Ree Drummond Admitted That She Struggles With This One Recipe

You might assume celebrity chefs can cook and bake it all. Their culinary prowess sets them up with a stable foundation to attempt any recipe. But, if we've learned anything from "Beat Bobby Flay," it's that even celebrity chefs have an Achilles heel. For Ree Drummond, cookbook author and host of "The Pioneer Woman," the recipe she struggles with the most is one many of us home cooks can relate to: Artisanal bread. In a 2015 interview with Delish (via Internet Archive), when asked what recipe she was still trying to master, Drummond shared that "bread is the only thing separating me from utter peace and serenity. I'm pretty good at quick cakes and quick breads, but yeast-risen, artisan bread? So far, in my life, it hasn't happened for me."

Artisanal breads, such as crusty sourdough boules and rich rye loaves, are an entirely different beast compared to quick-rise batters and cakes. This type of baking requires precision in kneading, developing gluten structure, fermentation, temperature control, and shaping techniques. Don't forget the multiple stages that sometimes span days: Stretching and folding, proofing (one of the most difficult steps), shaping, and starter maintenance for sourdough. It requires patience and knowledge since the margin for error is slim. There are many mistakes you should avoid when making bread, such as using old yeast or adding too much flour, because these can ruin the loaf. With all of that said, we totally understand why the Pioneer Woman struggles with this.

Ree Drummond clearly excels at no-fuss, family-friendly baking. On her website and TV show, she successfully whips up cinnamon rolls, muffins, biscuits, and quick breads that don't require yeast. Her interview with Delish was 10 years ago, so has she tackled the tricky process of artisanal breads? It appears so.

A search on her site reveals a recipe for artisan sourdough; however, it has been adapted from another food blog, Homemade Food Junkie. Unfortunately, this recipe is not a hit, with a 2.8-star rating. There are other, highly rated recipes, though, such as a no-knead bread boule recipe requiring minimal labor while still delivering that homemade bread goodness, as well as a ciabatta loaf recipe. There's also a recipe for lemon pepper focaccia; it's a simple type of bread, but a step in the right direction. The Pioneer Woman website includes plenty of other simple bread recipes in her signature style, such as a no-rise, yeast-free Irish brown bread and pull-apart garlic-herb biscuits. Her approach to baked goods and breads remains approachable for busy home cooks, which is a good thing for those of us who specifically don't want to dive into the daunting world of artisanal bread.