The Bread Book Review

The Bread Book: 60 artisanal recipes for the home baker, from the author of The Larousse Book of Bread

For anyone who loves bread, here is our review of the latest book from Éric Kayser, The Bread Book.

The ancient art of bread-making has experienced a global surge in popularity as consumers discover the deep satisfaction of baking bread at home.

This new Phaidon publication is a celebration of this craft and artisanal bread. The Bread Book gathers sixty home-baking recipes that use simple, wholesome ingredients and heritage techniques and tools to create delicious loaves – from old favorites to exciting innovations.

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A Highly Anticipated Sequel

Hailed as one of France's best bakers, Éric comes from a long line of French bakers and is the founder of the award-winning international bakery Maison Kayser.

His first English-language title, The Larousse Book of Bread, published by Phaidon in 2015, was met with critical acclaim. It has further been translated into eight languages.

The Bread Book continues the journey of discovery begun in The Larousse Book of Bread. This exciting new collection proudly builds on the principles that made a success of Eric's first book. While the bread-making techniques remain the same, the (re)discovery of ancient and heritage flours has opened up an entirely new field of opportunities and extraordinary flavors to be explored.

Here, readers will find more than sixty classic recipes made with a range of flours, from high-protein lentil flour and chickpea flour to low-gluten varieties made with einkorn, spelt or rye.

This highly anticipated sequel introduces new ingredients, flavors, and techniques to readers, providing an indispensable resource for novice and seasoned bakers alike.

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All You Need to Start Baking at Home

The first chapter of The Bread Book introduces readers to bread-making with an informative and accessible guide to essential equipment, ingredients, and techniques needed to get started. Step-by-step guides to kneading, shaping, and cutting demystify the bread-making processes in an easy-to-follow manner, and a troubleshooting section addresses common baking dilemmas.

The recipes themselves feature all the classics you might expect from a French boulangerie, from baguettes to pain au lait to brioche.

A chapter on breads made with ancient grains and heritage flours – including rice, chestnut, and sweet potato – will appeal to those seeking interesting new flavors for their loaves.

The 'Breads of the World' chapter guides readers through techniques for making focaccia, bagels, naan, pita, and even bao buns. The final two chapters introduce irresistible flavored breads such as Fig, Hazelnut, and Fennel Bread, Coconut Brioche, and Chocolate Babka.

The Bread Book makes bread-baking accessible by detailing its fundamentals and providing straightforward recipes for traditional and modern tastes. Prep, proofing, and baking times are presented clearly to aid readers with time management, while clear, concise instructions and step-by-step photography removes any guesswork.

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Final Thoughts

Inviting and informative, The Bread Book reminds us that bread-making is more than a recent trend or a treasured pastime — it's an enduring craft steeped in ancient, time-honored tradition.

Both for professional and home bakers, this is a book that anyone will want to have at reach whenever it is time to bake.