asic :
BREAD BAKING is a delicate dance between the
simple and the complex. On one hand, nothing
could be more straightforward: just combining
flour, water, salt, and yeast yields a dough that
with the baker's touch magically transforms
into a crusty baguette or a hearty loaf. On the
other hand, the science behind the "magic" is
incredibly complicated, and research reveals
the markedly complicated process that baking
actually is.
Don't let the complexities of the baking
process intimidate you, though. Knowledge
is power and, in the case of bread baking, an
overview of the components and processes is
all you need to start your journey. In the fol-
lowing chapters, the roles of the ingiedients,
equipment, and techniques are explained
and expounded upon. The most important
information is ext,racted and reduced to
readily accessible and easily understood core
concepts. Armed with these essentials, you
can move confidently into the kitchen and let
the baking begin!