and very quickly found my new bread guru - Peter Reinhart. His innovations seem like variations of the no-knead method, which perhaps they are, but they are more involved, require more effort, and so are something you can actually be proud of accomplishing. My apprenticeship making no-knead bread no doubt aided my seamless transition to Reinhart's formulas (he calls them "formulas" rather than "recipes"), so from the very first attempt, a ciabatta, I felt like a master baker. Since then I've moved on to a white sandwich loaf and focaccia, both of which were also excellent.
What are his innovations? Instead of kneading (or no-kneading) he employs a stretch and fold method, which takes seconds, and which according to his research creates just as many strands of gluten as 20 minutes of laborious kneading. His other innovation is allowing the bread to rise overnight in the refrigerator, rather than quickly in a warm spot. This longer rise allows many more flavors to develop in the flour mixture. There are other, smaller, innovations, such as a higher water content in the mix, but they were already familiar to from my experience with making no-knead bread.
I don't know that Mr. Reinhart can take sole and complete credit for these recent innovations in an ancient practice, but the clarity of his books and his role as a travelling bread man have made him the face of the current home bread making renaissance.
Get the book, get a baking stone, and get baking!
What are his innovations? Instead of kneading (or no-kneading) he employs a stretch and fold method, which takes seconds, and which according to his research creates just as many strands of gluten as 20 minutes of laborious kneading. His other innovation is allowing the bread to rise overnight in the refrigerator, rather than quickly in a warm spot. This longer rise allows many more flavors to develop in the flour mixture. There are other, smaller, innovations, such as a higher water content in the mix, but they were already familiar to from my experience with making no-knead bread.
I don't know that Mr. Reinhart can take sole and complete credit for these recent innovations in an ancient practice, but the clarity of his books and his role as a travelling bread man have made him the face of the current home bread making renaissance.
Get the book, get a baking stone, and get baking!
November 21, 2012
This is the only bread baking book that I can think of that both the complete beginner and the little experienced will use. If you are short on time and would like to know what is the EASIEST way to make REAL bread, then this is the book for you. You won't find any shortcuts or anything like that but it truly is incredibly easy to make ANYTHING from this book.
It doesn't go deep into technique but it teaches you just enough technique to make the recipes in this book, only. It's very thorough actually for such a small book.
It's also very usable, I have tried 4 of the recipes and they were all good. Used the formulas at the back to use specific amount of flour, and I can easily tell you that there are no errors whatsoever.
As a somewhat experienced baker (by now), I can tell you that this book does not provide the ULTIMATE result if you're used to very high quality bread, but nothing in the supermarket would even come close to its quality. As Reinhart said, "every day". It's the type of bread you'd like to eat on a daily basis.
Plus, I like the idea of making the dough at night, popping it in the fridge, and then making it at any time you want within 4 days.
If you have a stand mixer, this will definitely be the easiest bread book you'll ever use. If you don't, don't worry, it would still be easy, as Reinhart provides instructions for making dough by hand as well. This is actually one of the rare bread baking books that don't ask for a lot of equipment.
The five chapters are:
1- Baking Basics (must-read if you have never made bread in your life).
2- Sourdough and Wild Yeast Fundamentals (Not very detailed but detailed enough for the lay man)
3- French Breads and Sourdough Hearth Breads (Yay, you get to use the starter that you made!)
4- Enriched Breads (Breads that contain oil/eggs/sugar...etc)
5- Rich Breads (Breads that are high in fat, relatively, and used in making sweet stuff).
Would recommend it.
It doesn't go deep into technique but it teaches you just enough technique to make the recipes in this book, only. It's very thorough actually for such a small book.
It's also very usable, I have tried 4 of the recipes and they were all good. Used the formulas at the back to use specific amount of flour, and I can easily tell you that there are no errors whatsoever.
As a somewhat experienced baker (by now), I can tell you that this book does not provide the ULTIMATE result if you're used to very high quality bread, but nothing in the supermarket would even come close to its quality. As Reinhart said, "every day". It's the type of bread you'd like to eat on a daily basis.
Plus, I like the idea of making the dough at night, popping it in the fridge, and then making it at any time you want within 4 days.
If you have a stand mixer, this will definitely be the easiest bread book you'll ever use. If you don't, don't worry, it would still be easy, as Reinhart provides instructions for making dough by hand as well. This is actually one of the rare bread baking books that don't ask for a lot of equipment.
The five chapters are:
1- Baking Basics (must-read if you have never made bread in your life).
2- Sourdough and Wild Yeast Fundamentals (Not very detailed but detailed enough for the lay man)
3- French Breads and Sourdough Hearth Breads (Yay, you get to use the starter that you made!)
4- Enriched Breads (Breads that contain oil/eggs/sugar...etc)
5- Rich Breads (Breads that are high in fat, relatively, and used in making sweet stuff).
Would recommend it.
July 9, 2018
This book is the definitive guide to consistently baking excellent bread recipes on a full time working schedule. Highly, highly recommended.
Best bread book ever. Get on it, Dawn.
Best bread book ever. Get on it, Dawn.
February 15, 2016
I made it my goal in 2016 to finally learn the science of bread-making to add to my skillset for being useful if the oil runs out. (Also, I have a need to know how to make everything from scratch, sometimes starting with "plant the seed for the vegetable you need")
I have turned out six loaves of French bread with beautiful exteriors but slightly dense interiors following the directions in this book thus far. I keep accidentally degassing my loaves, which is not the author's issue. Even then, they were delicious and devoured within 48 hours.
I had issues with the whole wheat loaf recipe, turning out something too chewy and dense to enjoy. But the tips and walk through in that recipe helped me to create a perfect loaf of honey-oatmeal whole wheat bread on the second try. I am trying to make 1 new type of bread a week, but keep going back to the French bread and sandwich bread recipes to try and perfect my technique. Each recipe is explained so clearly that I feel confidant I could mix up anything in the book and have it yield something delicious. Definitely recommend it as a good discussion of science and technique for bread baking for anyone looking to learn.
I have turned out six loaves of French bread with beautiful exteriors but slightly dense interiors following the directions in this book thus far. I keep accidentally degassing my loaves, which is not the author's issue. Even then, they were delicious and devoured within 48 hours.
I had issues with the whole wheat loaf recipe, turning out something too chewy and dense to enjoy. But the tips and walk through in that recipe helped me to create a perfect loaf of honey-oatmeal whole wheat bread on the second try. I am trying to make 1 new type of bread a week, but keep going back to the French bread and sandwich bread recipes to try and perfect my technique. Each recipe is explained so clearly that I feel confidant I could mix up anything in the book and have it yield something delicious. Definitely recommend it as a good discussion of science and technique for bread baking for anyone looking to learn.
June 13, 2012
Unlike his other book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, this book is more of a recipe book. The former was also a recipe book but with an extensive introduction into the world of breadmaking. It was the kind of book I would keep on my nightstand and read before bed.
This book has a similar introduction for those that haven't read the more in depth one, but while it is simplified, it is no less informative. The recipes are much more practical for the casual home cook. They still use the cold fermentation method (overnight in the refrigerator) but none of the breads involve poolishes or pate fermentees so they are much more simple and they turn out fantastic.
I made hoagie rolls and they were so good I had to eat one by itself. I had no idea bread could be this easy!
One thing I really liked was the pictures, particularly of the fermentation process of wild yeast starter (for sourdough). The Bread Baker's Apprentice explained the process, but since this book has pictures of the process, I know if I'm doing it right or not.
This book has a similar introduction for those that haven't read the more in depth one, but while it is simplified, it is no less informative. The recipes are much more practical for the casual home cook. They still use the cold fermentation method (overnight in the refrigerator) but none of the breads involve poolishes or pate fermentees so they are much more simple and they turn out fantastic.
I made hoagie rolls and they were so good I had to eat one by itself. I had no idea bread could be this easy!
One thing I really liked was the pictures, particularly of the fermentation process of wild yeast starter (for sourdough). The Bread Baker's Apprentice explained the process, but since this book has pictures of the process, I know if I'm doing it right or not.
December 22, 2012
A lot of cookbooks claim to have really easy recipes for delicious food. Almost invariably, they forget to mention the exotic ingredients, the side sauce you made elsewhere in the book, and the fact that their recipes were created and tested by professionals in a fully-equipped kitchen with assistants to do the washing-up.
This is the first book I have found that lives up to its promise. More than that, the bread you get from these recipes is amazingly, incredibly, life-changingly good. It takes a few tries to get some of the details right, but every single loaf I baked (including the ones that didn't come out quite right) was delicious. You really can't go wrong, if you want delicious easy bread.
This is the first book I have found that lives up to its promise. More than that, the bread you get from these recipes is amazingly, incredibly, life-changingly good. It takes a few tries to get some of the details right, but every single loaf I baked (including the ones that didn't come out quite right) was delicious. You really can't go wrong, if you want delicious easy bread.
August 17, 2010
This book is not about expediency but rather about committing oneself to the daily art of bread making. Peter explores the PROCESS of making breads he has already discussed in his other books. With a couple of exceptions there are no new breads, but very new approaches designed to enhance the flavor and creative process of an artisan craft.
The book is a great addition to your Reinhart library but not a stand-alone work. If you are getting into artisan breads for the first time I would have to recommend his great work in The Bread Bakers Apprentice. Once you have the concepts and the technique move onto this one.
Incidentally I was a tester for this book.
The book is a great addition to your Reinhart library but not a stand-alone work. If you are getting into artisan breads for the first time I would have to recommend his great work in The Bread Bakers Apprentice. Once you have the concepts and the technique move onto this one.
Incidentally I was a tester for this book.
March 8, 2019
I have been baking for a long time and at the age of 54, I have done it a great deal throughout my life. I have been cooking since when I was a child my mother would let me help her in the kitchen. My grandmother also would go on to teach me some of the basics of southern Tex Mex cooking, like baking cornbread (not the sweet kind that I often make today) or Pinto beans or the mustard greens that we would pick by the roadside. (Liberally seasoned with pepper vinegar.)
Many of us who enjoy cooking, reach a point where we say to ourselves “How am I doing? Could I improve? Can I do better?” sometimes we take classes, sometimes we watch TV shows on cooking, other times we read books on the topic to see what we can learn. But we are not always satisfied.
Working in bookstores as a sales clerk I became quite knowledgeable on the various cookbooks that were offered and I noticed a metamorphosis of the publishing industry. Cookbooks had become not just recipe books but often advanced instructional materials. The newer books that were being published had better photos and instructions where someone could take better direction from a process that often just had “Fold in egg whites” as a directive. For me, or anyone like me there were not examples of technique or recommendations for what we might be doing wrong when the recipes might not work out.
As I came to work in Libraries and I would be able to have access to a larger selection of cookbooks, I was able to see that some books would give advice and offer tutorials of the process. Some authors took this one step further and would examine the process like a science. For these authors, they were going through the process scientifically asking important questions and trying to find new ways of improving the process. These authors were pioneers of many a movement that would change the way many of us would cook and eat and ultimately change food culture.
As I am now more enmeshed in social media, and watch many of the people I know (and don’t know) post pictures of the bread they made online, and when I talk with my brother over coffee about how the no-knead sourdough loaf I made over the weekend turned out, I see now that many of us are looking at fine-tuning the process of how we bake, so that we are not just turning out edible products for our families, but are embarking on a journey of discovery that has us examining the flour we use, the yeast or starter we use, and what kind of materials we purchase in our bread baking process. This shared experience is wonderful, and something I’ve come to enjoy very much. When I refer to myself as a “Bread Nerd” I say it with great pride as do I believe others do or will do ultimately.
Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day has come to be for me a sort of “Chilton Manual” of bread with breakdowns of various types of bread and how they are made. These instructions are very specific and precise. There are not a huge amount of individual recipes here but there is an awful lot of information and instruction. Reinhart begins with a chapter on technique and the various terms used within this book and others so you have a better understanding of what you need to do with examples and explanations on why these techniques are used. The Second Chapter is on Sourdough and the third is on French bread and other similar types of breads using the same dough such as ciabatta, pizza dough, and soft sandwich loaves, and concludes with whole wheat and enriched loaves of bread. In each section the recipes are broken into “Do Ahead” and “On Baking Day” sections, making every step more formulaic and easier to envision for the baker. The book has very precise directions and gives in-depth examples of why these instructions are being employed so there is a lesson in each chapter that is meant to give the baker a sense of purpose for the tasks that helps on understand the science of bread baking and how it works.
I have most of Reinhardt’s books and ultimately will have them all. These books are not all the same and many are an improvement of a previous book. This book, however, is a good bare bones instructional manual for how to bake bread and is something that you can easily flip to while you bake to get answers to the questions you may have or reminders of what techniques you should be using.
I’ve always hated the hyperbole of “If you are going to buy one book on….blah blah blah” but I will go as far as to say, if you are going to buy one book about bread baking, this should be it. This has everything you need to get yourself started and develop practices for baking bread.
The Good:
· Sourdough: Building your starter
· overnight pizza dough
· 100% whole wheat hearth bread
· Subchapter on Cheese Bread
· Instructions on bread hydration and texture
· Great informative photos
The Bad
· Nothing. Not a thing.
Rating: Five out of Five Loaves
1. Chilton Manual — Automotive Service and repair manuals: model specific coverage with simple step-by-step procedures for the service, repair, and maintenance of your vehicle.
To Read this review online go to
https://medium.com/@librarian.deanjon...
Many of us who enjoy cooking, reach a point where we say to ourselves “How am I doing? Could I improve? Can I do better?” sometimes we take classes, sometimes we watch TV shows on cooking, other times we read books on the topic to see what we can learn. But we are not always satisfied.
Working in bookstores as a sales clerk I became quite knowledgeable on the various cookbooks that were offered and I noticed a metamorphosis of the publishing industry. Cookbooks had become not just recipe books but often advanced instructional materials. The newer books that were being published had better photos and instructions where someone could take better direction from a process that often just had “Fold in egg whites” as a directive. For me, or anyone like me there were not examples of technique or recommendations for what we might be doing wrong when the recipes might not work out.
As I came to work in Libraries and I would be able to have access to a larger selection of cookbooks, I was able to see that some books would give advice and offer tutorials of the process. Some authors took this one step further and would examine the process like a science. For these authors, they were going through the process scientifically asking important questions and trying to find new ways of improving the process. These authors were pioneers of many a movement that would change the way many of us would cook and eat and ultimately change food culture.
As I am now more enmeshed in social media, and watch many of the people I know (and don’t know) post pictures of the bread they made online, and when I talk with my brother over coffee about how the no-knead sourdough loaf I made over the weekend turned out, I see now that many of us are looking at fine-tuning the process of how we bake, so that we are not just turning out edible products for our families, but are embarking on a journey of discovery that has us examining the flour we use, the yeast or starter we use, and what kind of materials we purchase in our bread baking process. This shared experience is wonderful, and something I’ve come to enjoy very much. When I refer to myself as a “Bread Nerd” I say it with great pride as do I believe others do or will do ultimately.
Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day has come to be for me a sort of “Chilton Manual” of bread with breakdowns of various types of bread and how they are made. These instructions are very specific and precise. There are not a huge amount of individual recipes here but there is an awful lot of information and instruction. Reinhart begins with a chapter on technique and the various terms used within this book and others so you have a better understanding of what you need to do with examples and explanations on why these techniques are used. The Second Chapter is on Sourdough and the third is on French bread and other similar types of breads using the same dough such as ciabatta, pizza dough, and soft sandwich loaves, and concludes with whole wheat and enriched loaves of bread. In each section the recipes are broken into “Do Ahead” and “On Baking Day” sections, making every step more formulaic and easier to envision for the baker. The book has very precise directions and gives in-depth examples of why these instructions are being employed so there is a lesson in each chapter that is meant to give the baker a sense of purpose for the tasks that helps on understand the science of bread baking and how it works.
I have most of Reinhardt’s books and ultimately will have them all. These books are not all the same and many are an improvement of a previous book. This book, however, is a good bare bones instructional manual for how to bake bread and is something that you can easily flip to while you bake to get answers to the questions you may have or reminders of what techniques you should be using.
I’ve always hated the hyperbole of “If you are going to buy one book on….blah blah blah” but I will go as far as to say, if you are going to buy one book about bread baking, this should be it. This has everything you need to get yourself started and develop practices for baking bread.
The Good:
· Sourdough: Building your starter
· overnight pizza dough
· 100% whole wheat hearth bread
· Subchapter on Cheese Bread
· Instructions on bread hydration and texture
· Great informative photos
The Bad
· Nothing. Not a thing.
Rating: Five out of Five Loaves
1. Chilton Manual — Automotive Service and repair manuals: model specific coverage with simple step-by-step procedures for the service, repair, and maintenance of your vehicle.
To Read this review online go to
https://medium.com/@librarian.deanjon...
May 23, 2015
Artisan Breads I don't know why, but reading this made me think the author is one of those overly fussy foodies.
January 18, 2019
During my “sabbatical” I will be wintering in IL and one of my projects is to practice my bread baking. I’ve mostly been pulling from this as well as his book Crust & Crumb - so far I have sourdough starter that I’m growing up from scratch and I’ve had modest success with both French Bread and pizza crust. It’s my intention to tackle bagels and sourdough next.
Both of these books have great introductory sections - Crust &Crumb seems a little heftier on the intro stuff but the recipes in this book seem a little more refined. I’ve benefited from reading through both of them and referring to them as needed as I go along.
The one thing that is missing that I’m hankering for is the use of whole grains in baking. I do understand that there is a whole book devoted to the topic so that’ll be the next thing I tackle.
Both of these books have great introductory sections - Crust &Crumb seems a little heftier on the intro stuff but the recipes in this book seem a little more refined. I’ve benefited from reading through both of them and referring to them as needed as I go along.
The one thing that is missing that I’m hankering for is the use of whole grains in baking. I do understand that there is a whole book devoted to the topic so that’ll be the next thing I tackle.
June 12, 2023
In a short time I've read 2 Reinhart bread books (and am working on another). It's interesting to see his bread techniques evolve. Although, he's careful to say that the techniques in this book aren't necessarily better than what he developed in the previous books, this one does potentially allow the home baker to do some prep work throughout the week and bake bread on a reasonable schedule. In essence, these are all recipes where you mix the bread and then put it in the fridge for 1-4 days and shape/bake it when you take it out. This means that on baking day you can potentially have your bread cooling after just 2.5ish hours - making it possible to bake and still have a job.
I haven't made any of these recipes yet, but the bagel recipe in here seems to be the easiest one I've ever seen, so I might start with that one.
I haven't made any of these recipes yet, but the bagel recipe in here seems to be the easiest one I've ever seen, so I might start with that one.
August 17, 2021
Nicely put together book with plenty of photographs and descriptions and a wide variety of breads. Not super clear on the differences among the breads. Some are very similar and it would help if the text said things like "just like XYZ recipe only use less water and ferment for longer" or whatever.
Nearly every recipe uses a slow food technique of long fermentation in the refrigerator (usually overnight). This makes the actual time working on the recipes much shorter and easier (little to no kneading, for example). The author talks at length about the practical science of breadmaking and it's fascinating. I love the ideas.
I'm reading this for research so I haven't made any of the recipes, but they look pretty good.
Nearly every recipe uses a slow food technique of long fermentation in the refrigerator (usually overnight). This makes the actual time working on the recipes much shorter and easier (little to no kneading, for example). The author talks at length about the practical science of breadmaking and it's fascinating. I love the ideas.
I'm reading this for research so I haven't made any of the recipes, but they look pretty good.
February 3, 2018
Wonderful! Good detail without being overwhelming. Let's just say this is a very dirty book (the book, dirty, from handling...jeesh y'all have dirty minds ;)). Terrific photos. While I use "Kneadlessy Simple" by Nancy Baggett (great, right?!) and "My Bread" by Jim Lahey more, I like this when I want to do a more traditional kneaded bread. My only complaint is that the sourdough recipes use added yeast and I prefer not to as I like super sour sourdough. I culled my cookbooks recently, these three all got to stay.
September 9, 2018
An outstanding book. It's not pretentious at all and Reinhart gives you just enough why to understand the various processes outlined in this book. He has simplified artisan bread and I promise you that if you have never baked a potato in your life, this book will enable you to make some pretty good bread with totally normal shit from the store. I got this out the library but I'll be buying my own copy to refer to again and again.
April 23, 2021
Delicious book.
Lavishly illustrated with conderfull, educated comentary from the author between the recipes that expand on the basic techniques to provide different signiture breads.
I've made bread at home for 15 or more years and I still learnt a lot about the art, science and chemistry of bread from this book.
Could be the only book you need to learn to bake pastries and breads if ever you were so inclined.
Lavishly illustrated with conderfull, educated comentary from the author between the recipes that expand on the basic techniques to provide different signiture breads.
I've made bread at home for 15 or more years and I still learnt a lot about the art, science and chemistry of bread from this book.
Could be the only book you need to learn to bake pastries and breads if ever you were so inclined.
July 5, 2018
I LOVE this book's recipes. They tend to turn out bakery good. The only feedback I have would be the format could be set up better. I find myself flipping a page to finish a recipe with sticky hands. I like the French bread, bagels, pizza and cracker recipes the most. Who knew cold fermentation of bread dough makes fantastic crusty, rustic bread.
October 3, 2017
This is the best bread book I have got.
Many of the breads start off by mixing in the evening then putting the dough in the fridge overnight.
Shape the bread in the morning and bake.
Delicious loaves.
Its sourdough starter is also the best one I have seen.
Many of the breads start off by mixing in the evening then putting the dough in the fridge overnight.
Shape the bread in the morning and bake.
Delicious loaves.
Its sourdough starter is also the best one I have seen.
September 11, 2018
I just use this book for the recipes
I learned how to switch from volumes to weights. The stretch and fold technique I have come to love. I still have much to learn. I have come a long ways for being self taught.
I learned how to switch from volumes to weights. The stretch and fold technique I have come to love. I still have much to learn. I have come a long ways for being self taught.
March 21, 2019
Very pleased with the recipes pulled from this book. Neonapolitan pizza, bagels, biscuits. All 3 were the best I've made and are incredibly flexible, perfect for fitting into an otherwise busy schedule.
August 7, 2018
not as detail heavy as 'the bread bakers apprentice' but just as informative...
recipes are good outlines that one can tweak and twist to make them their own.
recipes are good outlines that one can tweak and twist to make them their own.
January 3, 2019
The book that changed my baking life. Still working my way through the recipes, but it was worth its price for the ciabatta recipe alone.
October 2, 2019
Thanks to this book I made my first sourdough pizza today ! Yay !
May 26, 2020
Primer to better bread.
February 24, 2023
the best
a Bible of bread baking par excellence. I highly recommend this book as well as his
others. All are great
a Bible of bread baking par excellence. I highly recommend this book as well as his
others. All are great
Want to read
November 2, 2025New York Public Library
September 24, 2016
Recipes I will use
I have been baking bread for over 50 years, my grandmother and mother taught me to cook very early and by the time i was 12, I was cooking family meals, which in my family included homemade bread. I read bread books like novels, this one has some good practical recipes I will use.
The technique of making bread dough ahead, and letting it rise in the refrigerator is one i have used before, this book explains the process much Bette than some instructions I have seen.
For me this method of breathtaking is attractive because I can make a smaller amount of bread at a time, and have fresh bread for myself, or if I need to make more dough, I can easily do so. Dough made with a long slow rising as in these recipes, is particularly nice and flavorful.
I believe this book can improve my breathtaking skills, and teach anyone who wants to take time to study it and follow the steps,to make good tasty bread., from simple, inexpensive readily available ingredients,when something less available is called for, substitutes are suggested or it can be eliminated.
The artisan bread movement had increased interest in bread making, a good thing in my opinion. This book makes good bread more accessible to those of us who can't abide spongy commercial store bread, and don't like baying high bakery prices for simple tasty bread.
I have been baking bread for over 50 years, my grandmother and mother taught me to cook very early and by the time i was 12, I was cooking family meals, which in my family included homemade bread. I read bread books like novels, this one has some good practical recipes I will use.
The technique of making bread dough ahead, and letting it rise in the refrigerator is one i have used before, this book explains the process much Bette than some instructions I have seen.
For me this method of breathtaking is attractive because I can make a smaller amount of bread at a time, and have fresh bread for myself, or if I need to make more dough, I can easily do so. Dough made with a long slow rising as in these recipes, is particularly nice and flavorful.
I believe this book can improve my breathtaking skills, and teach anyone who wants to take time to study it and follow the steps,to make good tasty bread., from simple, inexpensive readily available ingredients,when something less available is called for, substitutes are suggested or it can be eliminated.
The artisan bread movement had increased interest in bread making, a good thing in my opinion. This book makes good bread more accessible to those of us who can't abide spongy commercial store bread, and don't like baying high bakery prices for simple tasty bread.
April 19, 2010
Full disclosure, I was a recipe tester for this book so I am certainly biased. I fell in love with Peter Reinhart when I bought a copy of his Bread Baker's Apprentice and baked my way (to the delight of my family) through the entire book. Who knew I should have been blogging about "Peter and Me" and might have a book and movie deal by now? But back to the book at hand. It's a great book of all around breads that dabbles in several different techniques. There are doughs that can be kept in the fridge and baked when you are ready for them, there are over night fermenting doughs, there are quick mix them and bake them right now things like biscuits and a large variety of things from pretzels to bagels to sweet rolls. I have a group of friends and we bake together monthly. Last month we did the sticky buns and they were a hit. The instructions are clear but do check, before you get your mouth watering, whether the recipe takes one day or more. Nothing is more discouraging to get halfway thorough a recipe before you read those words "retard in the refrigerator overnight".
March 28, 2011
Some have commented that this book is too complicated, I disagree. This is not a quick and easy book , since many of the breads take two or more days to preferment and rise. The instructions are clear and concise and the resulting bread tastes as good or better as any from my local bakeries.
I grew up on San Francisco Sourdough and since moving to the east coast I had been able to find one with the taste and texture I remembered from my youth.I tried many recipes and even purchase some stater online but the results were always disappointing. Peters recipe is spot on and it has become my everyday bread. For me, this recipe was worth the price paid for the book. I have also made most of the other recipes and many have become "regulars" .(People beg for the cheese and onion bread) I still use the Bread Bakers Apprentice , but this books recipes are a bit simpler and a great introduction into the amazingly diverse world of bread.
I grew up on San Francisco Sourdough and since moving to the east coast I had been able to find one with the taste and texture I remembered from my youth.I tried many recipes and even purchase some stater online but the results were always disappointing. Peters recipe is spot on and it has become my everyday bread. For me, this recipe was worth the price paid for the book. I have also made most of the other recipes and many have become "regulars" .(People beg for the cheese and onion bread) I still use the Bread Bakers Apprentice , but this books recipes are a bit simpler and a great introduction into the amazingly diverse world of bread.
July 7, 2012
I know... I'm still reading it and I've given it a rating. But I couldn't help it... I'm halfway through and I LOVE this book. Another book I got a few years ago - Crust, by Richard Bertinet - introduced me to the idea that you can make your dough one day and let it sit for a few days in the fridge before using it. For the past ten years, I make all my own pizza dough, and this is usually the way I make it.
Artisan Breads explores - and explains - that very method, along with others of course. I can't wait to try some of these recipes! As a freelance illustrator, and mother of two teens (yes, I'll accept all sympathy in the form of a cold beer, thanks) time is precious but I still want decent food for my family and myself.
And making bread is very... zen, if I may say so. Beat the crap out of dough and tension is gone. Well, KNEAD the crap out of it.
Anyway, this is definitely a book I'll return to, and now I really want his pizza book! Dang it.
Artisan Breads explores - and explains - that very method, along with others of course. I can't wait to try some of these recipes! As a freelance illustrator, and mother of two teens (yes, I'll accept all sympathy in the form of a cold beer, thanks) time is precious but I still want decent food for my family and myself.
And making bread is very... zen, if I may say so. Beat the crap out of dough and tension is gone. Well, KNEAD the crap out of it.
Anyway, this is definitely a book I'll return to, and now I really want his pizza book! Dang it.
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