The Art of Dough – Baking & Sipping Through France 🇫🇷
It’s official, the MOF workshops here in my baking studio are completely sold out (and they start in just one week, wooooot!).
If you missed out, don’t worry, there’s another chance to learn from the same incredible baker and come bake with me in France next June.
I’m beyond excited to finally share this: The Art of Dough: From Croissants to Cabernet a once-in-a-lifetime trip through Paris and the Loire Valley, is already over 50% full.
We’ll start in Paris (hello, croissants and café mornings), then drift into the vineyards and châteaux of the Loire Valley for a week of baking, tasting, and exploring together.
The highlight? A two-day masterclass with Alexandre Laumain, MOF World Champion 2023, hosted at the historic Foricher Moulin des Gaults mill. We’ll roll, fold, and bake side by side, hands in dough, hearts full.
The rest of the week is pure magic:
🥐 Michelin-worthy dining and bakery visits
🍷 Private winery tastings in the Loire Valley
🏰 Luxury stays in a Parisian hotel and a private château
👨🍳 Baking, eating, and exploring alongside me and Chef Richard Gruica from The Gourmet Vacation
This trip took over a year to plan, and it’s truly the experience of a lifetime. If you’ve ever dreamed of baking in France, this is it.
Our Family-Favourite Sourdough Carrot Cake 🥕
We baked this one for my wife’s birthday last weekend. It’s actually my oldest daughter’s favourite cake too, so it was a hit all around. Moist, spiced, and just the right amount of sweet, this Sourdough Carrot Cake has become a family classic in our house.
It’s packed with freshly grated carrots, crushed pineapple, toasted pecans, and a silky cream cheese frosting that ties it all together. The sourdough discard gives the crumb an amazing texture and keeps it fresh for days not that it ever lasts that long here.
It’s one of those “make once, crave forever” recipes.
Whole Wheat Tangzhong Milk Buns 🍞
Last week I baked these whole wheat tangzhong milk buns with seeds for a high-end wine dinner I was cooking for, and they completely stole the show. Soft, pillowy, and just a touch sweet, they were the perfect balance to the richer savoury courses.
I baked 16 buns in a pan instead of 9, like in my book, and the result was this beautifully tall, pull-apart loaf that looked incredible on the table. The mix of seeds on top added a light crunch and nutty aroma that took them over the top.
The tangzhong method originated in China and was later popularized in Japan and Taiwan. It involves cooking a small portion of flour and water into a paste before mixing it into the dough, a simple step that locks in moisture and gives bread that irresistible soft texture. Once you make these, you’ll understand why they’re a family favourite (and one of my most-shared recipes).
👉 Check out the full recipe on my blog — it’s a total crowd-pleaser.
Or grab the full version (and tons more favourites) in Bread, Etc..
Brioche Tart with Poached Pears and Vanilla Chantilly 🍐
For dessert at last week's wine dinner, I baked one of my favourites from the book, the Brioche Tart with Poached Pears and Vanilla Chantilly. The version in Bread, Etc. is written as a larger tart, but you can make it any size you like. I went with individual ones this time (about 75–80g each), which were a touch big after seven courses 😅, but they still absolutely delivered soft, buttery, and topped with sweet pears and vanilla cream.
If you’ve flipped through the book, you’ll notice there’s a whole section built around brioche, and that’s intentional. Brioche is one of the most versatile doughs out there. Once you master the base dough, you can turn it into tarts, loaves, buns, sticky rolls, and even savoury dishes. It’s that “master one dough, make many things” philosophy that I wanted readers to really embrace.
A quick tip: brioche loves time. Letting the dough chill overnight not only makes it easier to shape but also deepens the flavour and gives that perfect tender crumb.
This week in the micro bakery 🕺
This morning, I was on The Good Morning Show, sharing one of my absolute favourites, freshly baked baguettes as part of my bread spread. This is a recipe and technique I’ve worked hard on over the past year, even studying alongside some incredible French bakers to really understand what makes a perfect baguette.
If you’ve ever tried to bake baguettes at home, you know they look simple, but every step matters. Fermentation, shaping, scoring, baking, it’s a craft.
I have a free sourdough baguette recipe on my website to help you get started 👇
👉 How to Make Sourdough Baguettes
And if you’re ready to level up, my Baguette Course dives deep with seven unique styles from straight dough and poolish to whole grain and levain. It’s a full deep dive into technique, structure, and consistency, complete with a bonus interview with MOF Alexandre Laumain on mastering the craft of the French baguette.
It’s one of the courses I’m most proud of, the product of years of practice, testing, and a lot of flour dust on my counter.
👉 Join the Baguette Course Here
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Happy Baking,
MJD
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Want to learn more from me? Check out my online video resources 👇
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