Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking

by Richard Hart

A comprehensive guide to the craft of baking bread, featuring more than 60 recipes filled with all the expertise and experience of the founder of Copenhagen’s Hart Bageri and former head baker at San Francisco’s Tartine.Richard Hart Bread is the guide to the intuitive art of baking bread. By learning how to see, taste, touch, and adapt, readers can find their own way to making truly wonderful bread—from blistering sourdoughs to rich rye pan loaves and more. Rather than focusing obsessively on precise formulas, Richard teaches both aspiring and seasoned bakers all his key techniques without holding anything back.Through gorgeous photography, explanatory videos accessed on page through QR codes, and thorough descriptions of methods, you’ll have all the tools you need to make great breads. Rich in stories and Richard’s boundless enthusiasm, this book will make you fall ever deeper in love with bread.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published November 5, 2024

Reviews

[Rakhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking This is a brilliant book and it is perfect for bakers like me: I was all into sourdough during Covid but then fell out of love with the process, too much babysitting, what happens if it isn't healthy, am I a sourdough loser?! I missed having a starter on my counter and having the discard to add to pancakes and flatbreads. Thanks to Richard Hart, I rediscovered sourdough baking and I have more confidence. Clarkson Potter provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own. The explanations and instructions are easy to follow. The photographs are the best, and there are a multitude of them. The recipes are divided into useful sections, my two favorites: Baking with Sourdough Discard and Sweet Breads. There is a whole section on Panettone, perfect for the Season, I will be making my own Panettone this year. The one recipe that was eye opening was the Toasted Bread Bread incorporating old bread! A lot of work but remarkable. As a baker with an attraction to sugar, the sweet breads in the book grabbed my attention first: the Milk Bun recipe is a keeper, the dough is a pleasure to work with and it can be used in other sweet buns. The Hot Cross Buns recipe make the best Hot Cross Buns I have ever eaten, please give these a try. This book has been a bread baking life changer for me, I thought i was done with sourdough, I was so wrong. I recommend it highly!

[Frank Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

First among great bakers

Bread by Richard Hart is a wonderful book and a must read for any aspiring baker. After reading more than a dozen books on bread baking I came across this gem and it is no doubt the best book among them. For anyone coming after me I strongly recommend you read Richard Hart first.

[Elizabeth]

As heard on The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters - 812: Bread with Richard Hart and Our South, Black Food Through My Lens with Ashleigh Shanti

This week, we sit down with two chefs at the top of their craft. First, we talk to legendary baker Richard Hart about the inspiration behind his new book, Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking. He fills us in on why he thinks that humble bakers are the best bakers, how he really is just a simple “yeast farmer” and he shares his realistic thoughts on how to keep a sourdough starter. Check out his amazing recipe for Rye Wrapped in Fig Leaves. Then, we talk with chef Ashleigh Shanti about her connection to Southern food, from its complex regional histories to the culinary traditions of her beloved Appalachia. She leaves us with her take on a classic green bean recipe, Leather Britches. Ashleigh is the author of Our South: Black Food Through My Lens and owns Asheville’s Good Hot Fish. 

Broadcast dates for this episode:

October 11, 2024 (originally aired) October 10, 2025 (rebroadcast)

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[Morten Kølln · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of care clearly went into putting this book together - and to make it equally accessible and essential for both pro bakers and homecooks. Luckily, the "Intuitive" part of the books title refers mostly to a philosophical approach, since the book actually does have specific measurements for every recipe, both in weight and in baker's %. Additionally, there are qr-codes printed in the book, leading to short videos demonstrating most of the techniques described.

Way back in 2018 Richard Hart opened the first "Hart Bageri" in Copenhagen, further fueling a cozy trade war in terms of quality and invention in the local bread and pastry scene. After mostly winning that battle, Hart relocated to Mexico, leaving behind a string of bakeries still featuring his name, but with some of his most iconic creations no longer on the shelves in Copenhagen.

I am happy to report that the recipes for all of those neo-classic bakes are all in this book: The Fougasse(which looks like edible modern art), those ultra crispy baguettes, the marble rye bread and more. Additionally, the book also features a few recipes from some of Hart's key collaborators(fx the Naan recipe from the soon to be legendary Karishma Sanghi). Those people are featured in this book for a reason, not just because their creations are delicious, but also because they complete the portrait of Richard Hart as someone who is constantly curious to improve his craft and to learn as much from anyone that works for him, as they learn from him. I suppose that is where the intuition comes in, if something feels right, why not try it. As I will probably end up trying out every single recipe in this book.

[Isabelle Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in the giveaway section so I did not buy it for myself but it’s a really well put together bread recipe and how to book! There are tons of recipes that not only take you step by step per day of making it (since sourdough takes forever) but they also have QR codes you can scan to get a video of how it’s supposed to be looking so you can gauge if your in the right direction or not! I don’t personally own a lot of cooking books because I find I would only use 2-3 recipes per book and that’s a lot of wasted space but this one has so many I want to try! It would make a great addition to any baker’s or novice sourdough starter owner’s cookbook collection!

[Rotem Shaked · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most fantastic resource for advanced bakers interested in exploring new grains.

Toasted spelt is the absolute house favorite, and you can't get a list of this many special 100% rye loaves anywhere else.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super enjoyable read and what’s not to love about a baker who got his start at our beloved local Della Fattoria. Unfortunately, because we are a household with no starter, most of these recipes are moot—save for the Ballymaloe Brown Yeast Bread.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard and his associate Laurie Wooliver have created a lovely book with amazing photos and recipes that intrigue me…we will see how I do with more of them. It’s nice to see someone who has achieved excellence and still adores his wife and kids. 💜

[Jorge · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best cookbooks for people wanting to learn about bread making.
The author a genius and I hope he keeps writing more books.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! I hesitated for a long time before buying it, but it’s not just about the recipes. They’re great too, but what I really love are the personal stories and anecdotes. Totally worth it!

[Dietmar Gombotz · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the basic infos about the process is great. So apart from the recipes it was already great. And some very special and great recipes included. Very happy

[Mari Mogstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only sourdough book I own (and ever need?)

[Matthew Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate learning this guy's story, as well as his step by step approach to bread. It made me want to start!

[Mauricio Millar · Rating 5 out of 5]

No se puede entender el proceso de hacer pan sin este libro

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad advice from a close-minded colonizer. Don’t bother wasting your time on this and read books by people who appreciate global cultures, not just their own.