November 9, 2010 - 6:06pm
Recommend a book on commercial baking?
Hi,
I've been baking almost every day for several years in various quantities. It's all fun, learned a lot and worked out a few good recipies.
Thinking of stepping up the volumes, but totally lack any commercial baking experience or knowledge.
How do they do it in large volumes?
Can someone recommend a book or website on commercial baking?
The primary interest is in the process, machinery and automation.
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This book has given me good information as to the necessary requirements of turning a passion into a profession. I like this one, it's a textbook. set up in that manner as to lessons learned and lab sessions. Kudos to Dan DiMuzio.
...subtitled 'A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes' will probably have all you need to know to go 'commercial', if you have a decent bakery location in mind and average 'business sense'. The book is often suggested for beginners who want only one book (a 'Bible' of bread-making, perhaps?) and I think it's a good suggestion, with one caveat...
I think the book is aimed at the 'professional' who wants to know more about what he/she is doing, what the growers, millers and suppliers do, and what formulae and variations work well. There may be some 'assumptions' about what equipment you have at your disposal, especially if you are near-professional, or considering going professional...there aren't many recommendations about what machinery, etc, you'll need
All of the formulae are based on medium-to-large-scale production, with some allowances for the home baker...eg, the first formula I opened to, 'Rustic Bread', covers about 17kg (35lb) of dough—quite a bit more than I usually handle! I don't remember too many pages that discuss the 'business' aspects of becoming a pro baker, however...they would have driven me to sleep (so I may have missed them) but a look through the contents shows little info on 'how to become a professional baker'
It has 'cut-down' recipes (in pounds/ounces only) for the home-baker, but everything is given in bakers' percentages, anyway, so it doesn't matter what scales or sizes you prefer. It's the book that many experienced bakers go to for rock-solid information. (That's just my opinion, of course...I might be wrong!) Try your public library and see if it fits your needs. If you DO go pro, you'll probably be very happy to have this book as a reference (...again, just my opinion!)
Sincere best wishes and good luck!
copyu
I think that the previous book recommendations are excellent except that they will not fully answer your questions on "the process, machinery and automation."
Jeff
Sounds like good books. Thanx for the info!