Baking Better Breads

Baking Better Breads

Bread Maker Reviews	1. Equipment: First of all… making the BEST breads requires the best equipment. For several loaves, a heavy-duty mixer is my favorite for whole grains and white breads. A bread machine is fine for a single loaf for either white or wheat. A quality food processor is a marvel at white & mixed-flours. An instant read thermometer comes in so handy. A kitchen scale is quite beneficial (and smart) for measuring ingredients by weight, this offers the best accuracy and/or dividing the dough proportionally.
	2. Wet Ingredients: Using better ingredients definitely aid in baking better breads. Buttermilk and bottled water, not only condition the bread, but also help reduce staling. Warm liquids to at least 72°F (for an extended rise) or to 110°F for a shorter rise time. Butter should be soft or can be melted. Honey is delightful in breads. If using eggs, they should be room temperature. Add wet ingredients to the work-bowl.
	3. Dry Ingredients: For mixers... blend half the flour, with dry ingredients, until smooth (hydrating the flour and aiding gluten development). For food processors or bread machines... add salt to liquid, before the flour (all but 1-2 Tbsp). Measure any remaining dry ingredients (gluten, lecithin) on top of flour before mixing. My favorite brand of instant yeast is SAF®, which is quite potent, use 25% less for recipes listing active dry yeast. Adding vital wheat gluten and lecithin, will make wheat breads lighter and Vitamin-C powder helps to inhibit mold.
	4. Kneading: Slowly mix in the remaining measured flour, a portion at a time. How much depends of the humidity of the stored flour, the weather; believe it or not even your altitude! Continue adding flour, just until the dough begins to clean the sides of the work bowl and then stop adding flour. White breads usually only require 5 minutes on speed 2. In a food processor just 40 seconds! Wheat breads require a full 8 minutes on speed 2 for proper gluten development. In a food processor, knead 40 seconds, rest 20 minutes; knead 20-40 seconds more. For the best crust in a bread machine, always test recipe first with the DOUGH cycle (baking in regular oven); then adapt to the cycles you prefer.
	5. Timing: Start timing the kneading once the dough begins to clean the sides of the work-bowl, knead until soft and pliable. For all machines, do a pinch-test of the dough ball, which should be soft and tacky (like a Post-it Note), however not sticky. I often do a taste test, it often surprising how the raw dough will taste much like it will when cooked. I do this, primarily to test the amount of salt. Other recipes often have way more salt than necessary for MY taste, especially if I substitute salted butter (which I freeze for storage) over unsalted or using oil. It's all about preference. Right?
	6. Dough Rise: With the type of quality equipment, such as a Bosch Mixer, a first rise is NOT required to obtain an excellent texture. HOWEVER... I like TWO traditional rises, rarely one as advertised by Bosch. 1) The first dough rise marries the flavors, particularly for recipes that have SEVERAL ingredients. Remove the dough hook (or blade), allow dough to rise until doubled in bulk. Disengage locking lids for either a mixer or food processor, or simply remove and cover dough with a tea towel. 2) The second rise [aka: pan rise] also helps to mellow not only the flavor of whole-grain wheat bread, which aids in digestion. Bet you didn't know that!
	7. Shaping: Rolling out a soft, yet still slightly tacky dough [with a rolling pin] helps to create a small crumb texture that's nice for sandwich breads. However, I more quickly roll with my hands, without a pin too. Place the loaf into a generously sprayed loaf pan for the second rise, until double in bulk. Now a "wetter" softer dough (along with slower, longer rises) when making 'artisan breads" with a larger cell structure, simply flatten the wetter dough with your hands or fingers, and then simply fold the dough into thirds [to make somewhat of a loaf shape or simply shape dough into a round.] Place the free-formed loaf onto parchment for easier transfer to HOT baking stone after the shaped loaf has risen.
	8. Loaf Rise: For traditional pans, rise until 1 to 2-inches above the rim. Whole wheat breads tend to rise mostly out - as opposed to up (as much as white breads). So I often use slightly smaller pan(s) for wheat bread, than I might for white bread. Place the loaf into either a generously sprayed loaf pan. If instead using a baking stone, preheat the oven for a solid hour first, before baking a free-formed loaf.
	9. Baking: The baking time can vary, depending on your oven. Loaves should be golden brown, both top and bottom; somewhat hollow sounding when thumped. Sweet, egg-rich breads are often done by 180-190°F. Soft sandwich breads, around 195°F and crusty artisan breads, anywhere from 200° to 210°F inside. Again here's where a temperature probe really comes in handy!
	10. Cooling: Remove the bread from the pan, to cool on a wire rack. For a softer crust, brush with butter. Do not bag until fully cooled. Bag soft breads in plastic; bag crusty breads in paper to retain crispness, but double bag either in plastic for freezing.
	11. Slicing: Try resist slicing, before internal temperature drops to 100°F. Everybody loves warm bread from the oven, but you will be rewarded with superior crumb texture when you do. Come on, just show a little more self-control, you know you can do it! An electric knife improves the texture of the slices. Unsliced breads loose less moisture when frozen than sliced loaves will, however the convenience of having slices is often a preference; your choice here.
	12. Freezing: Allow the loaves to completely cool before bagging. Bag each half a loaf separately, and then double-bag the two halves. Expel as much air as you can, without crushing the bread [a drinking straw helps here]. Freeze until firm before standing on end. Avoid defrosting bread in the microwave. Instead thaw at room temperature, which also gums up crumb texture. You can certainly toast frozen slices if you like. On your mark, get ready... START BAKING! (You stomach, family and even wallet will THANK you!)