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Learn with Andy Tyrrell

Next Level Bread & Baking

River Cottage's Andy Tyrell will teach you how to make perfect farmhouse loaves, baguettes, ciabatta, focaccia, brioche, and a spiced fruity tea loaf.

Course overview

In the first lesson, Andy will teach you all about flour and how to be instinctive with breadmaking. You’ll learn about ratios of water to flour, fresh versus fast action yeast, and baker’s percentages before learning how to make a classic staple at River Cottage: our famous Farmhouse Loaf.

Meet Andy Tyrrell

Andy has a lifelong love of baking and has over time developed a particular passion for bread and sourdough. Andy began his career in London at a time when the farm to fork movement was just gaining momentum. As a young Head Chef he was inspired by the quality, flavour and variety that could be found when you started to build relationships with local producers and put a face to the food you buy. It’s a philosophy that has served him well and led him happily to River Cottage HQ in 2012 where he worked his way up to Head Chef. Leading a wide range of courses, teaching apprentice chefs and baking many loaves along the way. Andy is committed to seasonal eating and cooking and now teaches courses around the country and online, whilst keeping locals well fed at his popular supper clubs. His ability to combine technical knowledge and skill with good humour and achievable recipes has inspired countless people over the years to change their life through food. “It gives me the greatest pleasure to hear that someone is still making that recipe you taught them years ago or has built on it and is now teaching others”

Course description

Baker, chef and River Cottage bread expert Andy Tyrrell teaches you how to bake bread, brioche, and focaccia.

Bread is one of the most popular courses at River Cottage, and this extended, online version guides you through every stage of the baking process, giving you the knowledge and confidence to bake professional-level bread at home.

You’ll learn how to make many different styles of yeast breads including the famous River Cottage Farmhouse Loaf, as well as enriched doughs for sweeter bakes.

Andy also covers international breads like baguettes, through which you’ll learn how to fold and shape the perfect long loaf. You’ll gain skills to master wetter, olive oil-enriched doughs like ciabatta and focaccia, as well as sweet, buttery treats like brioche, doughnuts, cinnamon buns and a fruity spiced tea loaf.

Andy doesn’t just teach you the recipes, he will also help you understand the science of bread making, how flour works, which flours to use and how they magically transform with the aid of yeast, water, temperature and time.

This course will equip you with the skills to become an intuitive baker which will guide you to breadmaking perfection and endless moments of baking joy for years to come.

You'll learn:
  • which flour to use for different types of bread
  • how to make 'slow rise' loaves and bread
  • kneading techniques
  • dough proving
  • enriched loaves including brioche
  • Italian style bread including focaccia and ciabatta
The course includes:
  • 4 on-demand video lessons - presented by Andy Tyrrell and River Cottage
  • lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical bread baking assignments and recipes (with tutor feedback available)
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas
Independent Cookery Schools Association approved

This course has been approved by the Independent Cookery Schools Association (ICSA), recognising the highest standards of training.

Time to complete the bread making course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 14 hours 50 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 2 hours 50 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Your gut health recipe assignments: at least 2 hours per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson
You'll need:

Your lesson notes will include the full details of the ingredients you'll need, but you will be baking bread, so you'll need standard kitchen equipment.

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Andy on your bread baking assignments.

If you know someone who'd love this course then give it as a gift - just tick "This is a gift" at the checkout.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.