The Delicate Art of Baking: Hardest Breads & Pastries to Master

Bakes are one of life’s simplest pleasures, but within the realm of delectable and melt-in-the-mouth desserts, certain recipes present a more drastic and daunting learning curve than others. Epitomising the concept of “high risk, high pay-off”, some challenging breads and pastries necessitate bakers to put in extra time and effort into processes like fermenting, kneading, or even careful construction. The reward, however, is oftentimes worth it, leaving you craving more! In this article, Daily Ground compiles a list of the most intimidating bakes to tackle. Find out what they are below:

Sourdough Bread

Sourdough has earned a reputation as one of the most difficult breads to make due to the demanding maintenance required of its starter. Also known as the mother dough, this lump of flour and water undergoes natural fermentation with wild yeast and bacteria. The key to mastering sourdough lies in the timely and consistent nourishment of its starter, involving discarding portions of the ripe sourdough and feeding with fresh flour and water. Knowing the science of sourdough is essential to developing its distinctive flavour profile characterised by a tangy and chewy interior, enveloped by a crackly crust.

Canelé

These bite-sized pieces of heaven are fussy about their needs right down to the material of their mould (use copper for the best results!). Encompassing resting the unbaked canelés for up to two days, greasing their moulds with beeswax and butter, leaving ample space for the batter to rise, switching temperatures at the right junctures, and removing them safely without compromising their crust, canelés’ painstaking process is certainly not for the faint-hearted. With a balance of patience, skill, and timing, canelés are tough but worthwhile pastries that boast gorgeous caramelised crusts, soft and gooey centres, and an undeniably enchanting French flair. 

Ciabatta

Ciabatta is a rustic Italian bread with a mild wheat fragrance and slight tanginess. Just like sourdough, ciabatta is known for its fermented and open-crumb qualities. Its identity as a high-hydration bread makes achieving its unique tasting experience formidable for new bakers. Understanding how to stretch and flip the dough for its signature airy structure is imperative to the bread’s overall textural and flavour complexity. 

Baklava

Homemade baklava typically involves using pre-made phyllo pastry because preparing your own fresh phyllo from scratch is simply tricky and unforgiving. Besides needing significant skill to roll and stretch the dough into near-transparent sheets, bakers will also need to ensure that they maintain enough moisture to survive handling and oven-baking. Once you’re past that stage, all that’s left is the intricate assembly of the delicate filo pastry, nut filling, butter, and syrup – which similarly requires attention to detail and a careful touch. 

Croissant

Making croissants involves a great deal of laminating, which refers to the folding and rolling of dough and fat to create paper-thin layers found in puff pastry. While the laborious process can be done, achieving consistently perfect croissants proves challenging. Exceptional croissants work with pliable but firm butter to facilitate proper dough rise and prevent sogginess in their numerous layers. Successfully executing this step will yield flaky and buttery croissants as expected of professional croissant bakers. 

Baumkuchen

Crafting a Baumkuchen is a respectable undertaking that demands a significant investment of time and specialised equipment. Nicknamed “tree cake” for its intricate layering, reminiscent of the rings in a tree trunk, Baumkuchen involves meticulously adding thin coats of batter onto a rotating spit. The process continues with each layer baking and browning before the next is added, ultimately resulting in a cake with a visually striking appearance and delightful alternating of colours.

Baguette

Traditional French baguettes are beautifully textured and come with a well-balanced palette of saltiness, nuttiness, and yeastiness. To maintain these flavours, the craftsmanship of baguettes entails employing a specific technique called cold retarding, which reduces the speed of fermentation in order to fully develop their character. Moreover, much attention must also be paid to scoring, a notoriously difficult landscape to navigate for amateur bakers. Knowledge regarding the speed, heat, and depth required of scoring is critical to impeccable grignes on a baguette’s surface. 

Macaron

Much of French macaron mastery is attributed to ensuring its perfect anatomy. Some of the biggest challenges of macronage include forming voluminous feet and smooth and glossy shells. The fragility of French macarons calls for bakers to practise accuracy and precision in their measurement of ingredients and proficiency in their technique. Furthermore, due to their sensitive nature, macarons can be incredibly sensitive to moisture, which means conditions like humidity and resting time can easily affect final results.

Brioche

The brioche bread may look unassuming, but don’t let that fool you into thinking preparing the French classic is a simple affair. Core ingredients of the brioche – butter and egg – are exactly what make this bake so good, yet so finicky. With a high moisture content, this enriched dough can often end up greasy and sticky. Avoid the downfall of shapeless and insipid brioche buns with diligence and proper techniques, from mixing and creaming, to resting and proofing. 

Wedding Cake

Tailoring a wedding cake is a deeply gratifying and daunting endeavour that many bakers aspire to partake in. In addition to the sheer size of the cake – usually featuring multiple tiers – bakers would also have to spend considerable time and effort ensuring structural integrity, intricate design, and meeting tight timelines. While wedding cakes are celebrated for lending a magical touch to ceremonies, the importance of their taste and texture should not be overlooked. This introduces another ballgame where the flavours must align with the expectations of the couple, in accordance with their flavour preferences. 

From butter-infused croissants to piquant sourdough loaves, Daily Ground houses many artisanal bakes that stand as a testament to immense ingredient knowledge, technical mastery, and attention to detail. Indulge in the resilient crumb, custardy interior, and various luscious qualities of exceptional bakes with the breads and pastries at our café – or have them conveniently delivered to you here. Take your love for oven wonders to the next level with skilled bakers at Daily Ground today!