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Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread

Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread

by Zachary Golper and Peter Kaminsky

says

In baking-speak, ‘bien cuit’ means a loaf with a characteristic mahogany crust – the sort of artisanal sourdough for which Brooklyn-based Zachary Golper has earned a solid reputation. Recipes such as his 60-hour Sourdough Loaf are for dedicated bread aficionados, and there are plenty of recipes for those looking for the next step up in their pursuit of bread-baking perfection.

from the publisher

One of the most celebrated bakers in America shares his insider's secrets to making his delicious, artisanal bread that will have home bakers creating professional-quality products in no time.

BIEN CUIT introduces a new but decidedly old-fashioned approach to bread baking to the cookbook shelf. In the ovens of his Brooklyn bakery, Chef Zachary Golper bakes loaves that have quickly won over New York's top restaurants (which serve his creations) and bread enthusiasts around the country. His secret: long, low-temperature fermentation, which allows the bread to develop deep, complex flavours and a thick, mahogany-coloured crust - what the French call bien cuit, or 'well baked'.

This signature style is the product of Golper's years as a journeyman baker, from his introduction to baking on an Oregon farm to top kitchens across North and South America and, finally, into his own bakery at the heart of America's modern artisanal food scene. BIEN CUIT tells the story of Golper's ongoing quest to coax maximum flavour out of one of the world's oldest and simplest recipes. Readers and amateur bakers will benefit from his curiosity and perfectionism in the form of 50 recipes for bread that cover the baking spectrum from rolls and quick breads to Golper's famous 24-day sourdough starter.

The book is an homage to tradition, yes, but also to invention. Golper developed many of his recipes new for this book, including several 'bread quests', in which he recreates some of New York City's most iconic breads (including Jewish rye, Kaiser rolls and, of course, bagels) for the home baker, and an assortment of innovative 'gastronomic breads' that showcase his chef's intuition and mastery of the trade.

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Original Publisher
Regan Arts
Date of publication
2015
ISBN
1941393411

Features & Stories

The Staff of Life: ckbk’s bread-baking collection

The Staff of Life: ckbk’s bread-baking collection

With the recent addition of titles such as Bien Cuit and Josey Baker Bread, ckbk’s bread-baking collection now numbers a neat baker’s dozen. The collection covers everything from books for budding bakers, to works aimed at baking pros, plus beautifully photographed recipe collections inspired by bakeries around the world.

Recommended by

Marcy Goldman

Pastry chef and cookbook author