King Arthur's Baking School

I am beginning my baking journey with the King Arthur Baking Company book, Baking School. This book shares recipes, techniques, guides, and tips to develop one's skills as a baker, no matter where you start. I chose to start baking my way through this book because the introduction of this book heavily emphasizes  that the purpose of the book is understanding how and why certain techniques, ingredients, and equipment may be used in a recipe, which is exactly the information I am looking to gain.

I am both reading and baking through this book from cover to cover, as it is designed to teach the techniques and recipes in a logical order, developing a solid understanding of each recipe before moving on to the next. The chapters are Yeasted Breads, Sourdough Baking, Laminated Pastries, Pies and Tarts, Cookies, Quick Breads, and Cakes. Following the recipes in the order they are presented in this book will fully equip me with all the knowledge to bake the best possible products. I think each of these chapters truly has a vast and complete array of lessons and recipes to truly give the reader a full understanding of each topic before moving to the next.

The book begins with an introduction about ingredients, equipment, and different substitutions that can be used to produce a similar outcome while baking. Various types of flour, sugar, leaveners, and many unfamiliar ingredients have been introduced to me through this book, as well as some fun specialty equipment I have invested in to work on this project. Every week, I am scouring the supermarket aisles for a new specialty flour.

I have already begun the challenge of baking my way through this book and have had so much fun so far. I have a long way to go, so I will continue to update and share what I learn through each chapter and lesson, and share photos of all of the baked goods on my Instagram. My goal in baking my way through this book is to gain increased confidence in my baking and challenge myself to learn more complex techniques upon completing this book.