Bob's Red Mill Baking Book Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I use a lot of Bob's Red Mill products and have baked with whole grains for more than 25 years, so I was excited when this book was published. The format is easy to use and appealing, and the directions are clear,although there are no photographs or drawings.
After a description of different kinds of flour and cereals, the book is divided into chapters on whole grain yeast breads, rolls, and sourdough; quick breads, muffins, biscuits, and scones; flatbreads, focaccia, crackers, and pizza; pies, tarts, cobblers and crisps; cookies; and cakes.
There are many ideas for using spelt, teff, quinoa, barley, buckwheat, and other less common flours, and there are quite a few gluten-free recipes, including cakes, gingerbread. and even sugar cookies. There are recipes for seven kinds of pizza dough, from yeast-free to cornmeal, and an unusual recipe for a strawberry pie that calls for baking the strawberries in a double crust. There are also many kinds of piecrust to try, ranging from sorghum and almond oat to whole wheat and barley.
The first recipe I tried was Bob's High Fiber Bread, which turned out dense and dry. I made Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread, which was dull, dry, and heavy (I threw it out),and Gluten-free Rice Bread, a two-day project that didn't rise properly and had to be thrown out, also. Maple Pecan Muffins were very dry as were Whole Grain Bread Rings.
Here are some winners: the whole wheat pizza dough was very good, as was the Italian sausage and fontina calzone. Oatmeal pancakes were excellent, and the oatmeal muffins and orange spelt muffins were good.
It seems that often the proportions are wrong. Bob's Energy Boosters contained too much butter and didn't hold together. Five-Grain Daybreak Cookies taste great, but the recipe called for way too much butter and should have used baking powder instead of soda to prevent spreading. It made 48 very large, floppy, sticky cookies instead of the predicted 24.
I'm not ready to give up on this book, because the recipes sound so good, and every once in a while, I hit a winner. But not often enough. When I want to be sure of a success, I turn to King Arthur's Whole Grain Cookbook, The Baker's Apprentice, or Berenbaum's Bread Bible. Hodgson Mills just published a whole grains cookbook--it will be interesting to compare their book to Bob's Red Mill Baking Book.


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This invaluable baker's resource provides home bakers with delicious ways to use whole and other healthful grains and flours to suit their dietary, allergic, and basic baking needs. Including new and traditional recipes, and featuring a collection of recipes from prominent bakers and chefs, Bob's Red Mill Baking Book allows bakers to take full advantage of the healthful benefits of whole grains. Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods was founded in 1978 and has become a multimillion-dollar business with international distribution. Inspired by a commitment to whole grain nutrition, Bob and Charlee Moore started their business with a mission to support the health and well-being of people in their community. But the demand for healthy whole grains made their small northwest business grow nationwide. Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods offers a diverse line of all natural and organic flours, cereals, meal and mixes for pancakes, bread, and soups. The company's more than 300 products are available throughout the U.S. and Canada at all natural food and major grocery stores. Bob's Red Mill brand products may also be purchased by phone, mail order, or on the company's website.

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