If you’re interested in learning a new skill where you can eat the fruits of your labor, consider taking a class at Sherwood Coffee ’n’ Bread. These small, hands-on classes are a great way to learn how to bake different types of bread, regardless if you’re a beginner or more experienced. I recently attended the sourdough bread making class, and I learned a lot.
The classes at Sherwood Coffee ’n’ Bread are run by Igor Dernov, who built the wood-fired brick oven the classes use. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to using the oven and getting the best results.
Before the class began, Igor served some Turkish pizza while giving an introduction to the class. The pizza was cheesy and delightful, and it demonstrated the intense heat of the oven. It only took 90 seconds to cook.
After that, it was time to start baking. We learned how to measure the ingredients and mix them. Our group decided to make sourdough loaves with spelt flour, a type of ancient grain. For me, this was the most interesting part of the class. Albuquerque has a high elevation and dry climate, meaning the dough needs to have a higher water content than dough made at sea level and it will rise faster. Igor explained how the dough proportions work and how a home-chef can scale a recipe larger or smaller or make adjustments depending on the elevation. Once we measured and combined the ingredients, Igor explained how to tell when the dough had risen enough to move on to the next step.
We also learned how to shape the loaves. I struggled with this step at first. The dough is sticky and hard to manipulate into the correct shape, but Igor stepped in and helped me learn the techniques to get the best results.
We learned how to score the loaves after they had risen. It was fun to try out different designs. After that, they went into the oven to bake, and we learned about the best technique and temperatures for baking the loaves.
At the end of the class, each student gets to take home a freshly baked loaf of bread, a loaf to bake at home and some sourdough starter, along with the recipe and instruction book to bake bread at home. Overall, the class was a lot of fun and a great way to spend a beautiful morning in Albuquerque.
Classes take place in the spring and fall. Fall classes include sourdough and baguette bread baking. There are also special sunset pizza baking and sunrise breakfast cooking classes during the week of the ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®.
@visitalbuquerque Sherwood Coffee n Bread is an amazing local business. The owner teaches classes in sourdough, pizza and flatbread. The classes take place in his gorgeous backyard and outdoor oven! You can learn more by checking out their website. Link in the comments.
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