Baking from Hensperger's "The Bread Bible"

[Chris Hennes]

It seems that "The Bread Bible" is a very common cookbook title: a quick search on Amazon.com yields:

• The Bread Bible, by Beth Hensperger
  
• The Bread Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum
  
• The Bread Bible, by Christine Ingram
  

Of these, I own but one: Beth Hensperger's. We've discussed Beranbaum's Bible over here, and that seems to be the one most often recommended in the "Bread Books for the Home Baker" topic (though Hensperger gets a little love), and Berenbaum's is the only one mentioned in the Pastry & Baking Index. I'm sure there must be eGullet members out there who bake from Hensperger's, though! What are your favorite recipes? I've tried about a dozen, but I'd love more recommendations. Are there any I need to avoid? Any ideas for modifications?

Personally, she opens with a winner: her recipe for White Mountain Bread (p. 43) is fantastic, in my opinion. I love the whole wheat breads, nut breads, challah, and all the rest, but I still find myself gravitating back to the super-simple, flavorful, basically perfect white bread recipe. I'm also a big fan of the Olive Bread (p. 146) and the Shallot and Poppy Seed Braid (p. 196). In particular, the shallot and poppy seed filling from that last one is one of the best fillings I've ever run across for a bread.

[alanamoana]

I don't have this book, but I do have a couple of other Hensperger books that I like. I like her no-nonsense, simple approach to baking which makes it approachable for anyone at any level. I look forward to hearing what other members say about "The Bread Bible".

[Lora]

I've probably made more recipes from this book than any other in my collection. And I've really liked most of them. Here are the ones I've returned to at least a dozen times each:

Yogurt Corn Bread. Got some on the counter in fact!

Vienna Bread is our standard sandwich bread.

Egg Bagels

Kolacki (ain't Sunday morning without those...)

Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Maple Blueberry Whole-Wheat Braid

Lemon-Poppy Seed Bread

I'm trying another new recipe today - the Sour Poppy Seed Rye. Now I gotta run try that shallot poppy seed braid!