Bread Baker’s Companion - Brian Hart Hoffman

At its simplest, bread is flour combined with liquid and leavening and then baked until its structure sets.

What defines bread is not a single method or timeline but the way ingredients interact - how proteins form gluten, how gas is produced and trapped, and how heat fixes everything in place.

From the simple beginning, bread takes many diverse forms and flavors. Lean breads rely on flour, water, salt, and fermentation for flavor and strength. Enriched breads include fats, sugars, eggs, or dairy, which soften gluten, slow fermentation, and product a tender crumb. Rolls and pull-apart breads are shaped for portioning and softness, with structure designed to yield easily. Quick breads bypass fermentation entirely, using chemical leavening to create immediate lift and speed.

This book is built to teach an understanding of bread in its many forms, explaining how breads behave and why, with techniques shown clearly and processes broken down into manageable steps. The aim is confidence - not just in following a recipe but also in knowing what to expect and how to adjust.

And once you understand the system, bread in all its forms become easier, more intuitive, and far more satisfying to make.

Featuring more than 60 recipes, step-by-step instructions, helpful tips and tricks, and full-color photography throughout, this book will give you the knowledge and confidence to master the essentials of bread and its endless adaptions.