Basic Bread Making By Frederick W. Faller This booklet is an attempt to define the basics of bread making in order to take the mystique out of the process. I had the opportunity after college to help run a cooperative bakery in Cambridge, Massachusetts called the Slice of Life Bakery for about two and a half years. During that time, I personally mixed, loaved and baked over fifty thousand loaves of bread and had many occasions to experiment with what worked and didn't. In addition, with making bread as a livelihood, I spent a lot of time trying to learn more about what really made it work and what the pitfalls are. Over the years since that time I have tried to isolate the essentials of making good bread in order to make it understandable to anyone. My basic thesis in this has been that bread baking in its various forms has been around for more than six-thousand years and that it cannot be that difficult for an interested person to understand. Unfortunately, the last fifty years of industrialization has convinced many persons that good bread cannot be made at home, or if it can, it has to be somebody else's home. Most bread recipe books deal only with recipes and do not deal with basic understanding of bread very well. Many of those who would try bread baking are left intimidated, if not just plain overwhelmed. Others have tried once or twice and because of a lack of basic understanding, failed, concluding that making bread was "tricky" or "iffy" at best. Others have resorted to simply getting a bread machine, thinking that the bread it makes for them is beyond compare and, after all, it is easy. My purpose in all this is to convince the reader that bread is simple, can be made reliably with very little fuss and is superior to anything that can be made in a machine. To do this, I offer this booklet. It is really a companion to a basic bread baking class in which I teach it contents the way bread making ought to be taught, in person and "hands on". The booklet is expanded somewhat to try to be helpful to those who may not have this opportunity and as a reference for those that do. We start with the Basic Bread Recipe, containing flour, water, yeast and salt in very easy to remember quantities. Understanding the basic recipe and how bread is made and the functions of the various elements of the bread is essential (but very simple) There is a chapter of definitions and explanations of the italicized terms in the basic recipe with explanations of things I have not seen explained very well anywhere else. I then offer a section on kneading, the basic skill of making the dough to the right consistency. This is undoubtedly the most difficult thing to learn from a book but I have given my best to explain it here. From there I explain how to expand your basic knowledge horizons into an infinite variety of combinations, limited only by your imagination. If you follow this guide, you will never need a recipe for bread again! You will be able to walk into anyone's kitchen and make incredible bread from "scratch"! 1 Of 11
Basics A basic understanding of bread is in order here. Bread requires only 3 ingredients: Flour, water and yeast. The flour provides the flavor and the substance of the bread. The yeast makes it rise and the water allows it to work. Typically, salt must be added to make it palatable. Flour The best and most usable flour for bread is wheat flour. Wheat contains a natural protein called gluten (pronounced 'glue-ten') that is the magic ingredient that allows the bread to stick together. Different wheats contain different amounts of gluten. And when the different wheats are ground up into flour, the flour has different amounts of gluten. Wheat flour with very little gluten is called 'pastry flour' and is used in pastry to make it flaky and light. Flour with modest gluten content is used as 'all purpose' flour. It is good for cakes, muffins, pancakes etc. but does not make very good bread. 'Bread flour' has more gluten and makes the best bread. 'High Gluten flour' is used when a very chewy dough is needed, for example bagels. This is often difficult to find in an ordinary grocery store and usually must be bought at a specialty shop or from a baker. Water Be sure to use the cleanest water possible. If the water is too heavily chlorinated, the yeast may not activate properly. Yeast Yeast can be bought in several different forms. Dry powered yeast it the easiest to store and use. Be sure to check the expiration date on any yeast you buy! If the yeast is not good, a lot of time and effort can be wasted on the bread with very poor results. Many recipes call for 'cake yeast', a block of yeast that is not dried. Using the knowledge from this workshop, you can always substitute dried yeast in the proper amount with equally good results. Wild yeast grows naturally almost everywhere and when wild yeast is cultured in bread we call it 'sourdough'. The wild yeasts produce a sour taste in bread that adds variety and flavor. Sourdough yeasts rise much slower than cultured yeasts and the process for getting bread is much longer. Salt Salt in bread is purely a matter of taste and the quantity is often different for different cultures. If sodium intake is a concern you can leave it out altogether, but I wouldn't offer it to friends. Bread without some salt is very tasteless. The content of salt in the basic recipe I offer here is based on the American palette. If you are from another country, you may want to try varying the salt until it tastes right for you. 2 Of 11
The Basic Bread Recipe Ingredients: (these proportions should be memorized) 1 Loaf of bread Bread Flour Water Yeast (dry Powered) Salt 2.5 cups 1 cup 1 Tablespoon 1 Teaspoon 1) Put Warm water in a bowl or cup. 2) Sprinkle yeast on surface of water to prevent clumping. When all yeast is wet, stir the mixture to make sure all the yeast is dissolved and distribute and set aside. This mixture is sometimes called the sponge. 3) Put flour in a large bowl. 4) When yeast has started foaming, add salt to yeast mixture and dissolve thoroughly. 5) Pour yeast/water/salt mixture into flour in the bowl. Stir rapidly to wet all the flour. Put hands in bowl and work until all the flour is absorbed. 6) Dump the dough onto a kneading surface and knead briefly. 7) Let dough rest for a few minutes. (This is a good time to clean the mixing bowl) 8) Knead the dough thoroughly. 9) Place in the bowl to rise. Cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise until the bulk is doubled. 10) Loave the dough. Place in greased bread pans and let it rise until bulk is doubled. 11) Oven should be preheated to 425 deg. F (220 deg. C). Place bread on the middle rack. Turn oven to 350 deg. F ( 175 deg. C). 12) Bake about 1 hour or until the bread is done. 13) Let it cool on a wire rack until it is stone cold. 3 Of 11
14) Store in a plastic bag. Explanation of terms Warm Water The water must be the proper temperature to activate the yeast. The temperature should be between 100110 deg. F (37-43 deg. C). Don't panic! You do not need a thermometer for this!. Simply put the water in a bowl of measuring cup and close your eyes. put a finger in the water and gently stir the water. If you can feel the water, it is probably too hot or too cold. It is the right temperature, when you cannot feel the water on your finger. Knead Kneading the dough is the process of mixing the ingredients evenly into the dough. It is the most difficult process in learning to make bread. Kneading not only mixes the dough, but develops the gluten and creates and even texture for the bread. I have included a special section on kneading, with some diagrams to help at the end of this booklet. Loave This is the process of shaping the risen dough into loaves before the final rise in the pans. The object of loaving is to create a smooth, well shaped loaf that will rise into an attractive loaf after baking. Loaving should be done on a dry surface or a surface that is lightly oiled. One of the biggest mistakes in loaving is to knead more flour into the dough. Greased Bread Pans There are many different sized of bread pans and bread can be baked on flat cookie sheets of pizza stones as well. I have found that greasing the pans with a solid cooking grease like Crisco works best. The bread does not stick and is easily removed from the pan. Heavy cooking oils like peanut, corn, olive or coconut oils work well also. Light oils like safflower are virtually useless because there are absorbed into the bread and to not keep it from sticking. If you want to stay away from oils or grease, bake your bread on a flat sheet or pizza stone with corn meal, rice meal or some other coarsely ground grain on the surface to keep the dough from direct contact with the cooking surface. Bulk is doubled In many bread recipes, one is told to allow the bread to rise until it is doubled in bulk. Doubled in bulk does not mean doubled in height. The bulk of the bread is its volume. If you allow the bread to rise until it is double in height, the volume has increased to 8 times as much as you started with and the bread is over-risen. To double the bulk, it only needs to increase in height by about 1/3. When the dough is fully risen, it should be soft and light in texture. Bread is done 4 Of 11
The second most difficult thing in baking bread (kneading is the first) is to know when it is done baking. Bread will often seem to done on the outside when it is not properly baked on the inside. This is largely a matter of experience but here are a few pointers: A bread baking book can be very helpful in determining oven temperatures and time. This can be very helpful in estimating how long to cook the bread and when it is done. Look for a recipe that is approximately equivalent to your recipe in terms of the shape and size of the bread you are baking and use its times and temperatures as a good guess. If the bread cannot be handled (i.e. picked up), then it is definitely not done baking. If the bread can be handled, pick it up and press gently on the sides or the bottom. The sides and bottom should be firm and spring back gently when pressed. Tap on the bottom of the loaf with the tip of you finger. If the loaf sounds hollow it is probably done. If tapping sounds dull, it is not done. (A dull sound is the same as the sound of tapping on the raw dough) Stone cold Warm bread, direct from the oven is a real treat. Usually bread is baked in sufficient quantities that you cannot eat it all any way. If you want to store the bread in a plastic bag, make sure that the bread is stone cold before placing it in the bag. Bread is stone cold when you can place your wrist on it and if feels like a stone or a piece of wood in temperature. If you feel any sense of warmth, the bread is not cold and will 'sweat' in the bag and mold very quickly. If you have to transport your bread while it is still warm, put it in a paper bag that can 'breathe'. Variations Variations to the basic recipe can be done with ease within certain limits. This section gives some guidelines on how to vary the basic recipe successfully without needing to follow a recipe. With a little practice you can make exotic bread from you head, anytime, anywhere! Other Liquids Although water is the most commonly used liquid in making bread, other water based liquids can be substituted in various ratios to give the bread different textures of flavor. Be sure that the same final quantity of liquid maintained when adding other liquids to the recipe. Milk will make the bread richer and give it a smoother texture and a softer crust. Be sure to use pasteurized milk. If it is not, be sure to scald it briefly to kill any active bacteria. The active bacteria and enzymes in fresh milk can make the bread too chewy. Eggs add richness and color to the bread and also tend to make it softer and more delicate. 5 Of 11
Fruit juices can be used to sweeten the bread and add character to the flavor. Stay away from very sour juices that inhibit yeast growth. Water that has been used to boil vegetables such as potatoes or carrots can be saved and used for bread. Potato water makes a very fine soft dough that makes a very soft and tender bread. Flour Successful bread will always require some wheat flour with two exceptions: Bread can be made from the basic recipe with 100% rye flour or 100% spelt flour. Both Spelt and rye contain gluten in smaller quantities than wheat and require more kneading to develop the gluten. They also usually result in heavier breads. Wheat breads can easily tolerate up to 1/3 of the wheat flour being substituted out for other grain flours or meals: rice, corn, oats, millet, buckwheat, rye, barley amaranth, quinoa etc. If the substitute is truly a flour (very finely ground) it can be added in with the flour for kneading. If the grind is coarse such as corn meal, cream of rice, or whole oats, it should be added to the sponge with the yeast so it can soak up water for some time before the flour is added. If you add no more than a third of the flour is non-wheat, you should have no trouble with the bread. Different flours vary the flavor and character of the bread slightly. Sweeteners Sweeteners can be added to bread in any quantity to adjust the sweetness. White sugar, honey, molasses, corn syrup, maple syrup, barley malt, corn sugar etc. all will sweeten the bread and add a unique flavor. If sweeteners are to be added, put them into the sponge with the yeast. It will help to activate the yeast and dissolve the sugar properly in the mixture. The total volume of the sponge should not change by adding sweetener ( i.e. the basic recipe calls for 1 cup of water, so the total volume of liquid after adding the sweetener should still be 1 cup!) About 1 tablespoon of sugar adds a nice sweetness for one loaf of bread from the basic recipe. Desert breads and cinnamon rolls require considerably more. Sweeteners tend to make the dough stickier and more difficult to knead and loaf. Oils Oils can be added to bread without affecting the way it works very much. Oils tend to make the bread softer and can add richness and slight flavor differences. They also tend to make the dough easier to knead (less sticky). 6 Of 11
Oils (including butter, margarine, bacon fat, chicken drippings etc.) are added to the basic recipe sponge just before it is added to the flour. Solid fats like butter should be melted. Herbs Herbs and spices can be added to the bread at any stage in the process, however, once the bread is kneaded, it is often difficult to get the flavor into the dough. The easiest time is to mix it right in when the flours and liquids are being blended. Popular spices include: caraway, fennel, saffron, onion, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice Herbs and spices in bread are purely a matter of taste. Be careful with them as they can easily overpower the subtler bread tastes end up not very good. Other Mix-ins Other things that do not absorb much water can be mixed into the bread with relative impunity, depending on the desired effect and taste. Some suggestions are: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, raisins, dates Crusts The crust of the bread determines the character of the bread as much as anything else. Depending on effect you want to generate you may do any of the following things: Dry, crackly crust like French Bread - Bake the bread in a hot oven with a pan of water under the loaf. In commercial bakeries, the crust is created by actually injecting steam into the oven while the bread is baking. It is sometimes helpful if the bread crust is brushed with hot water a couple of times during the baking. For best results, do not add any oils to bread if you want a crispy crust. It tends to make the surface soft and not conducive to crisp. Soft, sandwich bread type crust - Adding oil to bread dough tends to make the crust softer. For a really soft crust, brush the top with butter or oil immediately after it comes out of the oven. Glazed crust - This is particularly effective on holiday breads that should shine like they have been varnished. Beat an egg white with a tablespoon of water. Brush this mixture onto the loaf two to three times while it is baking. Seeded Crust - Before baking the bread, brush lightly with water and then add sesame or poppy seeds directly to the top of the bread. Slit crust - When the bread is loaved, before it is given time to rise, slit the top of the bread in whatever pattern you want on the finished loaf. Use a very sharp knife or a razor blade. Only cut about 1/8 of an inch deep. When the bread is baked, it will open the slits in a very attractive manner. If you have trouble with the crust splitting when the bread is baked, slitting the top can help alleviate the problem. 7 Of 11
Kneading Bread Kneading the dough is one of the most important aspects of making the dough. Kneading is not difficult in concept but requires some practice to be really efficient. Keep in mind the following things as you are learning to knead: 1) Kneading is a folding, rolling and stretching process, not a tearing process! If you find that the surface of your dough looks like it is being torn in the kneading process, adjust your style to keep this from happening. 2) The dough must be free from sticking to the kneading surface and the hands. If the dough is too sticky, a little flour on the board will help. If a residue builds up on the table, scrape it off with a spatula and sprinkle flour on the surface. 3) Do not knead too much flour into the bread. Flour takes some time to absorb water and it is easy to knead a lot of flour into the dough and then suddenly the dough becomes very stiff! 4) Mix all the flour from the basic recipe into the dough all at once. Let the dough sit for several minutes before beginning the real kneading. This allows the flour/water balance to equilibrate and settle. It will make the dough much less sticky and the kneading will go more quickly. Kneading can best be described as a continual folding of the dough back on itself in such a way that the outer surface is kept smooth and stretched. The kneading surface should be smooth and about waist height. Rolling in the dough Place the dough in front of you and push the heel of your hand into the center of the ball of dough. Gently and firmly push the dough down and away from you in such a way that the dough rolls under the heel of your hand. (See sketches 1 and 2) The idea of the rolling action of kneading, imagine that the dough is a balloon. as you push down and away, the balloon rolls under your hand, even though your hand is pushed well into the balloon surface. This rolling action is important because it keeps the surface of the dough from tearing. If you do not get this rolling motion, then you will drag the surface of the dough on the surface as you push it away and it will tear as it drags on the kneading surface. Now slip your fingers over the edge of the dough that is farthest away from you and pull the flattened ball up onto the edge that is nearest to you. (Sketch 3) Fold the top edge down onto the bottom edge and put the heel of your hand on the top and push and roll again. (Sketches 4 and 5) 8 Of 11
Each time the bread is pushed/rolled out is it given a subtle 1/4 turn so that you are always pulling in a new edge. The idea is to continually fold the outer edges of the dough into the center so that the bottom of the dough ball gets continually stretched and is kept smooth. This can only be done if you use the rolling motion to keep it from tearing. Loaving To prepare a ball of dough for loaving after it has risen, punch it down with your fist on the kneading surface until all the air bubbles are out of the dough. (Sketch 6) Knead the dough as you did before the rise (no flour should be added here) until the dough is stiff and has no air bubbles in it. This should happen very quickly. This kneading should achieve a nice smooth surface on the underside of the loaf. This will become the top of the loaf. (Sketch 7) With the top down on the table, gently role the loaf out so that it becomes longer in one direction. Continue rolling until it is just slightly longer than the pan you are going to put it in. (Sketch 8) Fold the ends in onto the bottom of the loaf and turn the whole loaf over so the top is up. (Sketch 9) 9 Of 11
Using the sides of your hands, palms up, tuck the lower sides of the bread under, stretching the top until it is smooth and stretched. (Sketch 10) Place the loaf in the pan, surface up and allow the bread to rise. (Sketch 11) Alternatively, you can simply put the loaf on a baking pan or pizza ceramic lightly dusted with corn meal to keep the dough from sticking. Follow instructions for the final rise and baking given earlier. 10 Of 11
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