We got ourselves a bit confused by these questions when adding the new Molino Bongermino range of Italian flours so we thought that we need to get our own house in order before confidently talking about them. Semolina or Semola or even Semolato - Here is our guide to demystify these flours which we hope you will find useful.
Some basics – Semolina or Semola and what is it for?
Let's ... Read more
What Size Proofing Basket or Banneton Do I Need?
Short answer: the proofing basket or banneton weight is the dough weight - all the ingredients including the flour and the water added together.
We show all our proofing baskets or bannetons with a weight in the name, for example, our popular 1kg / 2.2lb Round Cane Banneton or Proofing Basket. What does this weight mean?
It gives ... Read more
A Guide To Our Specialist Sugars
Using specialist ingredients can set your bakes apart and make your job easier. Knowing exactly which specific ingredient you want is something we want to help you with, so we have compiled a list of our specialist sugars together their uses, to help you choose the right sized sugar that you need. You can also find related recipes below and in each product listing ... Read more
Welcome to my BakeryBits Christmas 2023 gift guide. Whether you are looking for fabulous festive gifts to get your star baker yearning to switch on the oven or are after pocket-friendly perfect parcels as stocking fillers, I have compiled two lists to inspire you or your gift giver this year selected from our range. I've been a keen home baker for decades and have spent 20 years working in the ... Read more
A simple but delicious sandwich loaf full of seeds together with the flavour of stoneground flour. Very quick to make, and often this can cause the crumb to be drier, but here the seeds hold in some moisture – especially the linseed – and this creates a crumb that stays soft for days. Toasts very well, and perfect for a hearty sandwich.
Makes one large tin loaf
Method
Put the ... Read more
"The branded Panibois boxes really help to carry our strong brand across to our customers. They also make portion control easy, and show off the focaccia at its best advantage."Peter Cook
Baker & Founder
Peter Cooks Bread
Worcester, England
Images courtesy Peter Cooks Bread You can have your Panibois cases customised with your logo for an additional 3p per case. There are a ... Read more
BakeryBits is the UK's leading online stockist of couche linen.
Many of you have bought it already and we’re very happy that you like it so much. But there will be some of you who have no idea what it is, how it can improve your bread baking, and why so many bakers consider it essential. So here is a guide to buying and caring for your couche linen cloths.
Check out our full couche ... Read more
Fuel Saving Baking: 9 tips to help reduce fuel costs
We hear you! You have these great skills, you're baking terrific breads, you have a good oven and our amazing flours, everything you need… and now you need to watch your fuel bill. What do you do?
At BakeryBits, we’ve been wondering: what would fuel-smarter baking be like?
So here’s our BakeryBits guide to reducing fuel costs!
1. ... Read more
Ok, so plain flour in the UK is "cake and pastry flour", am I right?
Maybe. Or not. The thing is, it’s not a specific thing, and that makes it hard to categorise. Bread flour – called strong flour in the UK – is generally assumed to have good levels of gluten, probably something around 11-14% protein, and score pretty well on strength and resilience tests; however plain ... Read more
So I’ve read that 00 Italian flour is the best for bread and pizza, is that true?
Forse sì, forse no. That’s Italian for maybe yes, maybe no. With that phrase alone you can go a long way in Italy, and get into some very tricky situations. See, the thing is those zero numbers have nothing to do with the doughmaking characteristics of the flour, but really only tell how finely ... Read more
Confused about these numbers in the names of many French flours: from T45 up to T150? Then find out here just what the French T-system for grading flour is all about.Choose the flour that’s right for what you want to bake…ideal for baguettes:Matthews French T55 Belle BlancA great general-purpose baguette flour, with excellent elasticity and stretch with low stickiness. The wheat ... Read more
It’s common today for millers to tell you about the way grain is grown and the accreditation they have for making the claims they do – such as Soil Association, Organic Farmers & Growers, Red Tractor, for example – as many of us do care about how grain is grown, the pesticides and herbicides used, and how this affects agriculture, the land and biodiversity.
Increasingly, the issue of ... Read more
Hot-cross buns are a favourite of mine and although I like most Easter foods – Simnel Cake, Easter Eggs, and those chocolate crispy cakes with mini eggs on to – I am completely obsessed with hot-cross buns and bake these for an extended Easter period. Who know, perhaps even into Summer. A rich yeasty glazed bun that toasts to perfection, packed with flavour and amazing fruit, that just needs a ... Read more
We're sometimes asked questions about rye flour, for example "what's the difference between dark rye and light rye?", and "is all rye flour wholemeal?". Hopefully we can quickly clear up any confusion you might have about rye flour and how it's sometimes labelled. Thanks to Andrew Wilkinson of Gilchester, and baking guru Dan Lepard for their input.
Like wheat flours, rye can be classified by how ... Read more
There are several ways we can help the relief effort to support the Ukrainians who are fleeing the war in their country, as well as those staying at home to defend it. We also need to remember the many Ukrainian people working to bake and provide food for their communities, keeping everyday supplies flowing, even while missiles are firing above them...
At BakeryBits, we’ve worked with companies ... Read more
Be Inspired by South & East Asian Baking
Happy Lunar New Year, bakers! At BakeryBits we wish you every success in what looks to be an auspicious and exciting year. We've got a super-packed newsletter for you this week, fantastic interviews with bakers around the world explaining Lunar New Year from their perspective. Plus a new recipe for a saffron garlic bread dough made using Asian baking ... Read more
The Best Bread to Eat With Marmalade
It's toast-time at BakeryBits and we want you to get adventurous about the flours you use for the bread you bake: so many possibilities...
As bakers we get very focused on what goes in our bread, wanting the best flour (BakeryBits probably has the best selection of great flour online), the finest sea salt (yes BakeryBits sells a range of salt too), but often ... Read more
Here at BakeryBits we embrace vegan recipes whenever we can, and help veganise ("veganize" with US-spelling) recipes, as it allows us to put more of the world’s extraordinary vegetables, fruits, grains and seeds in our diet, rather than ever being denied great food.
For many of us, our baking and cooking approach can get stuck in a groove. Food traditions are built on habit and to some ... Read more
