Bread lesson from a master

A French boulanger is to hold artisan bread classes in a workshop here.

THERE are few things more satisfying than biting into a freshly made, aromatic, crispy outside and soft inside slice of perfectly baked bread.

We are talking about real bread, the stuff of substance, not your airy, spongy bread with no soul or character.

Bread making has 5,000 years of history. In Europe where it is a staple, a lot of emotion is attached to the quality of bread.

There was a time in France when, if bread supplies ran short or the quality was bad, riots resulted. That’s how important good bread was, and is, to the people.

Artisan bread has a complex flavour, soft crumb, good crust and naturally long shelf life.

From this strong connection comes a tradition of bread making excellence that is unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

By using just four ingredients – water, flour, yeast, and salt – the French have mastered the art of creating complex breads that vary widely. Today, they are renowned for their artisan breads.

In Malaysia, where we don’t have a tradition of bread making, bread quality is not as high. Until recently, the prevalent bread in the country is the soft and airy kind of white bread with no crust. And there was hardly any variety in bread types.

In the last few years, interest in artisan bread has grown and a rash of bakeries where you can get European-style loaves have popped up in the city including The Loaf, Yeast, Tommy Le Baker, White Brick Oven, Craft Bakers, Bonjour Bakery, Tedboy and Tous Les Jours.

In its artisan bread issue (May 2013), Flavours magazine reported that “The artisan bread trend in KL is manifest mostly among the young and denture-free; that characteristic crunchiness of its loaves has earned sideway glances from many among the older generation” but predicted that the trend will gain traction in the near future.

One of the early ones to forecast the artisan bread trend was Jean Michel Fraisse of the French Culinary School in Asia, who has been conducting artisan bread making courses in Kuala Lumpur since 2005.

In addition to his own bread classes, the professional chef has been inviting boulangers to Malaysia to conduct training, to “enlarge the gene pool” of bread making blueprint here.

“Each baker has his own formula and techniques which have been perfected through time, and when this knowledge is shared with us, it adds to the diversity and enrich the fledgling local bread making tradition,” he said.

The school has invited French boulanger Antonio Louro to conduct two classes here later this month. In his on-going quest for bread making, Fraisse has plucked a boulanger from a medieval town in the deep heart of southern France.

Louro heads the bakery of the well-respected Moulins d’Antoine flour mill in Murat, where he has been the chief demonstrator for the last 13 years. The family flour mill since 1926 works with farmers to produce flours recognised and used by some of the best bakers and restaurants in France, including the famous baker Federic Lalos.

In his kampung, Louro is a hero of sorts – like all good bakers all over the countryside who champion soulful bread.

The professional boulanger is specialised in the art and craft – and science – of baking traditional French breads and he is also passionate about creating new recipes for modern bakeries.

“I am keen to learn from Louro as he makes deeply flavourful breads which I tasted during the Sirha international catering and hotel expo in Lyons,” said Fraisse, who was so impressed by the bread that he started importing the flour milled by Moulins d’Antoine. “I think we can all learn from him,” he said.

Although quite a few bakeries now sell what looks like European artisan bread, Fraisse said there are very few true artisan bakers in Malaysia.

“Some of the breads sold have the rustic, crusty look of artisan bread, but when you take a bite, you know that they have not followed all the rules of real artisan bread making as they don’t have much taste or character.

“Real artisan bread is flavourful and textural; it has that something intangible that you can feel – a soul.”

Those interested to learn how to make real artisan bread – whether you are a total beginner or serious baker – can join Louro’s classes starting April 21, where the mathematics of bread making will be revealed, and he will be sharing master formulas using natural levain, poolish, and other pre-ferments to leaven bread.

Considered a slow-food tradition, artisan bread making produces the most natural of loaves without the use of preservatives or other harmful-to-health artificial means.

At the heart of it is the use of levain, a natural yeast culture harvested from the air and skins of fruits and surface of grains – and also made up of the awakened yeasts that lie dormant in flour. Compared to this natural, multi-strain yeast culture, commercial yeast is a mono-culture of one strain. Coupled with the slow fermentation, levain breads hence have a complex aroma and flavour, and good structure which contributes to a desirable texture.

Levain bread is what the Americans call sourdough bread, which may have a sharp, vinegary taste. The French bakers, however, consider sour bread a fermentation mistake; French levain bread has a well-balanced taste.

“Books on bread making may befuddle and confuse; witnessing the entire process with your own eyes and having the chance to taste the best of such breads will be the better teacher,” said Fraisse, who constantly had to demystify the levain-making process to his students.

The Boulangerie Certificate course has two parts: Basic Level (April 21-22) and Advance (April 23-25). For more information and registration, email [e-mail] or call 03-2026 9188.