Bread baking is back in the spotlight thanks to newfound followers using it as an artistic outlet. BH&G Bread Recipes magazine has all the recipes you’ve been craving, each perfected in our Test Kitchens to promise your success. Start with your own DIY versions of favorites like ciabatta, French baguettes, marbled pumperknickel rye, and even English muffins. Try your hand at specialties like doughnuts, bagels, and pretzels. Keep it basic and homey with our best basic flaky biscuits and tender scones, plus quick breads and muffins to share with family and friends. Pro chefs share their best recipes for cultural breads like pita, naan, tortillas, challah and babka. And we even have a gluten-free favorite from a GF expert baker. Finally, if you’re ready to jump on the sourdough trend, we’ll show you how to get started with our test kitchen expert, Lauren McAnelly, who will walk you through her own personal recipe step by step so you understand the science behind it (plus we have the free link to her video, so you can see her in action). Join us for all things bread as we head into the autumn baking season.
Better Homes and Gardens - Special Issues
From the Editor
Bread Basics
Biscuits & Scones • TENDER BISCUITS AND SCONES ARE BOTH SUPREMELY FLAKY THANKS TO HOW THE BUTTER IS CUT IN TO MAKE THE DOUGH. PULL OUT THESE RECIPES WHEN YOU NEED A QUICKER BREAD FOR THE DINNER TABLE OR BREAKFAST SPREAD.
Pull Apart • CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL—PULL-APART BREAD, MONKEY BREAD, BUBBLE BREAD—THE IDEA IS THE SAME FOR EACH LOAF. SEPARATE PIECES BAKED INTO A SHAPE ARE EASY TO GRAB, PULL OUT, AND POP IN YOUR MOUTH.
Bagels • MAKING A COPYCAT RECIPE THAT’S ON PAR WITH WHAT YOU FIND IN THE BEST BAGEL SHOP WASN’T EASY, BUT WE WERE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. AFTER A LOT OF TESTING AND TASTING, OUR FINAL VERSION IS SPOT-ON.
Too Good To Forget • WE TOOK A STEP BACK INTO THE PAST TO REVIVE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE FEEL-GOOD RECIPES. VERSIONS OF OUR BREAD AND ROLLS HAVE APPEARED IN OUR COOKBOOKS AND MAGAZINES AS FAR BACK AS 1930!
Let It Rise • YEAST IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF MOST BREADS AND WORKS IN DIFFERENT WAYS FOR EACH RECIPE. HERE WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCIENCE INVOLVED AND HOW IT WORKS IN A MARBLED BREAD, TRENDY MILK ROLLS, AND A PRE-FERMENT CIABATTA.
Jake Cohen’s Babka • WE ASKED COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND INSTAGRAM STAR JAKE COHEN TO SHARE HIS MODERN TAKE ON A TRADITIONAL BABKA.
A Lesson in Sourdough • FEW HOBBIES HAVE SEEN A SURGE IN RECENT YEARS AS SOURDOUGH BREAD BAKING HAS—BUT FIGURING OUT THE PROCESS CAN BE OVERWHELMING FOR BAKERS JUST STARTING OUT. WE TURNED TO LAUREN MCANELLY, FOOD STYLIST AND RECIPE TESTER IN OUR BETTER HOMES & GARDENS® TEST KITCHENS (AND EXPERT BREAD BAKER), TO SIMPLIFY THE SCIENCE OF SOURDOUGH, FROM STARTER TO PERFECT FINISH.
Alon Shaya’s Pita • CHEF ALON SHAYA USES WOOD-FIRED OVENS TO MAKE PITA BREAD AT HIS RESTAURANTS. HERE, HE SHARES AN EASIER WAY FOR US TO MAKE HIS DELICIOUS RECIPE IN OUR HOME KITCHENS.
Raised Donuts • WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT A CLASSIC RAISED DONUT? THIS HOMEMADE RENDITION—MADE WITH JUST A FEW SIMPLE INGREDIENTS—IS GOLDEN, PUFFY, AND PERFECTLY GLAZED.
Focaccia • FOCACCIA IS WHAT WE CALL “FLATBREAD WITH STYLE.” ITS TEXTURE IS SLIGHTLY PILLOWY YET ALSO A BIT TUGGY—ITS VERSATILITY IS ALL IN HOW YOU TOP IT.
Relax! It’s No-Knead • IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET BAKERY-STYLE LOAVES WITHOUT ALL THAT KNEADING AND FOLDING. THESE DOUGHS REQUIRE ONLY A LONG, LEISURELY CHILL TIME—WHICH SURPRISINGLY DEVELOPS THE GLUTEN IN A SIMILAR WAY.
Pretzels • DEFINED BY THEIR ICONIC SHAPE, SALT-SPRINKLED PRETZELS ARE A BALLPARK STAPLE WE ADORE. WE GIVE YOU THE BASIC RECIPE (WITH CHEESE DIP, OF COURSE) PLUS TOPPING AND SHAPING OPTIONS TO MAKE THEM TRULY YOUR OWN.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread • GLUTEN PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE...
