Back in my culinary school days I adored bakeshop...for weeks we baked bread, bread, and more bread. My favorite was challah - it was the braids that beckoned (that and the yummy, sweet, eggy texture). But all that was what - 10 years ago (here is where I suck in air and say sweet bejebus I am getting old). And when I worked in the industry my focus was more on garde manger and cuisine, so my skill level with the ovens isn't stellar. But because there is nothing like a homemade loaf of fresh bread, I've been experimenting as of late. What I'm learning is that the internet doesn't offer much in the way of innovative recipes - - the ones I've tried actually suck, including this one:
I don't want to be mean and disparage the authors so I won't go linking anywhere but I will tell you they come up high when searching "basic bread recipe" and though these loaves look delish and smell heavenly, they bite it. And it's not like I don't understand the chemical properties of yeast or underestimate the importance of a nice warm rest or good kneading. It's the that the recipes don't properly balance flavor. Or acknowledge the importance of moisture. Googling bakers, beware.
I think it's time to dig up my old class notes - sometimes I get all caught up in finding new trends in food or celebrity "chefs" or books touting new techniques and I forget that I already know the right way to cook and bake...it truly was drilled (some days I felt like it was beaten) into me. The French way. Mise en place. I'm just rusty, is all. I'll share the good recipes with you when I bake up a successful loaf or two.
Anyway, when you're disappointed with bread, tollhouse cookies never let you down.
At least my house smells good.
