The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More: A Baking Book


Price: $40.00 - $22.29
(as of Aug 15, 2025 03:22:38 UTC – Details)


JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER • IACP AWARD WINNER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A dynamic, authoritative sourdough baking bible for those looking to build confidence in the craft with a wide range of foolproof recipes, from pan loaves to pizza to doughnuts, by the beloved blogger and resident bread baker at Food52
“Maurizio Leo has given all bread-heads, whether newbies or experienced bakers, the ideal gift.”—Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice and host of Pizza Quest
ONE OF SAVEUR’S BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR
Maurizio Leo’s blog The Perfect Loaf is the go-to destination on the internet for beginner sourdough bakers. He now brings his impeccably detailed techniques, foolproof recipes, and generous teaching style to a groundbreaking debut cookbook that delves into the absolute fundamentals of sourdough—plus the tools and confidence to explore beyond.

Recipes cover flavorful, crowd-pleasing favorites:
Essential freeform loaves: Simple Sourdough, Rosemary & Olive Oil, Extra-Sour Sourdough, Cranberry & Walnut, Demi BaguettesPan loaves: Everyday Sandwich Bread, Naturally Leavened Brioche, German Whole Rye, Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich BreadPizza and flatbread: Roman-Style Pan Pizza, Focaccia, Naan, Flour Tortillas, PitaBuns, rolls, and more: Soft Dinner Rolls, Potato Buns, Ciabatta Rolls, English Muffins, BagelsSweets: Weekend Cinnamon Rolls, Italian Doughnuts, Summer Fruit Sourdough Crostata, Banana Bread, Cinnamon Babka
Beginner bakers will have their hands held the entire way, with troubleshooting sections and numerous sidebars answering almost every question they may have—like how to store a sourdough starter long-term, how bakers’ percentages actually work, and a visual guide to common “bread fails” and how to remedy them. Seasoned bakers will relish deep dives into the science behind baking processes and expert information on how to build their “baker’s intuition” and level up by experimenting with hydration, ingredient ratios, freshly milled grains, and specialty flours. Whether you’re new to bread baking or a pro, The Perfect Loaf will be your indispensable guide in the kitchen.

From the Publisher

The sourdough baking bible for those looking to build confidence in the craftThe sourdough baking bible for those looking to build confidence in the craft

author pouring water into a glass with sourdough starterauthor pouring water into a glass with sourdough starter

photo of Sunflower + Sesame Breadphoto of Sunflower + Sesame Bread

photo of Rustico style breadphoto of Rustico style bread

photo of demi baguettesphoto of demi baguettes

photo of Sunday Morning Pancakesphoto of Sunday Morning Pancakes

photo of Cinnamon Babkaphoto of Cinnamon Babka

“This book will help you find your way through the winding path of breadmaking….”“This book will help you find your way through the winding path of breadmaking….”

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarkson Potter
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 8, 2022
Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593138414
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593138410
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.27 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.32 x 1.34 x 10.56 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #1,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Bread Baking (Books) #3 in Cooking Encyclopedias #3 in Cooking, Food & Wine Reference (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,542 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) ); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });

Customers say

Customers find this baking book offers excellent recipes that can be kept for a lifetime, with great information and detailed content. The book is easy to understand with clear writing style, and customers appreciate the QR codes that link to helpful demonstrations. Customers praise the book’s pictures, with one noting how well they illustrate dough preparation, and consider it a perfect gift for keen amateur bakers.

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