Crumb: Show the Dough Who’s Boss

Bertinet (Dough, Crust), a James Beard Award-winning baker from the U.K., offers an unassailable guide to baking geared toward those reticent to embrace the dough. The key to successful bread, Bertinet asserts, is all in the technique, and that’s where the book truly excels. Each recipe is accompanied by step-by-step photos alongside detailed instructions. Bertinet is precise in his tutelage, including descriptions about how the dough should feel and perform at various stages. Armed with that confidence and knowledge (the book’s early chapters include vital information on the role of the rise, timing, moisture, and heat), home bakers are well on their way to creating their own baguettes, challah, and sourdough, as well as enticing riffs such as caramelized apple and calvados brioche; cornbread with manchego cheese and chorizo; and the stunning Leopard Bread, the crust of which mottles and crisps in the oven. With Bertinet as an expert guide, this volume proves to be an outstanding bread making primer for those new to baking.[em] (Apr.) [/em]