bread baking courses

If you are interested in baking and would like to learn new skills or brush up on what you know already, why not consider a course with Andrew Auld, the loaf's owner and head baker?

Before we start, make sure you're signed up to our bread baking courses newsletter... click here to follow the link and select 'courses'.

Give a bread-making course as a present... A perfect gift idea for a foody friend or relation might be a voucher for a bread baking course. Whether they are a beginner or a regular home-baker looking to improve their skills, they would love to be treated. For more information or to order a voucher, email Roger.

The courses Andrew offers a series of different courses, one covers standard yeasted doughs and is suitable for both beginners and those looking to hone their skills. The second is all about sourdoughs and you will get the most out of the course if you already have some experience working with bread doughs. The third is French baking.

For the more experienced...or the really keen! Andrew has developed 'Brot' a course all about German baking inspired by his time in Germany.

He has also started running a 'Breads of the North' course which covers crispbreads, blinis, oatbreads and a seeded rye.

The day will start at 9.30am with light refreshments. A light lunch is provided from the loaf's café next door and you will finish by around 5pm.The cost is £135 per person or £235 for two and includes all refreshments and ingredients. All equipment you will need is provided and everything you bake is yours to take home

All About The Dough (AATD): This one-day course aims to give beginners and those brushing up their skills an introduction to the different stages involved in making bread. It is hands-on and during the day you will mix three different doughs, learn about fermentation, try out different shaping techniques, drink coffee while your bread proves and experience the joy of getting your handiwork out of the oven.

100% Sour:This is a one-day course aimed at home bakers who are interested in getting in to the exciting world of sourdough baking. Andrew's interest in bread started many years ago with standard yeasted doughs, but the passion needed to set up and run the loaf bakery was fully ignited when he started sourdough baking ten years ago. On the course you will learn about starting off and nurturing a sourdough leaven. You will work with three different sourdoughs including a white wheat/wholewheat/rye dough, a french baguette dough and a 100% rye sourdough. You will learn about working with wetter doughs, working with proving baskets, slashing the dough for the oven and getting good results in a domestic setting.

French Baking:Experience the delight of making croissants from scratch, teasing perfect slashes out of your baguettes and tasting your own buttery brioche!

BROT - German baking:Inspired by a year in Germany and visits to German bakeries, Andrew has put together this course; to unveil the mysteries of those dark German ryes, including Pumpernickel bread; to help you know your dinkel from your roggen, your schrot from sauerteig; and to try your hand at the yeasted sweet delights of Zwiebelkuchen and Mohngebaeck.

Breads of the North:Covering the fascinating world of Northern European bread, Andrew has developed a course to include crispbreads from Sweden, Blinis from Russia, Scottish Oat bread and a seeded rye from Denmark - rich and deep in flavour, these breads form the perfect accompaniment to the strong flavours of gravadlax, caviar, haggis and pickled herring!

How to book: E-mail Roger, on roger@theloaf.co.uk . We ask for 100% payment of the course fee to secure your place on a course. This fee is non-refundable. If you cannot attend a booked course for any reason, you are responsible for finding a replacement or you will forfeit 100% of your course fee. If we had to cancel the course for any reason, we would offer you an alternative date or refund you in full. You can pay by cheque made out to 'The Bakehouse' or by bank transfer - just ask for details