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Bittman Bread: No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Every Day: A Bread Recipe Cookbook
A revolutionary approach to making easy, delicious whole-grain bread and more
This is the best bread you’ve ever had—best tasting, nourishing, and easy to make right in your own kitchen. Mark Bittman and co-author Kerri Conan have spent years perfecting their delicious, naturally leavened, whole-grain bread. Their discovery? The simplest, least fussy, most flexible way to make bread really is the best. Beginning with a wholesome, flavorful no-knead loaf (that also happens to set you up with a sourdough starter for next time), this book features a bounty of simple, adaptable recipes for every taste, any grain—including baguettes, hearty seeded loaves, sandwich bread, soft pretzels, cinnamon rolls, focaccia, pizza, waffles, and much more. At the foundation, Mark and Kerri offer a method that works with your schedule, a starter that’s virtually indestructible, and all the essential information and personal insights you need to make great bread.
This is the best bread you’ve ever had—best tasting, nourishing, and easy to make right in your own kitchen. Mark Bittman and co-author Kerri Conan have spent years perfecting their delicious, naturally leavened, whole-grain bread. Their discovery? The simplest, least fussy, most flexible way to make bread really is the best. Beginning with a wholesome, flavorful no-knead loaf (that also happens to set you up with a sourdough starter for next time), this book features a bounty of simple, adaptable recipes for every taste, any grain—including baguettes, hearty seeded loaves, sandwich bread, soft pretzels, cinnamon rolls, focaccia, pizza, waffles, and much more. At the foundation, Mark and Kerri offer a method that works with your schedule, a starter that’s virtually indestructible, and all the essential information and personal insights you need to make great bread.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2021
212 people are currently reading
3263 people want to read
About the author
Mark Bittman
59 books957 followers MARK BITTMAN is one of the country's best-known and most widely respected food writers. His How to Cook Everything books, with one million copies in print, are a mainstay of the modern kitchen. Bittman writes for the Opinion section of New York Times on food policy and cooking, and is a columnist for the New York Times Magazine. His "The Minimalist" cooking show, based on his popular NYT column, can be seen on the Cooking Channel. His most recent book, VB6, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week on sale.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
March 4, 2022
This book is for someone who wants a textbook on bread making, but it is bread of a certain sort only - whole grain and extremely hearty. All of the breads start with the same homemade starter. There is no kneading required. To make the breads, basically you use starter, add flour and water, employ various resting periods, add salt and other flavorings, fold a few times and then bake in a covered pot lined with parchment paper. The chapters are progressive : “Making your starter and a first loaf; a detailed discussion of grains, flours, equipment, and timing; feeding the starter and producing your first ‘Bittman Bread’; other loaves in the same vein, but wildly varied; pizza and flatbread and rolls and savory pancakes; sweet things including pancakes and waffles.”
I found this book interesting and informative, although I am never going to bake bread. Frankly, I use my ovens for storage, and even the stovetop recipes (like flatbread and pancakes) looked too “hearty” for me. However, for a bread baker I think that this would be a very useful book. All of the steps are explained very clearly and most of them are illustrated.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I found this book interesting and informative, although I am never going to bake bread. Frankly, I use my ovens for storage, and even the stovetop recipes (like flatbread and pancakes) looked too “hearty” for me. However, for a bread baker I think that this would be a very useful book. All of the steps are explained very clearly and most of them are illustrated.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
May 14, 2021
4☆ An Educational and Delicious No Knead, Bread Recipe Book
Bittman Bread is a delicious cook book that teaches readers the art of making healthy Whole-Grain Breads without the need to Knead!
We love making bread in our house and love coming down to the smell of a freshly baked Loaf, but we use a bread machine.
I'm always on the lookout for new ideas and new recipes.
The idea of a No Knead bread really intrigues me. I have rheumatoid arthritis and kneading is a no, no for me, hence the bread machine.
Ok so basically the whole concept of this book is to start by making a Sourdough Starter.
Now I've never made sourdough before and although this book gives you a very detailed account of what to do and when to do it, the whole process does seem rather time consuming.
But I guess all good things come to those who wait!
The ingredients are measured in cup sizes and Grams so you might need to convert over to a metric your used to using.
All the recipes in this book start with a Sourdough Starter.
Bittman Bread is a very informative book and gives the reader loads of useful information, to really help you become confident and understanding of the process. Ie, Natural Fermentation, About Gluten, about Grains and Flours.
There is a variety of recipes included in the book, and most are beautifully illustrated and have step by step guides.
I really enjoyed reading this book, if your looking for just a bread recipe book then this book might not be for you, as it really does go into great length to educate.
But if you are looking for a book that teaches you from start to finish all about the process of the No Knead Bread then you will love this book!
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Bittman Bread is a delicious cook book that teaches readers the art of making healthy Whole-Grain Breads without the need to Knead!
We love making bread in our house and love coming down to the smell of a freshly baked Loaf, but we use a bread machine.
I'm always on the lookout for new ideas and new recipes.
The idea of a No Knead bread really intrigues me. I have rheumatoid arthritis and kneading is a no, no for me, hence the bread machine.
Ok so basically the whole concept of this book is to start by making a Sourdough Starter.
Now I've never made sourdough before and although this book gives you a very detailed account of what to do and when to do it, the whole process does seem rather time consuming.
But I guess all good things come to those who wait!
The ingredients are measured in cup sizes and Grams so you might need to convert over to a metric your used to using.
All the recipes in this book start with a Sourdough Starter.
Bittman Bread is a very informative book and gives the reader loads of useful information, to really help you become confident and understanding of the process. Ie, Natural Fermentation, About Gluten, about Grains and Flours.
There is a variety of recipes included in the book, and most are beautifully illustrated and have step by step guides.
I really enjoyed reading this book, if your looking for just a bread recipe book then this book might not be for you, as it really does go into great length to educate.
But if you are looking for a book that teaches you from start to finish all about the process of the No Knead Bread then you will love this book!
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 2, 2021
This is a great cookbook filled with all kinds of recipes for whole grain, sourdough, no-knead breads. Colorful photos accompany the recipes and they're simple and sound delicious. While some no-knead bread cookbooks offer gluten free recipes, this one does not provide any GF breads so it's not a book I can test in our kitchen. No nutritional information is provided. There is a huge range of recipes though, including nontraditional sourdough no-knead items. Well recommended.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
September 10, 2021
The pandemic sourdough craze largely passed me by; I'm lucky enough to live in a vibrant city with artisan coffee shops and bakeries on every corner. But as I've had great success with the now famous No-Knead Bread, brought to the New York Times by author Mark Bittman, I was excited for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of his latest, Bittman Bread, written in collaboration with cookbook developer Kerri Conan. I had some concern that I would be disappointed, as contrary to the authors' assumptions, amazing brown and black bread is already a part of my staple diet. I'd never tried to make it myself; in fact, I'd internalised the idea that it was more difficult and less rewarding than white bread. I was right about one of those things: it was certainly more difficult.
The first recipe in the book, called Beginner Bittman Bread, is meant to get us used to the procedure and to create the starter used for the rest of the recipes. The authors take the time to explain what all good bakers know: a kitchen scale gives much more precision than working with a stack of measuring cups. Investing in a kitchen scale makes sense, as every recipe in the book, the authors warn us, will list ingredients by weight in order to ensure our baking success. Everyone but this one, which, inexplicably, only uses cups and teaspoons, leading me to dust off my measuring cups for a single loaf. This recipe is meant to ease us into the process and I do not begrudge obstinate cooks their measuring cups but one would think that offering both weight and volume as an option on this could save everyone a bit of time converting when they go back to it.
I had no idea that it was the last normal looking loaf that I would make for three months. Since I received my review copy, I have made twenty-six loaves of bread. Maybe twenty-seven. Initially, I had planned to try the main recipe and a few of the later variations and maybe increase my general understanding of bread making and then go back to the easier white bread recipes that I already knew.
From the first loaf, it was clear that this was something different, more like German "Bauernbrot" of my youth, although I hadn't added any rye at all at least, not at first.
It was also flat. Not pancake flat but certainly not the lovely rounded loaf shown in the photographs. My loaf was a dense flying saucer shaped door stopper which could easily be used to knock out a burglar.
As it happens, the bread was also delicious or else I might have stopped at the first hurdle.
The best advice in the book is to commit to making a loaf of bread every week. I decided that I might as well try this, expecting that I'd give the bread to friends and neighbours and other unsuspecting souls when we tired of it. I didn't expect it to become an obsession.
My family was sympathetic, offering advice from "couldn't you just buy baker's yeast?" to "it's not actually bad, you know, just a bit heavy." Nevertheless, they ate all but my most appalling failures and happily asked for more.
It is testament to the friendly and detailed tone of the book that I wondered, briefly, if I should email Mark Bittman or Kerri Conan to describe my issues and ask for help. Instead, I focused on each individual stage to see if I could make bread which looked less like a hockey puck and more like the many photographs included in the text.
There was never a hallelujah moment but, over time, I saw incremental improvements, both in form and in flavor. The biggest single difference was an early one when I started working the dough harder; I've clearly been spoiled by No Knead Bread. Another quick improvement was setting up a template that I could quickly fill in with timings so that I didn't have to think about the next stage or stand there wondering, "Now was this the second fold or the third fold?"
In the process, I learned to adjust the timings and the processes to my own schedule, to the point where making a loaf of bread was not so much a project as a set of quick chores that I quickly completed, akin to dealing with the dishwasher or catching up on the laundry, except that the end result was more enjoyable.
My family is now used to there always being a loaf of brown bread on the counter and expresses disappointment when there isn't any. I'm still trying to improve, let alone get around to the other recipes in the book, but I have to concede Bittman's point in the introduction: Why make whole grain bread? It's better. Not only healthiest but far fuller tasting, more complex and satisfying.
I'm confident now that I can quickly produce a respectable loaf of bread using whole-grain wheat and rye flours, and that even if the loaf isn't as prettily shaped as in the photographs, it has a good crumb and great flavour. If you are looking for a quick fix, the brown equivalent of no-knead bread, then this probably isn't the book for you. However, if you'd like to level up your bread making and become comfortable with a wide variety of flours and variations, then Bitmann and Cronan are here to help you through that process.
Just be warned that your family may expect you to keep making bread forever.
The first recipe in the book, called Beginner Bittman Bread, is meant to get us used to the procedure and to create the starter used for the rest of the recipes. The authors take the time to explain what all good bakers know: a kitchen scale gives much more precision than working with a stack of measuring cups. Investing in a kitchen scale makes sense, as every recipe in the book, the authors warn us, will list ingredients by weight in order to ensure our baking success. Everyone but this one, which, inexplicably, only uses cups and teaspoons, leading me to dust off my measuring cups for a single loaf. This recipe is meant to ease us into the process and I do not begrudge obstinate cooks their measuring cups but one would think that offering both weight and volume as an option on this could save everyone a bit of time converting when they go back to it.
I had no idea that it was the last normal looking loaf that I would make for three months. Since I received my review copy, I have made twenty-six loaves of bread. Maybe twenty-seven. Initially, I had planned to try the main recipe and a few of the later variations and maybe increase my general understanding of bread making and then go back to the easier white bread recipes that I already knew.
From the first loaf, it was clear that this was something different, more like German "Bauernbrot" of my youth, although I hadn't added any rye at all at least, not at first.
It was also flat. Not pancake flat but certainly not the lovely rounded loaf shown in the photographs. My loaf was a dense flying saucer shaped door stopper which could easily be used to knock out a burglar.
As it happens, the bread was also delicious or else I might have stopped at the first hurdle.
The best advice in the book is to commit to making a loaf of bread every week. I decided that I might as well try this, expecting that I'd give the bread to friends and neighbours and other unsuspecting souls when we tired of it. I didn't expect it to become an obsession.
My family was sympathetic, offering advice from "couldn't you just buy baker's yeast?" to "it's not actually bad, you know, just a bit heavy." Nevertheless, they ate all but my most appalling failures and happily asked for more.
It is testament to the friendly and detailed tone of the book that I wondered, briefly, if I should email Mark Bittman or Kerri Conan to describe my issues and ask for help. Instead, I focused on each individual stage to see if I could make bread which looked less like a hockey puck and more like the many photographs included in the text.
There was never a hallelujah moment but, over time, I saw incremental improvements, both in form and in flavor. The biggest single difference was an early one when I started working the dough harder; I've clearly been spoiled by No Knead Bread. Another quick improvement was setting up a template that I could quickly fill in with timings so that I didn't have to think about the next stage or stand there wondering, "Now was this the second fold or the third fold?"
In the process, I learned to adjust the timings and the processes to my own schedule, to the point where making a loaf of bread was not so much a project as a set of quick chores that I quickly completed, akin to dealing with the dishwasher or catching up on the laundry, except that the end result was more enjoyable.
My family is now used to there always being a loaf of brown bread on the counter and expresses disappointment when there isn't any. I'm still trying to improve, let alone get around to the other recipes in the book, but I have to concede Bittman's point in the introduction: Why make whole grain bread? It's better. Not only healthiest but far fuller tasting, more complex and satisfying.
I'm confident now that I can quickly produce a respectable loaf of bread using whole-grain wheat and rye flours, and that even if the loaf isn't as prettily shaped as in the photographs, it has a good crumb and great flavour. If you are looking for a quick fix, the brown equivalent of no-knead bread, then this probably isn't the book for you. However, if you'd like to level up your bread making and become comfortable with a wide variety of flours and variations, then Bitmann and Cronan are here to help you through that process.
Just be warned that your family may expect you to keep making bread forever.
October 28, 2021
Mark Bittman popularized a method for baking bread at home that I have been using for many years. I can not overstate his role in taking complex professional baking/cooking techniques and placing them within reach for home cooks. He is a marvel. His new book BITTMAN BREAD goes beyond the basic bread recipe and explains how to make most baked goods using a homemade starter and something other than white flour. His recipes are, as always, easy to understand and filled with useful photos. This book will be a useful addition to anyone determined to add no-knead baking to their regular baking. It is a Bittman Classic. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
June 25, 2021
I've made bread before; it was fun but not really significant in terms of taste and quality. I figured, it must have been the flour, yeast and/or the way I handled the dough. So, when I saw this ARC, I was naturally intrigued by the "no knead" concept. I honestly thought it was just a ploy, like say, just really new techniques to knead bread that makes you feel like you aren't kneading at all.
Oh how wrong I was. Staying true to their word, instead of kneading, this book's take on breadmaking focuses on the use of "a piece of today's already-fermented dough as the basis for tomorrow's bread" or a "starter" as it is better known. This starter can be made with ingredients from the kitchen, fed a bit of flour and water and stored in the fridge.
The book also explains the science behind their chosen ingredients, as well as, the methods of cooking. It's a bit of a long read; I don't know if it's necessary to but I recommend reading the relevant chapters before attempting to make the recipes. I guess, to each their own.
Furthermore, I am so intrigued by the sweet recipes, particularly the ones for pancakes, waffles, cakes and cookies. I am so going to try making this soon!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this free eARC. This review is made with no compensation whatsoever from the owners of this eARC.
Oh how wrong I was. Staying true to their word, instead of kneading, this book's take on breadmaking focuses on the use of "a piece of today's already-fermented dough as the basis for tomorrow's bread" or a "starter" as it is better known. This starter can be made with ingredients from the kitchen, fed a bit of flour and water and stored in the fridge.
The book also explains the science behind their chosen ingredients, as well as, the methods of cooking. It's a bit of a long read; I don't know if it's necessary to but I recommend reading the relevant chapters before attempting to make the recipes. I guess, to each their own.
Furthermore, I am so intrigued by the sweet recipes, particularly the ones for pancakes, waffles, cakes and cookies. I am so going to try making this soon!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this free eARC. This review is made with no compensation whatsoever from the owners of this eARC.
January 21, 2022
Disappointing. I've been baking the Jim Lahey/NY Times No-Knead Bread for years, often using 50% whole wheat flour. It's an easy method with consistent results. Mark Bittman's approach in this book is complicated, verbose, at times confusing, far more time-consuming, and produces inconsistent results. Trust me, you will not get a loaf that looks like the one on the cover of the book. It will consume about 6 hours of your 2d day. Nor is it truly a "no-knead" recipe, since it involves multiple "foldings". Maybe if you baked 50 loaves using this method, you'd get closer to what Bittman claims; I'm not going to bother. If you want to move past the Jim Lahey method, just get yourself a good general bread baking book and use the tried-and-true methods and recipes. (Also, calling this "Bittman Bread" is rather narcissistic.)
February 14, 2022
I read an Op-Ed by Bittman in the NYT and he convinced me that, as a bread lover, I needed to try this technique. It is not quick and easy like my old standby no knead artisan bread, but the results are phenomenal. I love that Bittman explains the science behind what happens with the bread because it makes each step feel more worth the effort. If you love to make food that also feels like a science project, this book is definitely for you. I would never have believed that bread made with 100% whole wheat tastes this good, it is unlike any bread I've made or eaten before. I would give this book 6 stars, but knock one off because it isn't exactly great for "every day" baking. Because it's winter and I've been home more, it's a "once a week" baking, but I'm sure that won't last forever. Even so, it's worth it if you love to make bread.
June 4, 2021
I have a lot of Mark Bittman's cookbooks. His recipes are always no-nonsense and easy to follow, making even the most complicated dish easier to manage. As a fairly accomplished baker, I've always been a little intimidated by baking bread from scratch. But as with all his other books and recipes, Mark Bittman makes bread seem doable for most people with his "Bittman Bread" technique. There are easy to follow instructions for each recipe, as well as attractive full color photos of the finished project, as well as for some of the intermediate steps. It would have been nice to have nutritional information as well, but that wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me, considering how informative and easy to follow this is. (FYI: If you are gluten-free, please be aware that none of the recipes will suit your diet.) This cookbook is a great choice for bakers of any skill level. I will definitely be getting a hard copy for my cookbook collection! Thanks to Mark Bittman, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Bittman Bread.
April 16, 2021
Bittman’s cookbooks are always a fun read. Bittman Bread is written with co- author Kerri Conan and is focused on baking the perfect 100% whole grain loaf. I could have really made use of this book a year ago when we all went into quarantine and so many of us succumbed to the smell of freshly baked bread, that is, until we ran out of flour. Bittman and Conan walk bakers through the two essential elements to mastering the best homemade bread with the creation of anatural starter ( sourdough) and using “ real” whole grains. Included are also recipes for pizza dough, flatbreads, rolls, and a few sweet doughs. Baking by weight vs volume is explained for those who do not have access to a scale, (but for most bread bakers, weight is really the only acceptable measure.)
Essential reading for serious bread bakers.
Essential reading for serious bread bakers.
May 27, 2021
An interesting and a bit different approach to baking bread. Seems like they have put a lot of thought and elbow grease into this process, and it's a good thing all the info ended up between the covers of a book. I have not yet tried to make a Bittman bread, but I intend to in the near future.
There is so much information in this book that I doubt you can go wrong by following the recipe and checking out the tips. The pictures are great, and the bread looks amazing! There is a lot more to it than "just the bread". You can make pizza, foccacia, and even some sweet stuff. Always interesting to see different points of views on basic things like bread.
There is so much information in this book that I doubt you can go wrong by following the recipe and checking out the tips. The pictures are great, and the bread looks amazing! There is a lot more to it than "just the bread". You can make pizza, foccacia, and even some sweet stuff. Always interesting to see different points of views on basic things like bread.
September 11, 2021
Bittman Bread was not a baking book I enjoyed reading and I like to read baking books. I found his writing irritating (don't know why) and his recipes while good were a bit more work than I was willing to do. I bake on a regular basis, in fact I made a loaf of bread and some dinner rolls today, using the old-fashioned method that I learned from Betty Crocker.
Recommend with caveats given.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
Recommend with caveats given.
Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
November 24, 2021
Bittman Bread
No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Every Day
Authors: Mark Bittman and Kerri Conan
Designed by: Toni Tajima
Photography: Jim Henkens
Going back to basics…and what is more basic than bread…Bittman and Conan use a basic starter that incorporates natural yeasts in the environment to create bread from whole grains. This same dough can be used for a variety of baked goods and is versatile in its ability to use a multitude of whole grains.
The directions are easy to follow, ingredients easy to find, and the challenge to try a loaf or more enticing. The photographs of baked goods made me think that the bread would be dense and heavy rather than light and fluffy but that it would also taste rich and earthy were I to take a bite.
I questioned the use of parchment paper as it is not readily available where I live. Also, I wondered what one would do if they did not have a Dutch oven or covered baking dish that was requested/required. I have never made this type of bread though I have used starter in the past.
I found the book interesting but as there are only two of us in the home now, I am not sure how often I would be likely to make bread from scratch. However, my husband did harvest grain and barley this past year so we COULD grind it with my old Kenwood grain mill and give one or two of the recipes a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Every Day
Authors: Mark Bittman and Kerri Conan
Designed by: Toni Tajima
Photography: Jim Henkens
Going back to basics…and what is more basic than bread…Bittman and Conan use a basic starter that incorporates natural yeasts in the environment to create bread from whole grains. This same dough can be used for a variety of baked goods and is versatile in its ability to use a multitude of whole grains.
The directions are easy to follow, ingredients easy to find, and the challenge to try a loaf or more enticing. The photographs of baked goods made me think that the bread would be dense and heavy rather than light and fluffy but that it would also taste rich and earthy were I to take a bite.
I questioned the use of parchment paper as it is not readily available where I live. Also, I wondered what one would do if they did not have a Dutch oven or covered baking dish that was requested/required. I have never made this type of bread though I have used starter in the past.
I found the book interesting but as there are only two of us in the home now, I am not sure how often I would be likely to make bread from scratch. However, my husband did harvest grain and barley this past year so we COULD grind it with my old Kenwood grain mill and give one or two of the recipes a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
March 13, 2024
Easy-to-follow method that yields delicious whole wheat sourdough bread. I appreciated Bittman’s simple approach to beginning a starter. I’ve made two loaves thus far, and am looking forward to trying out other recipes in the book. I will likely purchase a copy, so that I can refer to the book on an on-going basis.
September 10, 2021
Mark Bittman and Kerrie Conan’s Bittman Bread: No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Everyday is the best, but also so frustrating. I loved it, and it irritated me. Make your own choices.
The loaves of bread, the pizza, and the pancakes (sweet and savory) I made from this cookbook were delicious. Let me repeat the pancakes recommendation. THE PANCAKES ARE SO GOOD, BOTH THE SWEET AND THE SAVORY. I didn’t try every recipe, but every one I tried was A+. I now have a working sourdough starter in my fridge, something that has never ever happened before. I have enhanced my vegan chocolate chip cookies with this starter to the acclaim of many. I recommend this cookbook with some significant caveats.
My biggest complaint is the strong suggestion that the reader invest in a 2 quart Dutch oven. I really wish that cookbook authors would stop throwing up unnecessary barriers for their readers. Two quart dutch ovens are not common, you can’t easily get one from the grocery store. Requiring that your audience possess a two quart Dutch oven assumes that the reader has the money to buy one (the least expensive, oven safe 2 quart Dutch oven was about 35 US dollars), the space to store one and stable housing (not moving frequently). Frankly, that’s a lot to assume. I don’t have room to store a bulky item like a Dutch oven that I’ll only use for bread. For new bakers, being told they need a piece of equipment that’s not easily available is likely to make them give up. I truly do not know what is gained by scaling most of the recipes for a 2 quart Dutch oven.
I worked around this by putting a removable bottom 6 inch cake pan into my usual 5 quart Dutch Oven and it worked fine. It wouldn’t have been that difficult for the authors to suggest some work arounds for those of us who cannot buy or store specialty equipment. To be clear, I polled several different groups, non baking groups, general cooking groups, and bread baking groups about the 2 quart Dutch oven issue. Zero people had a 2 quart Dutch oven. A couple of people said they would buy the item, a few people said they would find a work around, most people said they would put the cookbook down and walk away. This is why I am so frustrated by this issue. The bread is fantastic and the authors are creating a barrier that does no one any good.
My other issue with the 2 quart Dutch oven is that it makes a small loaf of bread. That would be fine if I were the only one eating it, but in my house, that loaf was gone in 2 days. I don’t have time to make bread every three days, especially not a bread that requires my attention for a few minutes every half hour. My brain doesn’t function well that way. This is a me issue and not a general issue, but for I would still give it as a warning for anyone with ADHD.
The final issue I’m going to talk about is the whole grain issue. It’s right there in the title that it’s a whole grain baking book. That’s great, I like whole grain baking. What chaffed was the “I haven’t baked with white flour in x years.” Ok. Here’s the thing, there are no foods that are good for everyone. Please stop assigneing moral value to food. Whole grains are not good for people on low phosphorus diets (generally for kidney disease). Some people need a low fiber diet. And some people like the taste of white bread batter. All of those things are fine. It’s also fine to prefer whole grain baking to white baking. It’s not ok to imply that it’s inherently better, because, depending on who is eating the food, it is not.
When I buy a paper copy of this book, I plan to write all over it to scale up the recipes to fit my average sized cast iron Dutch oven. I recommend Bittman Bread for anyone who like whole grain sourdough, is willing to buy a small Dutch oven, or willing to do math, and has their ADHD under control and can devote a few minutes every half hour to folding bread dough. I also recommend it for anyone who hasn’t been able to keep a sourdough starter going and feels unfulfilled as a result. I do not recommend it for anyone who wants to mix the dough, dump it in a pot and bake it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy. My opinions are my own.
The loaves of bread, the pizza, and the pancakes (sweet and savory) I made from this cookbook were delicious. Let me repeat the pancakes recommendation. THE PANCAKES ARE SO GOOD, BOTH THE SWEET AND THE SAVORY. I didn’t try every recipe, but every one I tried was A+. I now have a working sourdough starter in my fridge, something that has never ever happened before. I have enhanced my vegan chocolate chip cookies with this starter to the acclaim of many. I recommend this cookbook with some significant caveats.
My biggest complaint is the strong suggestion that the reader invest in a 2 quart Dutch oven. I really wish that cookbook authors would stop throwing up unnecessary barriers for their readers. Two quart dutch ovens are not common, you can’t easily get one from the grocery store. Requiring that your audience possess a two quart Dutch oven assumes that the reader has the money to buy one (the least expensive, oven safe 2 quart Dutch oven was about 35 US dollars), the space to store one and stable housing (not moving frequently). Frankly, that’s a lot to assume. I don’t have room to store a bulky item like a Dutch oven that I’ll only use for bread. For new bakers, being told they need a piece of equipment that’s not easily available is likely to make them give up. I truly do not know what is gained by scaling most of the recipes for a 2 quart Dutch oven.
I worked around this by putting a removable bottom 6 inch cake pan into my usual 5 quart Dutch Oven and it worked fine. It wouldn’t have been that difficult for the authors to suggest some work arounds for those of us who cannot buy or store specialty equipment. To be clear, I polled several different groups, non baking groups, general cooking groups, and bread baking groups about the 2 quart Dutch oven issue. Zero people had a 2 quart Dutch oven. A couple of people said they would buy the item, a few people said they would find a work around, most people said they would put the cookbook down and walk away. This is why I am so frustrated by this issue. The bread is fantastic and the authors are creating a barrier that does no one any good.
My other issue with the 2 quart Dutch oven is that it makes a small loaf of bread. That would be fine if I were the only one eating it, but in my house, that loaf was gone in 2 days. I don’t have time to make bread every three days, especially not a bread that requires my attention for a few minutes every half hour. My brain doesn’t function well that way. This is a me issue and not a general issue, but for I would still give it as a warning for anyone with ADHD.
The final issue I’m going to talk about is the whole grain issue. It’s right there in the title that it’s a whole grain baking book. That’s great, I like whole grain baking. What chaffed was the “I haven’t baked with white flour in x years.” Ok. Here’s the thing, there are no foods that are good for everyone. Please stop assigneing moral value to food. Whole grains are not good for people on low phosphorus diets (generally for kidney disease). Some people need a low fiber diet. And some people like the taste of white bread batter. All of those things are fine. It’s also fine to prefer whole grain baking to white baking. It’s not ok to imply that it’s inherently better, because, depending on who is eating the food, it is not.
When I buy a paper copy of this book, I plan to write all over it to scale up the recipes to fit my average sized cast iron Dutch oven. I recommend Bittman Bread for anyone who like whole grain sourdough, is willing to buy a small Dutch oven, or willing to do math, and has their ADHD under control and can devote a few minutes every half hour to folding bread dough. I also recommend it for anyone who hasn’t been able to keep a sourdough starter going and feels unfulfilled as a result. I do not recommend it for anyone who wants to mix the dough, dump it in a pot and bake it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy. My opinions are my own.
January 18, 2022
I checked this out of the library. I don't know if I'll buy it, but I've already tried four different recipes from it: the basic bread, the "travel bread" (like vollkornbrot), Mark's Rye, and the Corn-molasses-rye bread. They all turned out well in terms of texture and flavor. The technique is excellent, different from any other book/method I've used -- and I won't spoil it here. Check out the book. Things I like about the book: everything uses sourdough starter, the technique, the detailed photographs and instructions, the insistence on whole grains, the co-authored quality, with both Bittman and Kerri Conan sharing their different approaches to some issues. They seem to answer virtually every possible question. One challenge: You need a scale that does grams. This finally forced me to get one, and I'm grateful. One reviewer chides the book for using a 2-quart Dutch oven, which isn't a size most folks have -- it isn't needed, you can bake it in a larger pot or double the recipe. Also, there's a version for a bread pan. One shortcoming for lovers of sourdough rye: except for the travel bread, the rye breads don't have enough rye in them to my taste -- Mark's rye is only 10% rye by weight. It gets added in the second stage, isn't part of the initial fermentation at all. Sad. I like my rye quite sour with 30-75% rye. It comes out heavier than their rye-lite version, and probably wouldn't work with their technique. I'll keep with my own established recipes for predominately rye bread. The travel bread is great for technique, but not rye-y enough without the cracked rye berries, which my co-op doesn't carry. I applied the technique to the ingredients in Laurel's Bread Book's vollkornbrot recipe and that worked very well -- fewer added grains/seeds and an intriguing ground caraway/coriander flavor.
One other quibble: Referring to it throughout as "Bittman bread" seems a bit egotistical. I'll refer to it as the Bittman-Conan technique. Still, I can see why Bittman might feel entitled to promote his whole-grain counterpart to the Jim Leahy no-knead technique.
One other quibble: Referring to it throughout as "Bittman bread" seems a bit egotistical. I'll refer to it as the Bittman-Conan technique. Still, I can see why Bittman might feel entitled to promote his whole-grain counterpart to the Jim Leahy no-knead technique.
December 31, 2021
This seems like a labor and time intensive way of making bread. I have a few great no-knead recipes for whole wheat bread (2 with variations from My Beef with Meat and one with variations from the New Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day) that are simpler and easier. I also have an excellent adaptable recipe for whole grain bread in a bread machine from Eating You Alive, which I use for sandwich loaves. Perhaps Bittman's method is the way to go if you do not want to use commercial yeast, but I don't see myself having time to do this for everyday baking.
As a side note, I was disappointed to see butter, eggs, bacon, and whole cow's milk featured so prominently in a book from Mark Bittman. I thought he was champoining more healhful and environmentally responsible eating
As a side note, I was disappointed to see butter, eggs, bacon, and whole cow's milk featured so prominently in a book from Mark Bittman. I thought he was champoining more healhful and environmentally responsible eating
December 30, 2021
I have been baking bread off and on for several years. I've tried recipes from Kneadlessly Simple, Peter Reinhard's Whole Grain Breads, The Bread Bible, the NY Times 100% whole grain dinner rolls, the original Lahey no-knead recipe, and recipes from the King Arthur Flour Company website. While I can make a decent non- or partial whole grain loaf, I've really wanted to switch to 100% whole wheat.
The 100% whole wheat loaf in this book is the best whole or part-whole grain loaf I've ever made (the practice white loaf turned out better than high-quality bakery bread).
A few caveats: Having baked no-knead bread before, I know that pot size matters. My 5-quart Dutch Oven will bake a nice loaf of crust, not bread. So I forked over the $37 for the 2-quart Dutch Oven. Bittman's recipes make a perfect size loaf for a small family in this pot (and it's super easy to store). I'm already sold on using parchment paper and I never cook without a food thermometer. Once the starter turned out beautifully, I bought a quart jar with a lid for easier storage.
1st tip to getting the most from this book: Read all the directions first. I followed each step in making the starter loaf (that gets you the sourdough) and the whole grain recipe. I didn't make any substitutions or take any shortcuts so I could see how the recipe works.
2nd tip: While you don't "knead" this dough, you do handle it. It isn't set and forget. The authors give detailed directions for the quick fold. I followed them (more or less), it's not terribly hard. If you haven't handled dough, look at the pictures.
3rd tip: This is a bit of a time-consuming recipe in the sense that there are several steps over a 12- to 16-hour time period although the authors explain how you can chill the dough at any point if you need to go do something else.
In the past the only really outstanding whole-grain loaves I've made used white flour in combo with wheat flour or with bran and germ. The one edible 100% whole wheat product I made tasted great fresh out of the oven but turned into hockey pucks within hours.
This loaf tasted delicious after I made it, and even better the next day wrapped in a bit of wax paper.
I'm looking forward to trying various add-ons and versions using other flours.
The 100% whole wheat loaf in this book is the best whole or part-whole grain loaf I've ever made (the practice white loaf turned out better than high-quality bakery bread).
A few caveats: Having baked no-knead bread before, I know that pot size matters. My 5-quart Dutch Oven will bake a nice loaf of crust, not bread. So I forked over the $37 for the 2-quart Dutch Oven. Bittman's recipes make a perfect size loaf for a small family in this pot (and it's super easy to store). I'm already sold on using parchment paper and I never cook without a food thermometer. Once the starter turned out beautifully, I bought a quart jar with a lid for easier storage.
1st tip to getting the most from this book: Read all the directions first. I followed each step in making the starter loaf (that gets you the sourdough) and the whole grain recipe. I didn't make any substitutions or take any shortcuts so I could see how the recipe works.
2nd tip: While you don't "knead" this dough, you do handle it. It isn't set and forget. The authors give detailed directions for the quick fold. I followed them (more or less), it's not terribly hard. If you haven't handled dough, look at the pictures.
3rd tip: This is a bit of a time-consuming recipe in the sense that there are several steps over a 12- to 16-hour time period although the authors explain how you can chill the dough at any point if you need to go do something else.
In the past the only really outstanding whole-grain loaves I've made used white flour in combo with wheat flour or with bran and germ. The one edible 100% whole wheat product I made tasted great fresh out of the oven but turned into hockey pucks within hours.
This loaf tasted delicious after I made it, and even better the next day wrapped in a bit of wax paper.
I'm looking forward to trying various add-ons and versions using other flours.
March 12, 2022
Do you want your own real whole wheat bread every day?
Author and chef Mark Bittman is presenting his book "Bittman Bread. No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Every Day" together with Kerri Conan. The book was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
In the introduction Bittman tells about his history and experience of bread making. Conan states: "Our goal is lofty but simple: We want to make naturally leavened whole grain bread the centerpiece of nutritious meals" (p. 9). The book "unfolds in six progressive chapters: Making your starter and a first loaf; a detailed discussion of grains, flours, equipment, and timing; feeding the starter and producing your first “Bittman Bread”; other loaves in the same vein, but wildly varied; pizza and flatbread and rolls and savory pancakes; sweet things including pancakes and waffles" (p. 9).
This is a great book for those who are interested in bread making and have the necessary time, for those who don't want to use bread baking mixes, for those who are interested using a starter that is not yeast, for those who are interested in using real whole great even for pizzas, rolls, and sweet stuff. The book is presented in a great design and the pictures create a real appetite. I also appreciated that the recipes are in grams (since Bittman recommends weighting the ingredients) and are not using (American) measuring cups and spoons which are not as easy available in various parts of the world. Sadly the baking temperatures are only given in °F. A conversion table would have been really helpful for those who are used to °C. A further challenge is the fact that one not only has to have access to right grains, but also to a usable covered pot or Dutch oven and parchment paper. I use my own recipes for baking my bread and usually use a bread making machine but I might try some of these recipes one day.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#BittmanBread #Netgalley
Author and chef Mark Bittman is presenting his book "Bittman Bread. No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Every Day" together with Kerri Conan. The book was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
In the introduction Bittman tells about his history and experience of bread making. Conan states: "Our goal is lofty but simple: We want to make naturally leavened whole grain bread the centerpiece of nutritious meals" (p. 9). The book "unfolds in six progressive chapters: Making your starter and a first loaf; a detailed discussion of grains, flours, equipment, and timing; feeding the starter and producing your first “Bittman Bread”; other loaves in the same vein, but wildly varied; pizza and flatbread and rolls and savory pancakes; sweet things including pancakes and waffles" (p. 9).
This is a great book for those who are interested in bread making and have the necessary time, for those who don't want to use bread baking mixes, for those who are interested using a starter that is not yeast, for those who are interested in using real whole great even for pizzas, rolls, and sweet stuff. The book is presented in a great design and the pictures create a real appetite. I also appreciated that the recipes are in grams (since Bittman recommends weighting the ingredients) and are not using (American) measuring cups and spoons which are not as easy available in various parts of the world. Sadly the baking temperatures are only given in °F. A conversion table would have been really helpful for those who are used to °C. A further challenge is the fact that one not only has to have access to right grains, but also to a usable covered pot or Dutch oven and parchment paper. I use my own recipes for baking my bread and usually use a bread making machine but I might try some of these recipes one day.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#BittmanBread #Netgalley
Read
April 17, 2022As someone who has done a half-baked (pardon the pun) job of making bread, by throwing ingredients in a mixing bowl and then in a bread pan, my efforts certainly paled in comparison to the experts in BITTMAN BREAD. Mark Bittman is definitely someone who knows his cooking, with a host of books and starring in four television series, plus being seen on notable programs as well. The book will open your eyes to making bread a memorable experience, one you will want to repeat again and again. This is not for someone who thinks they can mix ingredients, pop it in a pan and voila here is the bread. The recipes call for time and patience, but has it not been said that all good things come to those who wait?
The recipes in this book call for a “starter,” which is flour and water, but you put it aside and wait for the magic to happen. But you will also need a measuring cup and scales and various other implements and ingredients on the road to perfection. The book looks in depth at why simple ingredients work well and they also talk about a jumpstarter as well, which is the pre-fermenting stage where you prepare the dough before baking.
It really is a science for the authors, and based on their expertise you will easily see how they are so renowned and successful. The book boasts no kneading is required, but it shows how to fold the dough quite precisely, as you prepare it for the baking stage. There is a note about having a Dutch oven for the baking process, but do not fear if you don’t, because a traditional oven will also work. What also stands out in the book are the dozens of photographs of the beginning stages and the final product. The book also shows recipes for pizza, flatbreads, muffins, pretzels, biscuits, pancakes, cinnamon roles, and much more.
If you have always wanted to try baking bread without a bread maker, or simply wanted to make your efforts much more substantive, then BITTMAN BREAD is the only book you will ever require. There is “no need” to pass up on this “No-Knead” classic.
The recipes in this book call for a “starter,” which is flour and water, but you put it aside and wait for the magic to happen. But you will also need a measuring cup and scales and various other implements and ingredients on the road to perfection. The book looks in depth at why simple ingredients work well and they also talk about a jumpstarter as well, which is the pre-fermenting stage where you prepare the dough before baking.
It really is a science for the authors, and based on their expertise you will easily see how they are so renowned and successful. The book boasts no kneading is required, but it shows how to fold the dough quite precisely, as you prepare it for the baking stage. There is a note about having a Dutch oven for the baking process, but do not fear if you don’t, because a traditional oven will also work. What also stands out in the book are the dozens of photographs of the beginning stages and the final product. The book also shows recipes for pizza, flatbreads, muffins, pretzels, biscuits, pancakes, cinnamon roles, and much more.
If you have always wanted to try baking bread without a bread maker, or simply wanted to make your efforts much more substantive, then BITTMAN BREAD is the only book you will ever require. There is “no need” to pass up on this “No-Knead” classic.
September 19, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Bittman Bread: No-Knead Whole-Grain Baking for Every Day is a competent and unfussy tutorial guide for hearty no-knead breads with recipes developed by Mark Bittman & Kerri Conan. Due out 9th Nov 2021 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on their Mariner imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This is such an accessible and well written specialty cookbook. The authors are knowledgeable and write clearly and simply in sensible followable steps which lead readers through the process from a simple and comprehensive tutorial for a basic loaf, through to recipes with more "bells & whistles". The layout is graphically appealing, with lots of color photos and tutorial step-by-step photos included.
The recipes are grouped thematically: the basic beginner tutorial which will provide the starter for future loaves, a primer on whole grain baking (and why you should), basic loaves, refinements to the basic process, pizza flatbreads & rolls, and sweet bakes.
Recipes contain a title and description, yields, ingredients in a bullet list in a sidebar, and step by step directions. Ingredients are listed by weight. Nutritional information is not included. There are so many gorgeous and clear color photos included.
In addition to being thorough and meticulous, it's full of chatty and warm discussions and information about bread and baking. The authors have honest and friendly voices and I really enjoyed reading about their involvement with baking and the process.
Four stars. Wonderfully comprehensive and versatile.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Bittman Bread: No-Knead Whole-Grain Baking for Every Day is a competent and unfussy tutorial guide for hearty no-knead breads with recipes developed by Mark Bittman & Kerri Conan. Due out 9th Nov 2021 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on their Mariner imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This is such an accessible and well written specialty cookbook. The authors are knowledgeable and write clearly and simply in sensible followable steps which lead readers through the process from a simple and comprehensive tutorial for a basic loaf, through to recipes with more "bells & whistles". The layout is graphically appealing, with lots of color photos and tutorial step-by-step photos included.
The recipes are grouped thematically: the basic beginner tutorial which will provide the starter for future loaves, a primer on whole grain baking (and why you should), basic loaves, refinements to the basic process, pizza flatbreads & rolls, and sweet bakes.
Recipes contain a title and description, yields, ingredients in a bullet list in a sidebar, and step by step directions. Ingredients are listed by weight. Nutritional information is not included. There are so many gorgeous and clear color photos included.
In addition to being thorough and meticulous, it's full of chatty and warm discussions and information about bread and baking. The authors have honest and friendly voices and I really enjoyed reading about their involvement with baking and the process.
Four stars. Wonderfully comprehensive and versatile.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
March 9, 2023
I'm giving this 4 stars because if you are deeply interested in baking sourdough and/or whole grain bread, this is a great resource. The authors explain the how's and why's of the process, show pictures of each step, and tell you what textures you should expect. After reading this, I believe the typical route of using commercial yeast may be why I've never made a whole grain bread with good texture (and they concur). Also, their recipes sound delicious.
But I have reasons for withholding that last star. Sourdough and whole grain baking is intimidating to any beginner, who is their intended audience. To a certain degree, there was no way for them to make anything look easy. However, I don't think they helped themselves by taking the attitude of, "Once you learn our super simple process, all your problems will be solved and life will be perfect!" and then proceed to inundate the reader with a million pictures, tips, and exceptions to the rules. They should have been more honest and admitted that learning how to bake this way will be very experimental and include a lot of failures (but that's okay!).
More than that, though, is their starter. They begin by emphasizing that natural fermentation and whole grains are far superior to the white breads we typically eat. I agree, which is why I checked out the book in the first place. But on the next page they say, "Well, okay, you'll need commercial yeast and white flour to make your starter...but then you'll never need them again, we promise!" Except, as far as I know, you need neither to make a decent starter. It seems hypocritical to insist on this process. Plus, they insist on making a whole white loaf in order to use some of the dough as part of your starter. Again, not sure why this is necessary, and feels hypocritical to their "ban white flour from your life" mantra.
But I have reasons for withholding that last star. Sourdough and whole grain baking is intimidating to any beginner, who is their intended audience. To a certain degree, there was no way for them to make anything look easy. However, I don't think they helped themselves by taking the attitude of, "Once you learn our super simple process, all your problems will be solved and life will be perfect!" and then proceed to inundate the reader with a million pictures, tips, and exceptions to the rules. They should have been more honest and admitted that learning how to bake this way will be very experimental and include a lot of failures (but that's okay!).
More than that, though, is their starter. They begin by emphasizing that natural fermentation and whole grains are far superior to the white breads we typically eat. I agree, which is why I checked out the book in the first place. But on the next page they say, "Well, okay, you'll need commercial yeast and white flour to make your starter...but then you'll never need them again, we promise!" Except, as far as I know, you need neither to make a decent starter. It seems hypocritical to insist on this process. Plus, they insist on making a whole white loaf in order to use some of the dough as part of your starter. Again, not sure why this is necessary, and feels hypocritical to their "ban white flour from your life" mantra.
October 17, 2021
Everyone has heard of Mark Bittman, who is the author of dozens of cookbooks and star of several television cooking shows. So when he publishes a book on bread, most cooks and bakers tend to listen. He is considered an authority, and his book, Bittman Bread: No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Every Day is sure to turn bakers into believers. Bakers who want to savor the best breads will be surprised that once the advance prep is accomplished, they can turn out beautiful rustic, whole grain loaves.
The book includes beautiful photographs, and the breads that are pictured are not perfect, which is exactly what they will look like when they are made by home bakers. The step-by-step photographs are very helpful and will take new bread bakers through the process of creating amazing bread.
This cookbook isn’t for everyone. The recipes all call for a starter which means that bakers must anticipate baking bread and getting the starter made before making bread. The starter must be fed occasionally, so the process is something that one must be fairly consistent about paying attention to. It is a perfect primer for serious bakers, however, for bakers who are willing to take the time, and the recipes turn out perfectly as long as the instructions are followed.
The results are, of course, amazing, and worth every bit of time spent with the advance prep. Anyone who wants to bake delicious whole-grain bread and is willing to take the time to learn, will appreciate this cookbook.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
The book includes beautiful photographs, and the breads that are pictured are not perfect, which is exactly what they will look like when they are made by home bakers. The step-by-step photographs are very helpful and will take new bread bakers through the process of creating amazing bread.
This cookbook isn’t for everyone. The recipes all call for a starter which means that bakers must anticipate baking bread and getting the starter made before making bread. The starter must be fed occasionally, so the process is something that one must be fairly consistent about paying attention to. It is a perfect primer for serious bakers, however, for bakers who are willing to take the time, and the recipes turn out perfectly as long as the instructions are followed.
The results are, of course, amazing, and worth every bit of time spent with the advance prep. Anyone who wants to bake delicious whole-grain bread and is willing to take the time to learn, will appreciate this cookbook.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
December 15, 2021
I love all my Mark Bittman cookbooks (some more than others) but I did request this one from the library before purchasing. I mean, I have the original Minimalist column touting Jim Lahey's no-knead break printed out and in my favorite recipe binder. Like all the best recipes, those pages are marked up and have dough bits stuck on. I used the recipe a lot, but gave it up because the freaking loaf stuck in my Le Creuset pot way too often. Did I really need to pay for an entire cookbook about this?
I have to confess I have also tried twice during the pandemic to start my own sourdough starter and failed both times. There were also pre-pandemic attempts. Back in the 80s I had a bread book with directions for a yeast starter that developed into a sourdough starter, that book disappeared years ago and my attempts to start a sourdough starter from absolute scratch have all failed miserably. My white flour Bittman starter loaf turned out beautifully. I'm on day 3 of the whole wheat starter process and will try to update.
I've seen complaints about the 2-quart pot, but I love the size. That loaf from the 4-quart pot back when I was making the Lahey loaf regularly was hard to slice. Lining the pot with parchment paper meant no sticking, and working with wet fingers rather than using extra flour to prevent sticking gives a nice slack dough. For anyone with reservations about acquiring a 2-quart pot, this is exactly the right size to cook the box of mac & cheese you swore before you had kids that you would never feed your kids.
I have to confess I have also tried twice during the pandemic to start my own sourdough starter and failed both times. There were also pre-pandemic attempts. Back in the 80s I had a bread book with directions for a yeast starter that developed into a sourdough starter, that book disappeared years ago and my attempts to start a sourdough starter from absolute scratch have all failed miserably. My white flour Bittman starter loaf turned out beautifully. I'm on day 3 of the whole wheat starter process and will try to update.
I've seen complaints about the 2-quart pot, but I love the size. That loaf from the 4-quart pot back when I was making the Lahey loaf regularly was hard to slice. Lining the pot with parchment paper meant no sticking, and working with wet fingers rather than using extra flour to prevent sticking gives a nice slack dough. For anyone with reservations about acquiring a 2-quart pot, this is exactly the right size to cook the box of mac & cheese you swore before you had kids that you would never feed your kids.
Read
January 2, 2022I picked this up because I'm trying to bake more whole grains. I love no-knead bread - I already use the no-knead technique to make a 70% whole spelt/whole wheat, 30% bread flour loaf that my family likes, and it's so easy. I read this hoping to expand my repertoire a bit with more easy, healthy, and varied recipes I could selectively dip into. What it actually offers, though, is a more intensive education.
You make a basic (white) bread recipe to pull some starter off of it, and you keep that starter going because it's necessary in every other recipe except the cookies at the end. Then you switch a basic 100% whole wheat dough recipe (they call it Bittman bread) and a bunch of variations on that dough to make a pullman loaf, pizza dough, dinner rolls, etc. Also they recommend you grind your own grain. I have several other (traditional) bread books I wish I had more time for, and this feels a lot like those - probably worth the time investment, but not what I was hoping for. If I had the time and mental energy to tend a starter for every baked good (even biscuits! even cake!) I would probably not be looking at no-knead, I would just work with my existing recipe collection. It seems like a nice book for someone with the schedule to manage it who maybe just hates kneading (although it does require some folding) or who just likes exploring all the bread techniques.
You make a basic (white) bread recipe to pull some starter off of it, and you keep that starter going because it's necessary in every other recipe except the cookies at the end. Then you switch a basic 100% whole wheat dough recipe (they call it Bittman bread) and a bunch of variations on that dough to make a pullman loaf, pizza dough, dinner rolls, etc. Also they recommend you grind your own grain. I have several other (traditional) bread books I wish I had more time for, and this feels a lot like those - probably worth the time investment, but not what I was hoping for. If I had the time and mental energy to tend a starter for every baked good (even biscuits! even cake!) I would probably not be looking at no-knead, I would just work with my existing recipe collection. It seems like a nice book for someone with the schedule to manage it who maybe just hates kneading (although it does require some folding) or who just likes exploring all the bread techniques.
December 28, 2021
Let me preface this by saying that I am an EXTREMELY experienced bread baker and that Bittman is my go-to for reliable recipes that I know have been thoroughly tested & are practically foolproof.
That said, this book is sending me around the bend. Despite following the process exactly, I've been totally satisfied with only one of the four Bittman loaves I've made since getting this book - and it was the WHITE loaf.
I'm about to start my fourth whole wheat loaf though, and I am determined to master this process if it kills me. It's possible my house is a little too chilly for the dough to do its thing on the timetable set out in the master recipe, but it's possible my flour isn't as fresh as it could be. It's also possible I'm missing something obvious in the process.
In any event, there are a lot of different recipes in here that use the starter - different loaves, rolls, and what-have-you. I made the pancakes & they were pretty tasty.
The "bake in a small dutch oven" baking method is a game-changer though and worth the price of the book by itself.
Final review, infuriating but worth it. Tons of great pictures, filled with MB's signature opinionated commentary, going into the permanent cookbook collection
That said, this book is sending me around the bend. Despite following the process exactly, I've been totally satisfied with only one of the four Bittman loaves I've made since getting this book - and it was the WHITE loaf.
I'm about to start my fourth whole wheat loaf though, and I am determined to master this process if it kills me. It's possible my house is a little too chilly for the dough to do its thing on the timetable set out in the master recipe, but it's possible my flour isn't as fresh as it could be. It's also possible I'm missing something obvious in the process.
In any event, there are a lot of different recipes in here that use the starter - different loaves, rolls, and what-have-you. I made the pancakes & they were pretty tasty.
The "bake in a small dutch oven" baking method is a game-changer though and worth the price of the book by itself.
Final review, infuriating but worth it. Tons of great pictures, filled with MB's signature opinionated commentary, going into the permanent cookbook collection
November 17, 2021
I am really new to baking bread -- let's just say it was a habit I picked up during the pandemic as many of us have! I also am a relatively new cook over the past 5 years and rely heavily on Bittman's previous books "How to Cook Everything: The Basics" and "How to Cook Everything." for guidance in the kitchen. Bittman Bread does not disappoint. He and his co-author, Kerri Conan provide very helpful tips and their own preferred approaches to bread so I feel I have different options. I really appreciate the emphasis on whole wheat and grains (though I have up until now only made white flour based breads). Because I am so new to this, I have to say creating starters and feeding them intimidated me. The first time I tried it was not very successful but I will keep practicing. I like how the book is laid out -- we start with the starter then bake a beginner loaf. As you get comfortable you can expand into other types of breads including pizza crust and rolls. The photos are extremely helpful as well. . I recommend this book and would add that it is helpful if you have some familiarity with making bread.
December 28, 2022
Fairly disappointed in this book so far. The central recipe--the Bitman bread--just does not work. I've tried it twice now, and I don't understand *how* this bread is supposed to rise in the oven after just 4 folds without any time for a bulk rise. Both my loafs have been flat with a sad, seriously under-proofed crumb.
I've been baking sourdough bread for 6ish years, so I'm clearly not the book's target audience: the novice bread baker. Which makes me so sad. I can imagine folks trying these recipes, being deeply disappointed in the results, and not understand what they're doing wrong. This book is trying to be a not-pretentious, "entry-level" bread book. But the technique here is just SO different from everything I've learned about baking with natural leavening that I don't understand how it could possibly produce reliably good bread.
Still, I am interested in learning to bake with 100% WW flours, so I'll give more of the recipes a try. I'm especially interested in some of the naturally-leavened sweet treats. But I'll stick with my tried-and-true (albiet a bit more labor/time intensive technique) I've been using to successfully bake sourdough bread for years.
I've been baking sourdough bread for 6ish years, so I'm clearly not the book's target audience: the novice bread baker. Which makes me so sad. I can imagine folks trying these recipes, being deeply disappointed in the results, and not understand what they're doing wrong. This book is trying to be a not-pretentious, "entry-level" bread book. But the technique here is just SO different from everything I've learned about baking with natural leavening that I don't understand how it could possibly produce reliably good bread.
Still, I am interested in learning to bake with 100% WW flours, so I'll give more of the recipes a try. I'm especially interested in some of the naturally-leavened sweet treats. But I'll stick with my tried-and-true (albiet a bit more labor/time intensive technique) I've been using to successfully bake sourdough bread for years.
March 20, 2023
I live my life out of two books: Stanley Ginsberg's The Rye Baker and Bittman's How to Bake Everything. I'm a fan of baking with the whole grain, preferably organic. (Complex carbs are a slow burning fuel and a rich source of B vitamins, not stored in the body. Iron, Vitamin E, and other good things come along with minimally processed grain ingredients.) Loved the Bittman-Lahey be read but it was not whole grain; this bugged me.
I just LOVE this book. I may take some of my rye sourdough starter and feed it whole wheat. (Bittman recommends, for his breads.) In any case, being a fan of Ginsberg's Westphalian Rye, I made Bittman's Travel Bread, a Scandinavian cousin to W.R. SOOO yummy
Ok, flavour not as complex as W.R., but process quick and easy. House fills with rich, malty smell. Bread delicious, and slices well without crumbling. Best of all, it's 100 percent whole grain! (Which I think is best for health.) He and his co-baker are great teachers, I feel, and have done a super job of demystifying baking bread. I truly admire -- and appreciate-- the care they've taken to walk newbies through the steps.
I just LOVE this book. I may take some of my rye sourdough starter and feed it whole wheat. (Bittman recommends, for his breads.) In any case, being a fan of Ginsberg's Westphalian Rye, I made Bittman's Travel Bread, a Scandinavian cousin to W.R. SOOO yummy
Ok, flavour not as complex as W.R., but process quick and easy. House fills with rich, malty smell. Bread delicious, and slices well without crumbling. Best of all, it's 100 percent whole grain! (Which I think is best for health.) He and his co-baker are great teachers, I feel, and have done a super job of demystifying baking bread. I truly admire -- and appreciate-- the care they've taken to walk newbies through the steps.
April 14, 2021
I've read many cookbooks and recently cookbooks on baking bread. This book offers something different than the others that I have read in the past. Many bread books bog you down with lots of technical information it can seem overwhelming. Mark Bittman has taken a different approach in writing this book as well as how he created the recipes. He as taken many of the pitfalls out of sourdough bread baking and streamlined the process. If the reader is interested in diving deeper in a particular area, he has information available. The photography is well produced and makes the steps easy to understand and execute.
Owning many books on bread, I appreciate that he offers other recipes such as sandwich breads and sweet breads. This is a true baker's book as all of the recipes are in grams (most accurate way of measuring ingredients). He does offer a conversion chart for bakers that want to use volume measurements.
I'm looking forward to adding this title to my collection.
Owning many books on bread, I appreciate that he offers other recipes such as sandwich breads and sweet breads. This is a true baker's book as all of the recipes are in grams (most accurate way of measuring ingredients). He does offer a conversion chart for bakers that want to use volume measurements.
I'm looking forward to adding this title to my collection.
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