The Larousse Book of Bread: Recipes to Make at Home

by Eric Kayser

The Larousse Book of Bread features more than 80 home baking recipes for breads and pastries from two of France’s most trusted authorities. From traditional Boule and Cob and specialty Ryes and Multigrains, to gluten‐free Organic Sour Doughs and Spelts and sweet Brioches, Kayser’s easy‐to‐follow recipes feature detailed instructions and step‐by‐step photography. No matter if you are creating quick and simple Farmhouse Breads or gourmet treats like Croissants and Viennese Chocolate Bread, with its unique structure and a comprehensive guide to techniques, ingredients and equipment, The Larousse Book of Bread is the ideal baking resource for both home cooks and professionals.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, 21st Century

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, this book seems perfect. It is full of excellent photos, as well as some very good advice on how to mix, knead, shape, score, and bake.

Around the late nineties, the French rediscovered bread — not just any old bread […] It’s a short journey from the quest for good bread to making it yourself […] “People today are seeking authenticity in all kinds of things, ” [Éric Kayser] explains. "And what could be better than bread, when it is made honestly, with no trickery or artifice, to convey this feeling of authenticity?” [- publisher's foreword]

Alas, looking more closely, the book proves to be somewhat disappointing; there may be just a little trickery or artifice. Indeed, I cannot believe that every single “sourdough” recipe in the book calls for adding at least a little commercial yeast!

Yeast As An Aid To Natural Starters
If used in the correct proportion, yeast need not be avoided entirely. [...] I add a small quantity to most of my sourdough recipes. Yeast can be used if you need to fine-tune the fermentation time, but not to sidestep it. If its use is limited to that of supporting role, yeast can prove a marvelous ingredient, as it will correct over-acidic natural starters. [Fermentation, p28]

This may be something to do with Éric Kayser running a bakery and not being able to afford the risk of having the bread be slightly flatter than last time, or worse: fail entirely. So, it’s not a matter of the natural starter not being good enough. It’s a matter of having no faith in it. It is a needless step for the home baker to make.

bookmarked (but to be made without adding any commercial yeast):
» Daisy Loaf, p76
» ZigZag Bread, p84
» Broa, p136
» Sesame Buns, p142
» Hazelnut & Butter Bread, p172
» Pumpkin Seed Ciabatta, p212
» Poppy Seed Rolls, p270

+ + + + + + +

If half stars were allowed, because of the questionable advice to add commercial yeast to every single "sourdough" bread, I would give this 3.5 stars. But because there are a number of great ideas for various kinds of bread, I have rounded it up to 4.

[Katelyn Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Personal anecdote here**
When I need a pick me up, having a bad day or sick or what not, I love to see and smell bread. The taste, the textures, the aroma, the feel, the coolloorrr! I LOVE IT. Bread is amazing. And I aspire to make bread as good as bread from the day before sliced bread.
There. I said it.
Now with this, I say, this book is ABSOLUTELY incredible! From the recipes to the walkthroughs. It is simple, yet robust, humble, yet bold. Some beautfiul dynamics happen within these pages. It keeps true to the asthetic bakeries from the around the world imbue. For the love of bread, this is a cookbook that pays respect to the simplisticly modern classics everyone loves. Get this book please!

[Karen! · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly well done. The step-by-step was fantastic, but it is not dumbed-down by any means. the author gives everything in professional and accurate terms, but aids the aspiring baker in translating the jargon. The images included are more than sufficient to guide, and entice, for that matter.

And the results are so yummy!

[Richard Newbold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this as an Xmas present, and have just got around to investigating the recipes (about 120 of them). These are almost all traditional sourdough-based bread recipes with a range of types of flour and various flavourings savoury and sweet - particularly recommend the turmeric bread - looks and tastes sensational.

Probably the best part is the tutorial introduction (first eighty pages) which as well as the mechanics of starters, mixing, and proving, a brilliant series of instructions for the various shaping and plaiting techniques so that your output can match the best Boulangerie Artisanale!

It will suit those wishing to move on from the basics though the accomplished home baker will find it rewarding too. An appendix gives upscaling recipes and cooking tips for those who want to do a batch bake.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book as I’ve baked my own bread for a long time. Initially I used commercial dried yeasts and latterly for the last 2+ years my own sourdough starter. I haven’t used this apart from flicking through; mainly because I’m not worried about using starter AND commercial yeast. I can’t see the need for it, I should probably try a recipe or two but this aspect puts me off as it feels odd to combine a really good starter with a commercial yeast. It might speed up the process, but if time was an issue I wouldn’t be making SD in the first place!

I’ll add more comments if I ever try.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully photographed and designed book. The writing is just okay, and I found myself getting confused during discussion of certain techniques and needing to research a bit further for clarification. The biggest flaw of this book, though, is that there is a section on scoring methods that doesn't even show the resulting bake from each score! I could hardly believe it. Still a pretty book, though, and certainly a good one for beginners to sourdough, and also to intermediates.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you bake bread often enough to maintain a sourdough starter, this is the book for you. If not, it has lots of pretty pictures that inspire you to try to find other versions of these breads to make when you're cooped up on a rainy Saturday but definitely didn't have the foresight to make a starter.

[Viviana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love recreating recipes from this book. Every time I prepare a new recipe I simply cannot wait to see the results. Baking bread takes time and requires patience, and this book has taught me quite a bit about it.

[Khadijah Abdul · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my go-to book if I want to have some great bread it includes a good selection from easy to bake to the more advanced baker. In this lockdown it has been an excellent time filler.This is the type of book that will be used over and over

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

y'all know i fucking love bread

[Vivian Pham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a must-have for bakers.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the French version. Clear concise explanations and great results, even the first time!

[Kate]

This is one of the best bread books I've read so far, and I'm seriously considering buying it even though I own way too many books. The instructions are always perfectly articulated, and the step-by-step photos are great too. There are so many different and inventive kinds of breads in the book (I made the matcha-orange, and it was awesome!) that it would keep you busy for awhile.

Also nb, the recipes all call for fresh yeast but there is a note in the beginning stating that you can just use half the amount of instant yeast if you have to, which I did without any noticeable consequences...

[Christina Karvounis · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is not advised for the novice baker, it is excellent reading material for both the aspirational and the seasoned ones! I adore this book for so many reasons, but the primary reason for picking it up (and subsequently buying) was for the nuanced techniques and rich ingredient descriptions. Highly recommend.

[Lee Dower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started making bread last year following on from a class with the author in making bread. The book works, techniques straightforward to follow if needing a little practice at times. I've now the bread bug and rarely buy a loaf. I'm confident enough now in the process to even go slightly off piste and add / amend ingredients. There is even a help table to guide you through what went wrong.

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great bread baking book, with gorgeous detailed photos of the breadmaking process. Be warned, though, it is probably only for serious bakes - these recipes contain ingredients that have to be bought from specialty stores and pretty much every recipe requires a sourdough starter.

[Keith Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book with a nice balance of theory to practical recipes.