January 8, 2011 - 9:36am
Tartine Bread and Bread
I figured this would fit the book section, but it's more of a question about recipes. After spending the last few years with The Bread Baker's Apprentice, and working though with the BBA group last year, I just picked up both Tartine Bread, and Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread. A quick look through last night before bed, and I'm wondering if anyone can narrow down some suggestions or their favourites, as both look good in their own way!
Thanks
Chris
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Hi, Chris.
These are two radically different books, of course, but I gather you bought both, so here goes ...
I've only made 15 or 20 of the breads in Hamelman's "Bread." Of those, it's easier to list those I'm not fond of than my favorites, because I've loved most of them. I have other formulas for baguettes and pain au levain I prefer, but all of the sourdough multi-grain and seeded breads in Hamelman are delicious. The Vermont SD and it's variants are all great. The ryes I've made have all been wonderful too. There are many more Hamelman formulas I haven't yet tried that look good.
Hamelman's formulas are generally very solid, although there are errors in some earlier printings. It is very important, if you want to get the most out of this book, to really study the introductory chapters and the introductions to each chapter. His formulas are telegraphic and assume you have assimilated the contents of the introductory materials. Do so, and you will be a much more successful and happy baker.
I've only made the Basic Country Bread and the Country Rye Bread from Tartine Bread, so far. Both are delicious. I think I prefer the Basic Country Bread.
Enjoy!
David
Thanks David.
I plopped myself down on the floor today and worked my way through both books (it was time for some new reads anyway). I have not absorbed it all of course, and will go back plenty of times, but I did put the starter together for the Basic Bread from Tartine, and just pulled four Hamelman baguettes out of the oven...I`ll snap a picture soon.
Cheers,
Chris
check out this thread. I've followed this recipe - not as pretty as the poster's pictures, but it was the best bread I've ever made!
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20033/tartine-whole-wheat-loaf-quotholeyquot-grail
Very sweet and moist. Delicious!
As David said these are two radically different books. From the standpoint of learning to bake a variety of breads in a classical manner, Hamelman would be your best bet. The recipes are solid, the methods work and the man is a Master Baker I have great respect for.
Tartine introduces a couple techniques that are useful and unusual. The practice of withholding 50 grams of water to use after the autolyse when adding the salt, is very effective. The use of a combo cooker dutch oven is also causing a lot of interest here. The use of it is limited due to the size and shape of the cast iron device but the concept is solid.
I suspect you will find "Bread" a better all around source. How were the baguettes?
Eric
Thanks everyone. I definitely wasn't expecting the same thing with the books, so I'm glad they are different. Tartine looks great, and yes, like you mentioned Eric, the withholding 50 grams of water seems to be a great idea. Hamelman is something I think I'm going to have to keep at, as it seems a be more daunting. Then again, the BBA and Whole Grains seemed a bit over the top when I first bought them years back. It's just nice to branch out.
Here's a picture of my first Basic Country Bread from Tartine. Just out of the oven a few minutes ago.
That is total bread porn! ;)
So glad to see your success. I just love the rippled look on the crust - did you proof your loaf in something special to achieve this? Thanks for the great picture!
from breadsong
Bread porn. I like that. It didn't last very long, as we consumed it in record time.
I don't think it was proofed in anything special really; an old wicker basket we usually put fruit in. Just gave it a good whip, some flour and voila. Cooked it in a cast iron pot from IKEA.
Thanks again. I'm gonna start another batch and see...maybe use it for pizza dough, as I saw something about that in the book.
Well this is a fascinating book and trying to achieve a consistently good result comparable to some the awesome efforts on TFL is a constant distraction.
The loaves I am baking are getting more consistent but the regular problem is the quality and distribution of the holes to the crumb. If I work the dough to make it more manageable presumably that will produce a more even crumb but less holey and irregular? If I don't then the dough is just so difficult to handle and shape and then the holes tend to be concentrated in the top third of the loaf close to the upper surface of the crust.
I know these are age old questions but can anyone help who has produced this loaf with the same look as Mr Roberston?
Thanks
Barry