Advanced Bread Making

Advanced BREAD making

Professional Bakery Development

Artisan Food School, Welbeck Estate, Nottinghamshire.

July 2024

Slightly nervously I booked this course which was advertised for existing bakers, chefs, business start-ups and advanced home bakers looking to expand their bread baking repertoire. I was not sure if I had enough advanced skills, but as soon as I was on the course the challenge felt incredibly exciting and I knew it would really push me.

Working in a team of 5 under the tuition of Kevan Roberts, an incredible baker with 30 years’ experience working in bakeries and bakery schools. We produced batches of at least 14 bread types. Working with large baking ovens, a range of industrial mixes and equipment we created the environment of a professional bakery.

The course was split into 4 distinct sections: Bread trends, natural and artisan dough conditioners and improvers, flavour profiling/pairing and the visual aesthetic of new products and NPD creations.

Over the five days we produced -

House sourdough, baguettes with rye Levain and poolish, spring onion and brie sourdough, multigrain soaker sourdough, caramelized red onion and gruyere, soy congee bread, Japanese milk bread, Khorasan and wild farmed flour with sprouting grain sourdough. Plus, a range of white and wholemeal breads with different soakers and mixers – dukkah mix, chocolate, nuts, dried and fresh fruit, and seeds to create a range of shapes and styles.

The course was 100 miles an hour of prepping, mixing, shaping and baking. I learnt SO much, and also on the final day was able to explore my own sculptural ideas for shaping dough.