What is Artisan Bread?
Artisan bread is a term that has no absolute definition but refers to a style of short shelf-life bread that is usually offered unpackaged (in baskets) and consumed immediately after baking for maximum freshness.
Usually produced in small factories, artisan bread is characterized by being:
Made by hand using traditional processing techniques
Higher water absorption levels
Lean formulations
Pre-ferments
Longer fermentation times compared to commercial pan bread and rolls
Artisan breads do not have a Standard of Identity set by the FDA. Therefore, there is no absolute definition of what ingredients and processing conditions to use and what the finished product characteristics should be.
This category of bread is becoming more important in the baking industry as customers are looking for products with different and creative designs, maximum freshness and clean labels.
Origin
The term artisan bread conjures the image of artisan bakers who are masters of their craft, shaping breads by hand and only using the basic bread ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and most importantly time. This is a stark contrast to the standardized, repeatable and industrially-produced breads that are often found in the supermarket bread aisle.
The term artisan bread can include hearth breads (those baked without pan), and sourdough breads. The following are some examples:
Baguette
Ciabatta
Focaccia
Naturally leavened multigrain bread
Naturally leavened white bread
Panettone and brioche (enriched artisan type)
Artisan breads are usually baked in hearth-style ovens (with radiant heat as main source of heat transfer), and ovens that are designed to inject/exhaust steam into/from the baking chamber. This type of bakery products are usually crusty, with a large and open cell structure. They also have a rustic look, ornate scoring and/or flour dusting on top.
There are a number of other baked items that may be included in the Artisan category, as the definition explained, there really is no clear definition...lol. So things like brownies, scones, quick breads and other chemical and mechanically leavened items may be included in the list. I have included a fairly comprehensive document with all of the above breads and baked goods included. There is even a good sourdough procedure and recipe to get you started on the breads.
Thanks for reading, have a wonderful weekend! Cheers!
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