Artisan Bread Making
In the food world, artisan refers to handcrafted foods made in small batches. Artisan bread is handmade using traditional methods, including hand kneading. The bread dough is crafted from high quality, local ingredients and does not include artificial additives. Does this Spark an idea?
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Description
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Unlike sandwich bread found in the grocery store bakery, artisan bread is a crusty, shaped loaf. The top of the loaf is hand-slashed or scored to prevent the loaf from breaking apart when baking and to make the loaf more attractive. It is prepared in small batches by hand.
Ingredients
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Artisan breads use whole grains as well as all-purpose white flour. Like all breads, artisan bread combines four ingredients: flour, water, yeast and salt. These form the foundation of the bread dough. Artisan breads are flavored by adding other ingredients, such as sugar, molasses, milk and eggs. They also incorporate various types of flour, such as whole grain or rye.
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Handcrafting Process
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Artisan breads are prepared by using non-mechanical processes; artisan bakers do not use commercial bread mixers. Ingredients are mixed by hand, kneaded and allowed to rise. Each individual loaf is shaped by hand.
Loaf Shapes
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Artisan breads are shaped and slashed by hand. Artisan bread comes in many different shapes. Baguettes resemble traditional French loaves being long and narrow with a cylindrical shape. Batardes are similar to the baguette, but slightly larger, while batons are smaller. Other traditional shapes include rounds, which range from flat, thin loaves to round, domed versions.
Baking
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Artisan bread made in a home kitchen is generally baked in a traditional oven. Some artisan bakers use baking stones to help retain heat during baking. Artisan bakeries use brick bread ovens where the loaf is placed directly on the hearth or they use commercial ovens.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit bread image by daryl knott from Fotolia.com Wholegrain dough image by Elzbieta Sekowska from Fotolia.com Shaping Bread 2 image by velvetjam from Fotolia.com
