Like most people in the United States, I grew up seeing recipes written in terms of ounces, pounds, cups, and so on. This doesn’t work as well for breads, so I list metric measurements first before the conventional cups, spoons, and ounces. I find that weights, whether metric or conventional, are more accurate. The fact is, 1 cup of flour will vary in weight depending on many factors: how aerated the flour is, how you scoop it, whether and how you level it, and more. On the other hand, 100 grams of flour is always 100 grams of flour, so using a scale is much more reliable.
You may wonder why I prefer metric measurements even for smaller amounts, like teaspoons and tablespoons. In the case of salt, the variations in density are even greater than for different types of flour. For example, 1 teaspoon of coarse salt weighs less than 1 teaspoon of finely ground table salt and more than 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt. To ensure accuracy for even these smaller quantities, I recommend a kitchen scale that measures at least to the gram level and preferably down to tenths of grams.
In this book, I’ve worked hard to make the recipes as foolproof as possible. Measuring ingredients by weight is an important part of that. In fact, the recipes were tested with metric measurements. These considerations give some insight into why baking is often referred to as a science. However, there is a lot of art and chance involved as well, and I hope to convey some of that art to you in these pages, while also helping you avoid the pitfalls of chance.
Then, to make the book as reader-friendly as possible, for other units of measure in the book, such as temperature and lengths, I’ve used standard US measures, but I’ve also provided metric equivalencies. In addition, I’ve provided ounce equivalents for produce, since this will make it easier to purchase the amount needed for the recipe.
Tap water is hard, soft, or somewhere in between. And at different times of the year it runs at different temperatures. When I recommend a water temperature, it is an approximation. Water is said to be hard or soft according to its mineral content. Very hard water can produce a tougher dough, while very soft water can produce a slack dough. My general rule of thumb is this: If the tap water is drinkable, you can make bread with it. Still, if you follow the instructions and your bread has the characteristics of dough made with soft or hard water and you aren’t not satisfied with the results, bottled water may be the way to go. Finally, chlorine is the enemy of yeast and fermentation. If your water is chlorinated, let it stand overnight before using to allow the chlorine gas to dissipate. I use fine, high-quality, non-iodized sea salt such as Bealeine for seasoning my dough. If you use a coarser grind make sure you weigh the salt since coarser salt will take up more space than a fine grind. It is the amount (weight) of salt not the volume that is critical.
GET TO KNOW YOUR OVEN
Every oven is different, from how long it takes to preheat to where the hot spots are. Here are some tips that will help you get optimal results, whatever the vagaries of your oven may be.
Let your oven preheat for 1 hour. This seems like a long time, but most ovens cycle off and on after they preheat, and the temperature may fluctuate by as much as 50°F (10°C) when they do. Preheating for an hour usually allows the oven to go through three cycles, building up more even heat within before the dough goes in the oven.
Use the temperatures given in the recipes as a starting point. As you’ll see, the recipes call for some temperatures that aren’t standard, like 480°F (250°C) or 460°F (240°C); that’s because I’ve found that these temperatures work best for specific breads. Most ovens with a digital display will allow you to select these temperatures. If you have an oven with dials, try to approximate as best you can—for example, putting the dial a bit higher than 475°F (245°C) if you’re aiming for 480°F (250°C). All of these recipes were tested multiple times in calibrated gas and electric ovens, but every oven is different. Take notes on your results and adjust the temperature up or down as needed, perhaps by 25°F (14°C), if the baking times don’t seem to match up. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, get one. This is a good time to see how accurate your oven settings are.
To ensure more even baking, I always rotate loaves (including those in Dutch ovens) and sheet pans of baked goods. With time, you’ll discover where the hot spots are in your oven. As a general rule, I rotate about two-thirds of the way through the baking time. At that point, the dough has reached a good internal temperature and is set and shouldn’t be disrupted by moving it.
One final consideration: It’s always best to bake multiple sheet pans of bread or rolls in batches for even heating and best results. However, this is particularly important if your oven has heating elements on both the top and the bottom. In this case, if you don’t bake in batches your bread may come too close to the top of the oven and go beyond bien cuit to burnt!