Paul Hollywood's Bread

by Paul Hollywood

It is time to take bread off the side plate and put it back where it belongs: in the centre of the table. My book has two aims. First of all I want to teach you how to bake a wide variety of breads. And then I want to show how versatile bread is. Each of the breads in this book has a "spin off" dish - starter, salad, main course or dessert - that the loaf is very much part of. So this is more than a baking book: it's about the whole meal.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Food and Drink

224 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2013

About the author

Paul Hollywood is an English baker and celebrity chef. He has worked as a baker since taking up the career at his father's bakery as a teenager and has gone on to become head baker at a number of hotels around Britain. After returning from working in Cyprus, he began appearing in guest spots on a number of British television shows on both BBC and ITV channels. Since 2010 he has appeared as a judge on BBC2's baking show The Great British Bake Off. He runs his own artisanal baking business, which supplies stores such as Harrods.

Reviews

[Adrian]

I bought this and the companion book at the Shrewsbury flower show last Friday (what a great day out).
Having always been an avid bread maker, especially when I lived in France, the chance to see the Master at work at the demos he did at the show was one I wasn't going to miss. He didn't disappoint; witty, charming, and a natural entertainer the demo was excellent, and he made the bread making look so easy. (Exceedingly rude but funny about Mary Berry "I think Bezzer is playing darts tonight" etc etc, very funny - a YHTBT moment)
How could I therefore resist the chance to buy both his books and get them signed at the same time
I look forward to delving into them soon !!

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Hollywood has been baking bread since he was a little boy in his father's bakery. Paul Hollywood knows bread.

[Kimberley doruyter · Rating 4 out of 5]

you don't really read a cookbook but i've flipped through this one over the last few weeks.
i love that it shows you a bread and then it shows you what you can partner it with.
recommend it to anyone how wants to bake there own bread, excelent instruction.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly written recipes, nice photos. I can’t wait to try some of these! (Accidentally gave this five stars initially because, frankly, he’s so handsome that I went overboard. The four-star rating doesn’t involve my hormones.)

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT

As a complete novice not just to making bread but baking in general, I was thrilled with this book. Step by step instructions are provided, with beautiful illustrations showing "how to". There is a whole section on the equipment needed, plus advice about flour. Paul also supplies information on suppliers of everything needed. This is a truly comprehensive guide, especially for a novice like me
I liked the recipes that are shown as a suggestion to go with each type of bread. I have surprised myself with the success of producing not just edible but tasty and professional. Results.
I would thoroughly recommend this book especially for beginners.

[Christina Sinisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I, of course, received this book for Christmas after watching the Great British Baking Show.

I realized that I have never reviewed a cookbook, even though I am always reading them. I love to cook for my friends, family, church, and students. I will admit I am intimidated by the British/metric measurements and ingredients. I know this is American-centric, but I do wish there was another edition or equivalents given. However, I am going to figure this out on my own and can't wait to try some of these recipes.

What I like about this book is all the detailed instructions and pictures. Thank you!

[Dotty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I watch a lot of the BBC masterclasses with Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. I have wanted this book for a long time because even though I can find recipes online, I really enjoy sitting and reading a cookbook and yes, looking at the pictures. I received the book as a gift at Christmas and was so happy. However I was quickly disappointed because there's just not a lot of bread recipes in the bread book! About 1/4 of the book is devoted to bread recipes. The rest are things I just won't make or have no interest in. I was really looking forward to seeing some of the unique recipes from the "Great Baking Show" and "Masterclass". As an aspiring amateur artisan bread baker I received very little inspiration from this book. Paul. (If by change you or your people read these).. you can do better .

[Carol Bledsoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have made a couple of the recipes in this book. I look forward to working my way through more of them. It is interesting the way each bread recipe is paired with something else either made with that bread or as an accompaniment to it.

[BoB Lever · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a Paul Hollywood fan and very happy to have this book. While the title is “Bread” this cookbook gives you more than just bread recipes. After learning how to make each bread, Paul give you another recipe using that bread - Beef Cobbler topped with rosemary cheddar scones for example. I can’t wait to try that one! For American readers the measurements often need conversion and sometimes ingredients need googling.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, this is my favorite books he's written. Most of these recipes looked scrumptious!!

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I made several good loaves of bread and tried all of the recipes that interested me. Great book.

[Connorsallison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I finished this, but I’m not finished with it!

This is a great bread baking book—I’ve already learned some techniques and shortcuts (we all love cooking shortcuts, right?)

I love the variety of breads, gives you techniques and experience in most of the areas of bread baking.

I made the bloomer, his suggested starting place for new bread bakers. I’ve baked a lot of bread but started here anyway and enjoyed being back to basics.

Paul also includes some fantastic-looking recipes for turning the breads into meals, appetizers, etc. I haven’t tried any but definitely will.

It’s s great book for anyone wanting to tackle bread or improve skills.

I’m laughing at the spoilers option as I’m writing this review. I don’t think it applies to cookbooks, so I’m not going to chose that, but I hope I haven’t spoiled anyone’s read of this cookbook!

[Rosalynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to get this book, but although I found the bits explaining the ingredients and how they work together to create bread interesting, I wasn't tempted by the recipes in the book. Disappointing as other sources of his recipes like his shows and Great British Bake Off, I find widely inspirational and I often take to the kitchen and my oven. But not so after reading this book.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the other two books (100 Great Breads and How to Bake). Mr Hollywood is possibly running out of ideas for exciting bread recipes now. Also, as a veggie, a lot of the finished meals are not suitable for my family. Personal thing, I know.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having recently started making bread again I returned to this book to compare how Paul Hollywood suggests making sourdough compared with several other books I've been using lately. I've come to the conclusion that everyone seems to make a sourdough loaf completely differently so I have found it useful to try several different methods to find the one that gives the results I am looking for.

I found Paul Hollywood's sourdough method well explained and easy to follow but found the amount of time this suggests the second proving for was so long (although handy because you could prove overnight and have for breakfast) meant that the loaf turned out quite light fluffy and not a typical sourdough with large holes. It was still a nice loaf and of course this could have been down to the baker rather than his recipe. I did notice though that the photo of him turning his out does actually show a loaf that has collapsed (p.167 bottom left) and certainly isn't the finished loaf that looks magnificent, shown on p.162.

There are some nice recipes, I also tried the ciabatta, this worked well. I tried the pizza bases, these were good but quite soft and fluffy, personally I prefer a more crisp base. There's some nice ideas in here I want to try, looking forward to making the Olive sourdough fougasse next.

There's some clear instructions on making a sourdough starter. I referred to this when making my own but ended up using a mixture of different methods.

[Guy Clapperton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheating a little because I’ve read from and leafed through this book but if you’ve wanted to get into bread making this has to be one of the best places to start. I was interested in sourdough and the spelt and rye breads and they are suitably excellent but that’s not what this is really about. It’s a celebration of the staple foodstuff in the West and how it used to be at the centre of the table, never mind the sad little rolls we get fed at restaurants as afterthoughts.

The sourdough is terrific. The rye and spelt is great but the best thing is that they come with suggestions and recipes to serve them with. I’m writing this just after eating some terrific curries naan breads (Paul’s recipe) with a really great chickpea curry (Paul credits someone else but it’s in his book) - both were simple to make but utterly stunning. It’s the pairing that sets this book apart from the others, it’s not about bread in isolation but also about what it’s going to go with.

Highly recommended and I’m going to have a fabulous time exploring the other recipes.

[Rhodri Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well...it's a book by Paul, the Bake Off celebrity and friend of Mary Berry. So people buy it. It's not revolutionary, but the recipes are very simple to master of you follow the them step-by-step. Some cook books have unrealistic recipes due to availability and the price of the ingredients. I think this is not the case here, with all recipes laid out very simply and with useful illustrations.
My first recipe for sourdough bread came from these pages, but I then moved to Nigel Slater's "River Cottage" sourdough technique, and now Chad Robertson's incredible "Tartine". Paul introduces techniques that are very useful. This is a worthy addition to your Kitchen Library.

[Gail Burt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful for Novice and Master Alike

Paul Hollywood is revered especially in British baking circles, renowned for his bread. Upon reading this book, I'm unsurprised. This book is straightforward and not at all fussy, and it brings home key techniques for successful bakes. Plenty of great photos give a very clear picture as to what the instructions are. It's a very helpful book and I'll be testing some of these recipes myself.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing compared to bouchon bakery. But I did get excited by just reading this book in Paul’s voice. “Bread is and should be the center of all meals”
Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m ever going to make half these recipes (never say never), but it was fun to read about them! Biscotti is honestly as adventurous as I’ll be in the bread world. Something about challah and brioche and sourdough and basic bread just makes my heart swell. I’d hate to ruin it with a difficult, unsatisfying loaf.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprise birthday present last February prompted me to finally begin my baking journey. This is a valuable beginner's guide, really. I refer the weighing of ingredients so a guide from the UK is great and, of course, Hollywood's enthusiasm for bread and baking makes it a decent read as well. The instructions are decent, the photos that show steps are great, and it has been helpful all around.

I've even moved on to sourdough and baked by first rye loaf today.

[S.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been working on different breads from this cookbook off and on this past year. I love the pictures of the various breads that accompany the recipes, but I wish he would have included different options for various items you could add to vary flavors. For example, as a fan of the GBBS, I know sumac or saffron is sometimes utilized by bakers, but he never mentions anything about adding different herbs or flavorings.

[Pete Hewlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin - Easy to follow recipes about bread. What I love most about it is that it tells you how to make a vast array of breads, but also includes other recipes you can then make to enjoy your bread with: curry, soup, pizzas, etc.

Mr Hollywood is one of the best at making bread and so naturally, his book is one of the best to get if you want to make your own.

[Raman Chopra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for anyone interested in the art of bread making - or even someone who would like to delve into the field.

It has easy, to the point recipies and very clearly presented...

Obviously, some things are harder than they seem in the book, but a great read, i tried out a couple of things and have some saved for later..

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having watched him on Great British Baking Show, and a novice baker myself, wanted to read how he “instructs” in baking. Found it well worth the dive with pieces that explain why to knead a certain way, why sequence of adding ingredients matter, etc. The bonus is the extra recipes for side items (or main courses) that pair well with the particular bread.

[R.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I make my own bread - a wonderful stress reliever. With one exception (and we won't go into the awful detail of that particular brick-like disaster) all the recipes I've tried from this book produce excellent results. Easy to follow and well illustrated.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book in the remainder shop, as I didn't really rate Paul as a baker: too polished for tv, I guess. Yet I've returned to it often to check times, recipes etc and it's been very reliable. Sorry Paul: in fact you do indeed produce the goods.

[Slmstanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great recipes, but the standout reason I love it are the clear photos of the baker's shaping techniques (and he is a master). Very helpful for those of us who haven't quite mastered bread shaping. :)

[Brianne P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted a good bread cookbook and saw this rated pretty high on Amazon. I'm a fan of GBB and figured he would know best. I was hoping for a lot more bread recipes than provided. I have a few bookmarked to try. I do like the very detailed steps. Will attempt a recipe asap.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you watch The Great British Baking Show you know Paul Hollywood and you know he's the bread guy. He's passionate about breadmaking and breaks down the science of bread quite well in this book. I found it quite enlightening.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some fantastic simple and quick bread recipes. I love this book because it’s great for beginners taking you step by step and showing and describing how the dough should look after each step especially kneading. And yes the recipes have been tested and approved by my husband so this one is a keeper!