Bread Making Tips

Flour, liquid, yeast, salt and love are all it takes to bake a beautiful loaf of bread. You owe it to yourself to bake bread at least once. Breads are the ultimate comfort food. Who doesn't remember a slice of hot bread, right out of the oven, slathered in butter?

Success Tips for Baking Breads

The temperature (105° F. – 115° F.) of the liquid is critical, if it is too hot it can kill the yeast. It's really difficult to ruin bread if the yeast is fresh. Always test the yeast before making the recipe.

Always remember that no bread recipe can tell you exactly how much flour to use. It depends on the type of flour, the brand and the weather. Always start will a smaller amount than called for. Add additional as needed. One thing I do is to let the dough sit for several minutes after I add the amount of flour I think it needs. This gives the liquid time to absorb the flour. You can always add more flour but you can’t take it out if too much has been added.

Make sure that you let the dough rise in a place that is warm but not hot. To test when dough has doubled in bulk, press two fingers (forefinger and middle finger) into dough. If indentations stay, dough has doubled in bulk and can be shaped.

Dust the work surface with flour. Place the dough on floured surface and sprinkle with more flour. Starting from the part of the dough closest to you, push down and away from you with the heel of your hands. Use your shoulders and the top of your body to lean into the dough. Give the dough one-quarter turn, pick up the far end of the dough fold it over toward you. Push down and away again. Repeat, adding more flour as needed. Dough is ready when it doesn't stick to fingers and feels smooth and elastic.

Use only non-iodized salt. Iodine attacks the yeast activity, slowing down the first fermentation. Orange, lemon or grapefruit peel as well as cinnamon and alcohol will have a retarding effect and too much will stop the yeast activity completely.

Dough that is immediately shaped after one rising will be dense and full of large holes. Dough that rises 2 or more times will produce a fine textured loaf with small, even holes.

For a chewy crust, spray loaves with cold water during baking. Additionally, place a pan of boiling water in the oven to create steam. When strong crusty bread is desired use lower protein flour such as 11.5 to 12.5%. The lower the protein content the lower the moisture absorption rate of the flour, thus thicker crust results.

For a soft crush, brush crusts with butter after baking. If a thin delicate crust is called for, use stronger protein flour, 13.5 to 15% since the stronger the flour the higher the absorption rate the thinner the crust.

For a shiny crust, combine 1 slightly beaten egg with 1 T. water and brush over loaves before baking.

Amish Bread

2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 1/4 cups hot water
2 teaspoons salt
7 to 8 cups white flour

Mix 5 cups flour with dry yeast. Dissolve sugar, salt and margarine in hot water. When completely mixed, combine with flour and yeast mixture. Mix well.

Continue adding flour until dough is elastic and smooth. Continue to knead for 100 strokes. Place dough in large bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. Cover, let rise for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in mass. Punch down dough.

Form into 2 loaves, place into loaf pans. Cover; let rise for 45 minutes or until a moist finger pressed into the end of loaf lightly does not fill in.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° F. for 30 to 35 minutes. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped on bottom.

Makes 2 loaves.

Whole Wheat Bread

5 cup all purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoons salt
3 cups whole wheat flour

In large mixer bowl combine 3 1/2 cups of the all purpose flour and the yeast. In saucepan heat water, brown sugar, shortening and salt just until warm; 115° F. to 120° F., stirring constantly to melt shortening. Add to dry mixture in mixer bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed.

By hand, stir in the whole wheat flour and enough of the remaining all purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic about 10 to 12 minutes. Shape into a ball.

Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Shape dough into 2 loaves and place in 2 greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost double, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 375° F. for 40 to 45 minutes. If necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 20 minutes of baking to prevent over browning. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves. Before taking bread out of loaf pans baste with oil, then remove from pans.

Parker House Rolls

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups unbleached flour
2 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons melted butter to glaze, plus extra to grease bowl and baking sheet

Sprinkle yeast into 1/2 cup of the milk in a bowl. Leave for 5 minutes; stir to dissolve. Warm remaining milk in a saucepan with butter and sugar. Stir until butter has melted. Cool until lukewarm, then beat in eggs until evenly combined. Mix flour and salt in large bowl. Make well in center and pour in dissolved yeast and butter mixture. Mix in flour to form a soft, sticky dough.

Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead until smooth, shiny and elastic about 10 minutes. Knead in extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough is too sticky. Resist adding too much flour, as dough should not be dry, but soft. Put dough in a buttered bowl and cover with dish towel. Let rise until doubled about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, then let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough into 2 pieces.

Roll out each piece to form an 8 x 16 inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into 4 strips, each 2 inches wide. Cut each strip into 4 rectangles, each 4 inches long. Brush half of each rectangle with melted butter, then fold in half, leaving a 1/2 inch flap.

Place rolls on buttered baking sheet so that each roll overlaps slightly with the one next to it; cover with a dish towel. Proof until doubled in size about 30 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and hollow sounding when tapped underneath. Cool.

Variations:

Snail Rolls: Divide dough into 16 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into 12 inch rope and form into a coil, tucking under the end. Place on 2 buttered baking sheets and proof until doubled in size about 30 minutes. Brush each roll with an egg glaze, made with 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Top rolls with sesame or poppy seeds or whatever you desire. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden.

Bow Knot Rolls: Divide into 16 pieces, each size of a small lemon. Use palm of your hand to roll each piece on a floured work surface to form a rope, 12 inch long and 1/2 inch thick. Tie each rope into a knot. Place on 2 buttered baking sheets and proof until doubled in size about 30 minutes. Brush each roll with an egg glaze, made with 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Top rolls with sesame or poppy seeds or whatever you desire. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden.

Cloverleaf Rolls: Divide dough into 16 pieces. Divide each piece into 3 even pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball. Place 3 balls in each buttered cup of a muffin tin. Proof until doubled in size about 30 minutes. Brush each roll with an egg glaze, made with 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Top rolls with sesame or poppy seeds or whatever you desire. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden.

Twist Rolls: Divide dough into 16 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 12 inch rope, fold in half and twist; inch the ends to seal. Place on 2 buttered baking sheets and proof until doubled in size about 30 minutes. Brush each roll with an egg glaze, made with 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk. Top rolls with sesame or poppy seeds or whatever you desire. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden.

Partybrot: Divide dough into 19 equal pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Grease a round cake pan or springform pan, about 9 1/2 inches in diameter with some melted butter. Arrange shaped rolls in prepared pan by making an outer ring of 12 rolls and placing last roll in center of 2 rings. Cover pan with dish towel and proof until doubled about 45 minutes. To make topping: Brush top of each roll with egg glaze and sprinkle alternately with sesame and poppy seeds. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 45 minutes until golden. Turn out onto wire rack to cool slightly, then wrap in dish towel to keep warm. Serve immediately.

Written by Mary Ellen at That's My Home