Learning the art of Artisan Baking is best taught by an experienced Artisan Baker. Recently we attended a baking course over at Brasserie Bread in Sydney and were lucky enough to have a very passionate and knowledgeable teacher - Artisan Baker, Matt. He explained that what sets an artisan baker apart from other bakers is that they use their 'hands, head and heart'. They don't reinvent the wheel when it comes to dough, but follow traditional ways. In his case, the Italian way.
We kicked off by watching Matt follow the delicate process of making ciabatta bread. Then we got stuck into making pizza dough from scatch. It was a full-on workout. We learned kneading and rolling techniques for a good half hour.
The trick was to ensure the hydration of the dough was balanced with mininum flour added. Achieving the correct gluten levels was crucial, so we adopted the gluten window test. We took a piece of worked dough and stretched it out. If the dough was almost transparent, then it was ready. If the dough started tearing, then it needed more kneading.
Once the hard work was done and the dough left to rise, the fun part came - adding the toppings. We did learn the story of Queen Margarita and how the margarita pizza was invented. Basically, Queen Margarita's chefs wanted to create a pizza that represented the Italian flag, so first came the tomato, then cheese, and last the basil.
Matt emphasised that toppings should be kept simple, which is what they do it in Italy.
The Artisan way of baking is a talent. The course was wonderful and a great workout. So devouring the pizzas we made afterwards were completely well deserved.
For more course details from the Brasserie Bread, visit their website: www.brasseriebread.com.au/