Between lockdowns, I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of days in Abergavenny with the Over the Bridge to Wales project to raise awareness of what is on offer in Monmouthshire. Part of my weekend was spent on a course of artisan bread baking at the Abergavenny Baker, and wow, my bread making skills have really been elevated!!
Bread baking at home has been on the increase since 2020 as we all spend more and more time at home. You just a mix of flour, water, yeast, and salt, let it prove, pop it into the oven and, hey presto, bread, that’s it, isn’t it? Well, yes, but after mastering the basics of bread making a few years ago, I have stepped out of the realms of white loaves and sourdough and learnt the delights of long-fermented bread, sweet Nordic buns and Mediterranean bread.
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What is Artisan Bread
Artisan bread is a term used for breads which are made using traditional recipes and longer processes. They are normally made by hand and tend to be chemical-free and meant to be eaten fresh.
Rachael – The Abergavenny Baker
On a long drive back from France, in early 2015, Rachael Watson pondered her future. She had a profession; she was a GP, but she had another passion – bread! After much deliberation and doing her sums, she took the brave step and resigned from her job to become a locum and set up award-winning Abergavenny Baker in July 2015. Although Rachael is mostly self-taught and has expanded her knowledge of world bread
Rachael, who is a self-taught now runs courses in baking artisan breads from around the world. Each artisan bread course is designed to give you the skills needed to bake more complex breads as well as hints and tips to make your general baking better.
The Abergavenny Baker
Located in the centre of Abergavenny, the Abergavenny Baker is upstairs in a beautiful airy space with beamed ceilings, big windows and whitewashed walls. The large kitchen is set out with a large island work station perfect for socially distanced baking, with our own ingredients set out in front of us in wire baskets, and all the utensils including scales, bowls and a bench scraper.
Our Baking Day
On arrival, I was warmly welcomed by Rachael and joined three Instagrammers – Sarah, Amelia and Melissa – to enjoy a day of making a range of artisan breads. After a cup of tea and a chat to get to know each other, our skill levels – from novice to pastry chef, and a couple in between – and what we wanted to gain from the class, it was aprons on and we were ready to start.
Our morning bakes
Rachael put together a special day for us so that we could try out several techniques of bread making and different breads from around the world, sampling recipes from the Nordic, Italian Bread Courses as well as a fermented loaf.
In the morning we prepared and baked our three savoury breads: fougasse, focaccia and a fermented Trencher bread.
We started by preparing our biga, a combination of yeast, water and flour, so that it had time to triple in size ready to be used later for the fougasse and focaccia. Rachael recommends using digital kitchen scales so that you get the exact quantities.
Fougasse and focaccia are two of my favourite breads. Fougasse is a French bread with a lacy look almost like a fern which is easy to make but looks impressive. We had a choice of toppings to decorate our focaccia, an Italian bread, and I chose olives, sundried tomatoes, rosemary and a sprinkling of rock salt.
The day before our course, Rachael prepared the dough for our Trencher bread as it has a long proving time, 12-30 hours. Trencher bread uses ale or cider and a malted or granary flour to give it depth. The dough is creamy fragrant and speckled. Its final proof is in a banneton to go give it shape before it is rolled into a dutch oven, scored with a bread lame – a double-sided blade – and put in the oven. The final loaf has a lovely crisp split and gentle ridges from the basket.
Time for some lunch
We moved through to the dining area to have our lunch taking some of the fougasse and focaccia with us. Lunch was provided by 57 Bridge Street in Usk. Each lunchbox was filled with homemade and local goodies including homemade fig and camembert tart, local cheeses with pickle and sourdough crackers, antipasto of marinated peppers, olives and gherkins, salad and balsamic dressing. We had a cheeky glass or two of delicious sparkling wine from White Castle Vineyard.
For dessert we indulged in vegan chocolate brownies and beautiful pink cake from Nay Bakes which was moist and oh-so moreish!
Our afternoon baking session
Back to baking and this time it is fun with sweet Nordic buns, three Swedish and one Norwegian.
Our first sweet bun was Swedish Sockerkringlor a pretzel-shaped sweet bun covered in melted butter and dipped in sugar.
Kanellbullar, dough which has butter spread on it and cinnamon sugar sprinkled over. They are then cut into strips and twisted and after proving they are covered in sugar nibs before baking. Tastes kind of Christmassy, but I would eat them all year round!
The third Swedish bun is Blåbärsbullar which looks like a pastry with a custard and blueberry centre
And finally our Norwegian Solskinnsboller or Sunshine Buns which are also strips which are coiled into cases and after proving they are filled with custard and baked.
At the end of the day
Throughout the day Rachael gave us hints and tips and one-to-one help when we needed it. She is highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Her style is relaxed, easy-going informative and friendly. We left with bags of fragrant bread and buns, artisan bread recipes to try, new friends and a love of making artisan bread.
Contact the Abergavenny Baker
Rachael offers a range of artisan bread making day courses throughout the year including special ones for Easter, Christmas and Father’s Day. You can either book on her website or buy a gift voucher to use in the future. The courses are perfect to add to a trip to Abergavenny and I would highly recommend Rachael’s courses and look forward to trying another course in the future.
Address: The Abergavenny Baker, No.1 The Courtyard, Lion Street, Abergavenny, South Wales, NP7 5PE
Website: https://abergavennybaker.co.uk/
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If you are looking for an amazing place to stay in the area, try the Angel Hotel or check out Airbnb for alternative accommodation in Abergavenny
Bread Baking Shopping List
A few things that you might need on your bread baking journey.
Disclosure: I was hosted by Over the Bridge to Wales – follow them on Instagram – however, all views, opinions and photos are my own and remain the copyright of The Silver Nomad. If you want more information about Monmouthshire, visit VisitMonmouthshire.
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This is such a unique post I absolutely loved it. I am one of those people who learned to make bread in 2020 but I focused on Sourdough. Now I’m ready for something new. I have never heard of trencher bread and I am intrigued. Your photo of the focacia has my mouth watering. If I ever get back to Wales…or maybe somewhere closer to home. I’m saving for future reference.
I would highly recommend the Abergavenny Baker’s courses, and hope you get to try one day.
I’ve always enjoyed dabbling in baking bread, but artisan bread baking takes it to the next level. I would love to do this and I can almost smell that bread!
Oh it smelled so good!. I do hope you get to try one of the courses.
The bread looks so delicious and beautiful. Mine never comes out looking quite like this. lol. Looks like a great course.
If you ever get to Wales Rhonda, I would recommend taking a course, Rachael will help you turn out beautiful loaves.
I am a huge lover of freshly made bread, but I’ve never tried to make it myself! I would love to give it a go though.
If you can Krista, do try to take one of Rachael’s courses, she is such a great teacher.
The bread baking course sounds wonderful and such a beautiful variety of bread and buns. I’d love to take this course. fabulous bread photography!
Thank you Karen. You can buy a gift voucher to use when we can travel again.
OH MY GOSH! All of these breads look so amazing, what a great experience.
It was great fun Megs, hope you get to try it
That looks like an amazing experience!!! I hope it tasted as good as it looked. So the class was a full day and you made several things? I think I want to take the class!!
And I love kitchen gadgets. Good thing I’m traveling and have nowhere to keep them or I’d be buying them! ????
Oh, it tasted better!! Rachael was such a good teacher and made everything so easy. I have been making fougasse and sweet buns ever since!