Everyone loves bread. Fluffy, indulgent carbohydrates that can be eaten on its own and complements practically any dish.
 
There’s so many kinds of bread as well!
 
Everybody has got at least a few as their favourites and it is easy to see why when each different type of bread has their own unique flavours and textures. It’s always fun to experiment and expand your palette, so maybe try some of these people’s favourites to add to your recipe book.
 

White bread

 
The most important thing to understand about white bread is why people love it so much that it is our basis for assessing other breads. Similar to how we use chicken as our basis for assessing other meats.
 
Many people agree that wholemeal or more grain-based breads are healthier, but it’s hard to get some others to adopt healthier and more fibrous breads, especially children. After all, white bread is sweeter and gentler on the tender gums of theirs.
 
But don’t be so quick to talk down white bread, because it is made from refined flour it is easier to digest. So this can actually help to encourage children to eat other healthier foods such as vegetables that they may be reluctant to eat.
 
White bread also only requires the most basic ingredients out of all the other kinds of bread, but the recipe is also great for messing around with. So go ahead and throw in some herbs or raisins if that’s what you fancy!
 

Sourdough Bread

Typically made from rye flour, this yeasty bread is made by fermenting the dough; this lends it a sour taste distinct from other types of bread.
 
With a process that is just as much gardening as it is actual baking, not many people dare take up the arduous challenge of creating sourdough bread. Growing a key ingredient called a sourdough starter is the first hill one must climb. It takes time to form a properly usable starter, with each week changing its chemical composition especially during the first few weeks.
 
A general guideline for how to use sourdough starter timeline is as follows;
 
Weeks 2-3: Quick rise desserts (waffles, pancakes, and crackers)
Weeks 4-5: More savoury stable pastries (english muffins, bagels)
Weeks 6-7: Batter breads (breads that don’t require kneading)
Week 8 and beyond: Traditional Sourdough Sandwich Loafs
 

Brioche

 
Lightly sweet, Brioche is a ‘rich’ type of bread, containing a lot more butter and milk than the average bread recipe. This means that before the invention of proper refrigeration, Brioche bread was usually reserved for people that had the money to be able to store these ingredients or replace them fairly easily.
 
As Brioche is moist with plenty of ingredients that spoil easily, this bread is best eaten fresh. Still warm from the oven, it will have a naturally buttery flavour (as it should!), flaky crust and fluffy insides!
 

Rye bread

 
This bread is typically known as the “healthy bread”.
 
Typically denser than white bread it also contains only small amounts of fat which compromises the texture for people that like their bread moist and tender. However, many fans of this bread will stand by its health benefits.
 
Rye Bread is chewier with a distinctly more earthy taste than most other breads. It is also high in fiber, containing various micronutrients. This hasn’t yet taken into account that pure rye bread is more filling and is less disruptive to the body’s blood sugar levels.
 
Several variations of Rye Bread include;
Light rye bread
Dark rye bread
Marbled rye bread
Pumpernickel bread

Focaccia

 
This bread is an Italian flatbread usually baked in sheet pans. It is not uncommon to find focaccia bread flavoured with olive, herbs and various other vegetables.
 
There are also indents in this bread giving it an effect that looks like dimpled fabric. These indents help to even out the baking process and gives a nice varied colouring all over the bread.
 
Focaccia is made usually as a savoury food to accompany an antipasto or as an appetiser or snack. However, there are some varied recipes that make sweet focaccia favoured by Northwest Italians. These sweet flatbreads would be sprinkled with sugar or may include sweet ingredients like dried berries or honey.
 

But What About Artisan Bread??

Surprisingly, artisan bread should be considered as more of a method of bread making rather than a type of bread. As there is no legal definition to the term “artisan bread” you are only left with the connotation and expectation that that particular bread is a high quality hand made bread, made using a long and traditional process. This guarantees meticulousness and a longer shelf life as there is more care being put into the creation of artisan breads
 
Essentially the term “artisan bread” is more in relation to the amount of skill and effort is put into making the bread than any particular characteristic of the bread itself.
 
Artisan breads have a superior;
– Flavour
– Aroma
– Crumb
– Internal structure
 
The latter two features comes from the fact that there you will get a stronger and more hydrated crust while also getting more alveoli (air pockets) because of the longer fermentation process.
 

 
There are so many amazing little things that make each bread unique and delicious in their own way. And with so many recipes, ranging from beginners to expert difficulty, you are sure to find bread that will stimulate your senses in more ways than one!
 
If bread isn’t really your thing, but you still want to get into baking, come and check out our current available classes!
 
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