What Are Artisan Breads?
Artisan bread refers to any small batch of handcrafted bread baked by a skilled baker. An artisan is defined as a skilled craftsman, so someone who works with bread and its high quality ingredients is an artisan baker. Most artisan breads are very flavorful and have a thick and hearty crust. Artisan breads can be made from white or whole wheat flour. Many artisan breads are hand shaped and baked in small ovens on high heat, while commercially made breads are baked in uniform pans in large commercial ovens holding thousands of loaves at one time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Origins
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The origins of artisan bread are humble. Artisan bread evolved from centuries of people baking their daily bread for family use. This bread was made from small batches of dough and cooked in either clay ovens or on open fires. Some food historians believe that bread dates back to prehistoric times and most likely was not leavened with yeast at first. Bread began with simple ingredients, including flour and water. As time when on, and the mastering of ingredients increased, bakers began to add eggs, yeast, spices and sometimes dried fruit.
Significance
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As bread was a staple in daily life, going back centuries, current artisan breads are considered pieces of art. The popularity of artisan bread is considered to have grown and even exploded into the mass market. Artisan bread holds an air of tradition and craftsmanship. Today's large bread companies have called some of their breads "artisan" in order to tap into a market willing to pay top dollar for a higher quality loaf of bread. From the small bakeries of Europe, this bread has spread into the global mass market.
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Ingredients
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The ingredients of artisan bread are very similar to commercially produced bread. Flour, yeast, water and salt are the ingredients common to commercially baked bread. Some artisan breads have seeds and dried fruit like raisins, apricots and almonds, and other ingredients baked into the bread.
Artisan Bread Technique
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Most artisan bread is baked in very small batches, sometimes one loaf at a time. A clay or dome oven is used for radiant heat and evenly heated baking. Sometimes water is thrown into the oven, or a pan of water is placed in the oven baking the artisan bread to create a thick and crunchy crust. Some artisan loaves are brushed with high quality olive oil or water to increase the crunch and the rich color of the crust.
Commercial Artisan Breads
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Thanks to the popularity of artisan breads, artisan-branded sandwich, soup and salad cafes have spread across the United States. Companies like Panera Bread Cafe, Calistoga Cafe, House of Bread Cafe and Au Bon Pain Cafe are cashing in on the artisan bread craze. Although there was a time when consuming carbohydrates was considered unhealthy, these chains have survived and even thrived. Consumers enjoy both the artisan quality and the European or Sonoma County ambience.
Artisan Bread Recipe
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Quick and easy artisan bread can be made at home quite easily. With simple ingredients and specific techniques, even an amateur baker can bake artisan bread successfully.
This loaf will take about 45 minutes to prepare and bake, with about three hours of resting and rising.
1 1/2 tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
6 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, with extra for dusting dough
Olive oil for greasing baking sheet
Cornmeal for dustingInstructions:
1. Mix the salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl with 3 cups of warm water. The water should be about 100°F. Mix in the flour completely, and cover lightly with a dish towel. Allow this dough to rise for three hours on top of your kitchen counter.2. Take the dough out and cut off a piece with a serrated knife. Sprinkle flour onto the kitchen counter and start to knead the dough into your desired shape. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a baking sheet greased with olive oil, or a baking stone, and place the dough onto the baking apparatus. Let the dough set for 40 minutes.
3. Put a broiler pan on the bottom of oven and place the baking stone on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 450° and begin to heat the pan or baking stone for about 25 minutes.
4. With a handful of flour, toss the dough ball, using as much flour as needed to cover the entire surface. Cut the dough with a knife a couple of times for a decorative element. Place the dough on the baking sheet or stone, and pour a cup of water into the broiler pan. Close the oven door to trap the steam and bake the bread till it is a medium or dark brown. This may take about 30 minutes.Cool the bread until completely cool to the touch and serve.
This recipe will create four loaves. Keep the extra dough in the fridge. This dough will last two weeks.
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