Unlike electric ice cream makers and pasta machines, the bread machine
hasn't really enjoyed wholehearted acceptance in the culinary world.
There are hordes of enthusiasts, no question about it, but many who
consider themselves serious bakers look upon the machine with
a skeptical eye. However, the newer generation of machines turns out
excellent bread, and after being bombarded with know-how by this James
Beard Award-winning writer, even the most reluctant may be inspired to
give it a go. The book opens with an excellent orientation to both the
machine and the basics of bread making. Step-by-step instructions are
given for a few basic loaves. (Less helpful is a "what went wrong"
section, which displays a firm grasp of the obvious.) The 300-plus
recipes are so far-ranging it's hard to believe a bread exists that
isn't included here. There are white breads and sourdoughs, all manner
of whole wheat and grain breads and breads featuring nuts and dried
fruits, cheese and savory flavorings. There are crusty ciabattas,
a sturdy Irish Potato Brown Bread and a variety of challahs. Hensperger
also includes dozens of sweet breads, including croissants, coffee cakes
and traditional holiday confections. There are recipes for pizza and
flatbreads, as well as selections from a variety of traditions, from
Alsatian kugelhopf to Zuni Indian bread. She even offers instructions
for using bread machines to make pasta, jams and chutneys. By the end,
Hensperger (The Bread Bible, etc.) will have convinced readers that
it's time to overcome any qualms and get to work. The bread machine is
here to stay.

Download File Size:807.01 KB

---