A guide for bakers who are just starting out on making bread
Bakers with little to no experience frequently report feeling intimidated when confronted with yeast bread, which is a common reaction that is not entirely unwarranted. It is possible for the process of making a loaf of bread to appear especially mysterious, if not outright magical, because many of the stages, such as fermentation and proofing, take place without any input at all from the baker. This makes it possible for the process to appear particularly mysterious.
Despite this, our ancestors were bread bakers, just like their grandparents were before them and their grandparents before them. It is doubtful that all of them were sorcerers and wizards, or at the very least, that all of them were sorcerers and wizards. The only thing that stands between you and becoming an expert baker of bread is the time and effort that you put in through practice.
Because every bread recipe calls for a different set of ingredients and a specific baking method, it’s possible that compiling a list of general bread-baking tips that can be applied to any recipe would be ineffective. This is due to the fact that each bread recipe calls for its own unique combination of ingredients. The concept of bread, however, is shrouded in a certain amount of mystery, which we are able to partially dispel by elucidating the roles played by its constituent parts and the reasoning that underlies each step of the baking process.
However, there is one piece of general guidance that we can offer you, and that is to make sure that you follow the recipe exactly. This is particularly important when first learning how to bake yeast bread because it ensures that the bread will turn out properly.
What exactly is bread, though?
When a dough that consists of flour, water, and yeast is baked, the result is the production of bread. The dough itself is what is referred to as “dough.” Salt will almost always be present, but apart from that, the potential permutations that can be derived from this fundamental recipe are essentially limitless.
Not only can these variations be made by including additional components like eggs, fats, and sugar, but also by adding additional components like nuts, grains (like rye, oats, or cornmeal), and dried fruits. Other ways that these variations can be made include. There are a wide variety of flours available, and the type of bread you intend to bake will determine which type of flour you should use.
Flour Yeast bread cannot be made without flour, and wheat is almost always used as the primary ingredient in flour. Flour is the most essential component of yeast bread. It also contains protein, which can be found in the form of gluten, and starch, as previously mentioned. The amount of protein and starch in the bread will ultimately decide its structure as well as the texture it has. Bread flour is an example of a type of flour that is considered to be difficult to work with because it contains a higher percentage of gluten than other types of flour. The term “soft” flour refers to flour that contains a lower percentage of gluten and is commonly used in the preparation of cakes and other types of delicate baked goods. All-purpose flour is created by combining different flour types, including hard and soft varieties.
There is no way to successfully bake water bread without using water. It is necessary for yeast to initially come into contact with water before the fermentation process can begin. As a result of the fact that the gluten molecules in flour uncoil when they come into contact with water, the molecules are able to lengthen as the dough is worked on account of this property. The starches in the flour gelatinize when the flour is heated, and then the gelatinous starches draw water to themselves. In addition, dissolving the salt and sugar in the water makes it possible for those ingredients to interact with the various other components of the recipe. Even the temperature of the water can play a significant role in how the dough forms, which is why it is important to pay attention to both.
Yeast
When yeast is allowed to perform its function as a leavening agent, it results in the production of carbon dioxide gas. Yeast can be purchased in many different forms, including dried yeast, fresh yeast, and instant yeast, amongst others. Although it is possible to convert between the three different types of yeast, it is strongly recommended that you make use of the yeast that is specified in the bread recipe. Even though it is possible to switch between the three kinds of yeast, it is strongly advised that you make use of the yeast that is specified in the recipe. Yeast is responsible for the production of both carbon dioxide and alcohol during the fermentation process, which is an essential step in the manufacture of beer.
Sugar, salt, and fat are what we refer to as “the three S’s.”
Sugar, salt, and fat are all components that contribute to the overall flavour of the dish; however, what is more, important is that these components interact with the glutens in a number of distinct ways. The addition of salt to bread makes the glutens in the bread more rigid. This helps to promote elasticity, which is another benefit of salt. Because it also prevents yeast from multiplying, it is critical to use exactly the right amount. If you use too much or too little, the fermentation process may proceed too quickly or not quickly enough, depending on which extreme you choose. Sugar, on the other hand, has the opposite effect, which is that it weakens the glutens, which results in the final product having a texture that is finer and more tender. Sugar is another source of food for yeast. The incorporation of fat into the bread not only results in an increase in its moisture content but also “shortens” the strands of gluten, which causes the bread to have a more tender texture.
Putting the Pieces of the Puzzle Together
Mixing refers to the process of combining your ingredients into a batter or dough in order to produce the final product. You have the choice of performing this step with a machine, by hand (which is also referred to as kneading), or by combining the machine and hand methods together. When the dough is mixed, the yeast is distributed evenly throughout the dough, and at the same time, the glutens in the dough are developed, which will ultimately give the bread its structure and texture.
Fermentation
The yeast in the dough consumes the sugar during the fermentation process, which ultimately results in the production of carbon dioxide gas. Because the glutens in the dough begin to relax during this period of time, the dough becomes less difficult to work with and has a lower risk of contracting as a result of the baking process. In most cases, the fermentation process takes between one and two hours to complete. When the volume of the dough has doubled and when you can poke it with your finger and leave a dent in the dough, the fermentation process is complete.
Makeup The process of shaping the dough into loaves, rolls, or whatever the final shape of the bread will be and placing it in the baking sheet or pan that it will be baked on is referred to as “makeup.” The term “makeup” is used interchangeably with the term “baking.” When the dough has been shaped inconsistently, there is a greater chance that it will crack when it is baked. During the phase known as “makeup,” any large air bubbles that were previously present in the bread will now be eliminated. In the event that these bubbles were not popped, the surface of the bread would be riddled with a great number of large holes.
Taking a Look at the Effort That Was Put Into the Dough
While the dough is being proofed, the dough will continue to ferment and will increase in volume. This process will continue until the proofing phase is complete. The quantity of time necessary for proofing is variable and is determined by factors such as the consistency of the dough, the quality of the flour, and the end result that is desired for the texture. If, on the other hand, the dough is allowed to proof for a longer period of time, the bread that is produced as a result will be more open-textured and feathery in texture. Due to the fact that doughs with a high percentage of fat are less elastic, a shorter period of proofing is required in order to preserve the integrity of the gluten strands in these types of doughs.
The Steps Involved in the Production Of Bread
When the dough is placed in the oven, the heat activates the yeast, which in turn results in an abrupt increase in gas production. After the dough has been in the oven for some time, this is the first thing that will happen after it has been there. Because the yeast will die once the temperature of the dough reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit, this phenomenon, which is referred to as oven spring, is the final rise that the dough will experience. While the loaf of bread is baking in the oven, the glutens will become rigid, the starches will gelatinize, and the crust will darken. The browning of the crust can be aided by the introduction of steam; additionally, the tops of the loaves can be brushed with a milk or egg wash to further enhance the crust’s browning. This can be done while the bread is still in the oven. In order to assist the dough in expanding more completely during baking without rupturing, loaves are frequently scored on the top with a sharp knife prior to baking. This is done in order to facilitate the process.
