The Best Bread In Chiang Mai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Ever since the BiB vs BaB discussion I have been wondering about bread. I don't really eat much of it, but do acknowledge that some bakeries do an excellent job, specifically BiB and the Oriental Dhara Dhevi, but that's pretty much where it ends for me. When at places like Rim Ping I do on occasion notice that prices are sometimes strangely high.

I say 'strangely' high, because according to Wikipedia, bread is wheat (or other) flour and water and not much else, and those things are cheap as chips. Cheaper, actually.

So as an experiment I went to Phuan Khrua ("Kitchen Friend", officially known as Bakers Mart) and purchased the below:

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That last one is instant yeast. It's 15 baht for a small bag, which is cheap too especially because you only need a teeny tiny bit of it. (quarter teaspoon) Note that I will be using a mix of regular flour and brown bread flour. Mostly because it was there and sounds healthy, even though it cost double the price of regular flour. (32 vs 60 baht for a Kg.). This will make several loaves; you need just 3 cups of flower for one, so you get about 5 out of the above, so about 22 baht for one in ingredients.

Being lazy, I went for the 'No Knead Bread' recipe which is perfect for lazy people. Enter 'No Knead Bread' into Youtube.com for a brief instruction video.

Basically you just throw the above ingredients into a closable plastic box in the right quantities, add water, stir it a bit until it becomes a sticky mess, then let it sit somewhere closed for the whole evening and night.

Then in the morning you still have a mess, but more of it. It's now bigger and looks bubbly and gooey. You shape it into this blob and let it sit for a bit, then put it into a closable pot or pan and bake in any cheap ass oven. I only have a basic electric table-top one from Siam TV, but it works just fine.

The result really is quite stunning, especially if you like 'expensive' artisan bread with some crust and bite to it. Like you'd get from Rim Ping or the Oriental Bakery. Except it costs virtually nothing, just some time overnight when you should be out drinking anyway.

I added some oatmeal flakes to make it look even more artisanny, and because nobody in my household eats it, but that's optional.

Edited June 24, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[gennisis]

The 'No Knead Bread' is certainly good and tasty...but 2 hours after coming out of the oven the crust softens and you lose the crispness. Having said that if you decide to eat it whilst its still warm....delicious,with some french salted butter and cheese.

[cloudhopper]

That looks great! We've been getting outstanding whole wheat bread using a double-paddle Fagor bread maker (around 4k baht at Robinsons) but will have to try this method too.

[CPT]

I started regularly making no knead bread myself a couple months ago. Always enjoyed cooking but NOT baking but even I can get it to come out well. Nice to have fresh bread. Regarding costs, I haven't been to Baker's Mart but everything tends to be dirt cheap from Yok.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The 'No Knead Bread' is certainly good and tasty...but 2 hours after coming out of the oven the crust softens and you lose the crispness. Having said that if you decide to eat it whilst its still warm....delicious,with some french salted butter and cheese.

Yes it does. In fairness, a lot of that is due to our humid climate where few things stay crispy for very long. Indeed best to eat it after it cools down enough but is still warm. Or you could put it back in the oven to toast it up a little.

Will try to also do one with less of a crust for a more basic version; I guess I would get that by not covering the inside pot, or only briefly covering it, and perhaps lowering the temperature a bit.

[Nawak]

The last pic just make me hungry.

[Ricardo]

Good post from WtK !

I do like the idea of all those little yeasts, working away at making some nice bread for me, while I'm out enjoying a beer !

[DaamNaam]

Yamakazi's 7 grains bread is good. As is Rim Ping's French village loaf.

[shepsel]

The Shangrila Hotel has it's own bakery, and their bread is about the best in the city, in my opinion. Once can order it in advance and pick it up. Their prices are competitive with the other bakeries.

[ThaiPauly]

My wife brought some bread from Macro today, freshly baked , almost devoured the whole loaf in one go with butter. 59 Baht. Very ,very tasty

[uptheos]

Hi Win, seems like your DIY baking bread tips, has brought forth tips for ready baked bread. I think yours looks the business - lots of opportunity to experiment

Edited June 24, 2011 by uptheos

[daoyai]

Good post from WtK !

I do like the idea of all those little yeasts, working away at making some nice bread for me, while I'm out enjoying a beer !

If you drink beer while your bread is rising, then the yeasties are doing double duty.

[Maccheroncini]

Congratulations. I think no knead bread is another version of ciabatta. I sometime make SF sourdough at home and basically it is too the no knead type(almost).

Edited June 24, 2011 by Maccheroncini

[uptheos]

WTK's a rich dude he doesn't need the dough.

[NancyL]

Great results WtheK! I worked very hard to perfect this same recipe during our last winter in the U.S. I figured we might not be able to find good bread in CM and I should know how to make it. The biggest problem I had was in getting it to rise when the air temp in our household was maintained at 60 deg F during the winter (something like 16 deg C, I think). We had a wood stove in the living area and I tried to find a place for the bread to rise near the stove, but the dog ate it every time. Finally I decided it would work OK in CM, where the air temp is always higher.

Your results look like my best efforts, after several tries.

I must admit, I haven't made it since we moved here because we live very close to Kasem's and well, you know where we get our bread!

[CPT]

I really haven't had any problems with the crust but I use a different recipe that doesn't require putting it in a pot (Not the famed NYT recipe). I use a slightly modified version of this recipe.

[Nienke]

Shoot! I opened the wrong thread. Now I'm hungry and me bread is finished.

[Yelly]

sigh.

I need an oven. I miss cookies and brownies and breads, oh my.

[meadish_sweetball]

The greatest loaf of all. William Butler Yeast himself would have been proud.

[newcomer01]

Bit off topic but Makro on Chiangmai-Hod road will bake special orders of bread. Eg No sugar, wholemeal. Minimum 10 loaves. Same price as normal. Ok if you have a freezer.

[moe666]

At chiang Mai Gate go south on Suriwong rd ver to the left at motorcycle shop there is a bakery there and they bake excellent products, bread included.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

At chiang Mai Gate go south on Suriwong rd ver to the left at motorcycle shop there is a bakery there and they bake excellent products, bread included.

Yes, I like that shop too. It's all pretty Thai/Japanese style, but still well done within that style, and not expensive.

[trainman34014]

sigh.

I need an oven. I miss cookies and brownies and breads, oh my.

Bought my oven three months ago and baking cakes every week. Brownies have become my most regular habit and I'm about to try making bread, so I will be trying the aforementioned recipe's. Does all this make me fatter? Well, it would if I didn't ride my Bicycle around for longer than I used to but another kilo or two is not a bad price to pay for all the flavours and textures I am creating which you just cannot buy here.

[cloudhopper]

Just made the first loaf in an 8 quart cast iron Dutch oven. I subbed 1/3 of the flour with whole wheat and 1/3 of the water with Leo. To die for!

Thanks for posting.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Excellent..! I'll try that too sometime. Will also try raisin bread, no clue how to make it, thank heavens for Google.

[Okertes]

Hi WinnieThekhwai could you pls tell us/me whre is Phuan Khrua ("Kitchen Friend", officially known as Bakers Mart) ?

that will be graet TNX

[realthaideal]

Hey Okertes. Just use the search function in the top rt and try any variation of Kitchen Friend, Bakers' Mart, Phuan Krua, Puan Krua, Pheuan Kruah, etc., and you should find that a few of us have posted quite elaborate and clear directions in the past. You'll be on your way in no time.

[anselpixel]

I like good bread, and have been surprised and happy to find many choices here in Chiang Mai.

My recent favorite is a sourdough rye that costs fifty baht a loaf and comes from a little place called Na-Na on Sodsueka just east of Santitham.

[nicksal37]

Best bread in Chiang Mai can mean anything.There are so many types of bread it just depends on what you like.Rimping sell many German and French style bread which are excellent.I love the old fashioned British white bread which I used to buy at my local bakers in England.Bake & Bite sell a loaf of white bread that is just as good.It is important to make sure it was baked on the same day as you buy it.Just ask them.I bring mine home and slice it with an electric carving knife and freeze it. Once thawed it is the same as the day you bought it.

[uptoyoumyfriend]

BiB vs BaB ???

i must have missed that discussion -maybe somebody can enlighten me