Breaking Bread
You KNEAD to know about this bread
Chemical Leavening Agents
Baking Soda
Acids and moisture are used with baking soda.
If you do not use an acid with baking soda or if you use too much baking soda, your product may have a bitter taste
Products being made with baking soda need to be cooked immediately after mixing because if not your product will not rise.
The most common acids used with baking soda are buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, molasses, honey, and citrus fruits
Baking Powder
NEEDS moisture in order for it too activate
Baking soda has acid (starch) and drying agent (tartar)
There are two types of powders, single-acting powder and double acting powder.
Single-acting powder uses only moisture so you need to make sure you bake your product immediately.
Double-acting powder uses moisture and heat, so you don´t need to bake it immediately when it is added to your dough because it will rise in the oven.
Quick Mixing Methods
There are a lot of ways to make your special bread, but some people don't have time to prepare the perfect bread. Never Fear! Here are a few quick ways to create delicious bread and save some time! It's definitely a life saver!
Creaming Method: sugar and fat are mixed together to incorporate air into the mixture and provide added lift to it.
Steps:
- Place softened butter, margarine, or shortening in a bowl.
- Add the sugars, spices, and salt and beat until light and fluffy and air is entrained throughout the mixture.
- (Do not let the butter or margarine get warm enough that it approaches the melting point. Friction from the mixing, especially with an electric mixer, will increase the temperature.)
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Add any liquid ingredients and stir lightly.
- Stir or whisk the remaining dry ingredients together. Add them to the mixture and stir until just combined.
- Remove to the baking pan(s) and bake.
Finished Product: cake like product with fine flavor.
Muffin Method: liquid and dry ingredients are in separate bowls, after they are mixed individually, combine both together
Steps:
- Sift or whisk the dry ingredients together to thoroughly disperse the salt, sugar, and leavenings throughout the flour.
- Combine all the liquid ingredients including the melted fat.
- Bake a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquid ingredients. Mix with a spatula until just combined—some lumps may remain.
- Remove to the baking pan(s) and bake.
Finished Product: tender with even shape and distribution
Fermentation and Yeast
Production Stages of Yeast Bread
The final stage and step to creating the perfect bread is to produce the yeast bread
Steps:
Scale Ingredients
Mix Ingredients and Start Kneading Dough
Ferment the Dough- Place dough into oil to prevent it from getting cracks and losing moisture while you let it sit and let the dough rise. Let it sit in room temperature. Dough is ready to work when it is doubled in size
Punch the Dough- Punch down your dough to take away the large air pockets the dough created while rising. Doing this also reactivates the yeast cells which cause the dough to grow a little more, and causes the gluten to make it easier to shape the dough
Portion Dough- Portion your dough in whatever way , BUT do it quickly to prevent the bread from drying out
Round the Portions- Make the dough into small round balls to make it easier to shape
Shape- Use a baking pan or a couche to keep the breads shape
Proof the Product- Bake the dough in degrees of 80-115 to allow the second rising to occur
Bake-
Washes- happens before baking and affects outer crust
Scoring- cutting the top layer of the bread before baking to make the dough appear better when done baking
Docking- Poking holes in the dough before baking to prevent air pockets while baking
Steaming- Putting a pan of water under bread