Bread Maker Tips "artisan Bread On A Bread Machine"

For many people, if bread is considered to be artisan made, it is made of the highest quality. If you are able to eat artisan quality, you are eating bread at its absolute finest. However, if there is a downside to these types of bread, it is that they cost more than their ordinary counterparts. Why? This is because the attention to detail in creating artisan quality is higher, to put it in simple terms. Is it possible to create artisan quality on a bread machine: You are about to find out in this article.

To start off this article, it has to be discussed what the word "artisan" means when it comes to bread. Actually, there are a lot of times that the word artisan here is used to connote different meanings. For instance, there are people who define artisan as created with the finest ingredients by an artisan baker. For others, artisan is defined as bread processed using the traditional way. And for others, artisan is defined by the level of quality that the finished bread itself possesses. But on the strict sense, bread aficionados define artisan as being prepared with the finest ingredients, prepared in the traditional way, meaning everything is handmade, and artificial ingredients are a no-no.

As you can see here, the requirements of bread to be purely "artisan" is quite steep. Since everything needs to be handmade, how about if you are going to use a machine? For purists, it is impossible for artisan quality to be made on a bread machine. But for non-purists, it is very possible for you to create a loaf that is, or at least approaches that of, artisan quality.

One of the defining ways on how to create artisan bread is how the ingredients are composed. Of course, there are the 4 basic ingredients of flour, water, yeast, and salt. And 2 of the most difficult processes in bread making must be done by hand. However, most machines have build-in mixers that do the kneading by themselves. While others would say that it tampers the definition of artisan, this is often tolerated for convenience purposes.

As for the baking itself, this is often done in the traditional oven as it maximizes the quality formed on the bread itself. Some even go further and use baking stones and wood ovens to bring out that maximum artisan experience. Before baking, most give cuts to the surface for heat release and optimal baking. While most of these steps are something that you cannot do when using a bread maker, it doesn't mean that you cannot have a finished product that approaches artisan levels of quality.

Most high quality bread machines are capable of at least producing bread close to the quality of pure artisan bread.

It is possible to create artisan quality on a bread machine? It depends on what you mean by artisan. If you are a purist, then it's not going to be possible. But that doesn't mean you cannot create awesome artisan-level using your bread machine.