Industry expert perspectives on handcrafted, handmade, artisanal, long fermentation, high hydration, open crumb, Old World, traditional, sourdough, craft, small batch and other subjects related to artisan bread and baking.
Ingredients and processing play a 50/50 role in the quality production of artisan bread. It's the simple ingredient list and simple processing that is helping boost this style of bread's popularity in the natural and clean label trend.
Artisan breads sales are on the rise. The global artisan bakery market is expected to increase at a rate of 4.1 percent from 2019–24 to reach a market value of $4.5 billion.
As foodie culture grows, the bakery world can expect an increased interest in artisan pursuits and a renewed excitement around heirloom grains and specialized grain-seed blends in baking.
The 2019 Taste/Tomorrow event that took place in Chicago from May 1 to 2 provided a platform for Puratos to release its latest body of independent global research into top bakery, patisserie and chocolate trends shaping today's marketplace.
Artisan baking goes hand-in-hand with high-quality ingredients. And as more artisan baking emerges in the market, ancient grains and heirloom wheats can be important differentiators.
It has never been a better time to be in artisan baking. We are living in a time of heirloom wheat rediscovery and renewed appreciation for ancient grains.
Interest in "slower" food and deeper connections to food sources has brought heirloom tomatoes, heritage breeds of livestock, and ancient and heirloom grains to the fore.
Baking bread is a balancing act, and any change in ingredients and technique can shift the outcome of a loaf in ways that affect flavor, volume and structure.
The autolyse is an optional but easy method to incorporate into the mixing cycle of many artisan breads. The autolyse technique was likely used throughout bread-making history but was codified by Professor Raymond Calvel in his seminal work, "Le Goût du Pain," which has been translated into English as "The Taste of Bread."