The Bread Bible

By Natalie

We recently had a few friends over for a dinner party, and since this doesn’t happen often, I like to go all-out for the occasion. While a fancy meal and delicious wine is always appreciated, there’s something about serving homemade bread that always makes guests feel instantly welcome and at home. Not to mention it fills the apartment with an amazing aroma, looks great on the table, and tastes far better than what you would get from your local grocery store.

I’ve been an avid bread-baker since my teens, but it wasn’t until recently that I discovered what many refer to as “The Bread Bible.” Officially called the Tassajara Bread Book, this little manual hides incredible secrets behind its rather plain and home-spun cover. Quaint, hand-drawn illustrations demonstrate the best way to use a spoon when mixing dough, show the best angle and pressure to use when kneading, and the different ways to shape loaves. It made my bread, which I thought was good, infinitely better. And our friends at dinner seemed to agree.



Below is one of my favorite recipes from the Tassajara Bread Book, a classic French Bread. I hope it will inspire you to go and pick up your own copy! (While this may seem like any other recipe, the book will guide you through the process while sharing best practices for every step, so you really should check it out.)

Recipe #15, A French Bread
Crusty, with good wheat flavor. Try a combination of whole wheat flour and white flour, or all white flour if you prefer. (I use all white flour - it makes for a more traditional loaf.)

PART ONE
3 cups lukewarm water
3 packages dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar or honey (I prefer honey)
2 cups unbleached white and 2 cups whole wheat flour (I use 4 cups of white)

PART TWO
4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat (Again with the all white flour thing, 3 cups total)
Extra flour for kneading

Dissolve the yeast in water, and stir in the sugar or honey. Stir in the four cups flour to form a thick batter. Beat well with a spoon, 100 strokes. (Do this at the surface of the mixture, ducking the spoon down halfway and pulling the batter up in circular motions. It will incorporate lots of air and get smoother as you go. Let rise 45 minutes.



If you'd like, this is the time to dump the batter into a kitchen aid mixer, fitted with the dough hook setting – or continuing by hand works too! Fold in salt and additional 3 cups flour until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl. Knead on a floured board, using more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking - the less extra flour the better. Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

This:



Will soon become this:



Let rise in a large greased bowl until doubled in size, 50-60 minutes. Punch down in the bowl, and let rise and additional 40-50 minutes. (This second rise can be omitted if you don't have time to wait for it. The bread will be a bit more dense.)



Shape into loaves. (Cut batter into two pieces and roll each into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Roll up from the short side, and pinch seam and ends to form one solid piece.) Place on baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, and slice a 1/4 inch slit lengthwise down the middle, or a few times on a diagonal, to create a place for steam to escape.



Cover with a dish towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 20 minutes. Brush with water and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Brush the loaves with water again, and continue baking at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 35-45 minutes. For added shine, rub the loaves with a bit of butter as soon as they get out of the oven.

I, of course, didn’t think to take a picture of the finished loaves before shoving them in my face, so you’ll just have to try the recipe to see the finished product. I hope you like it!