Bread baking

Recipes, Cooking tips and maybe some 'Home Made' secrets !
davina112
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Bread baking

Post by davina112 »

Hello all
I really want to master the art of bread making this year, so any tips/hints will be gratefully accepted.
I don't have a bread maker and don't want to buy one, so I will be hoping to master it the old fashioned way.
I have tried in the past but results haven't been too good, but it don't like to be beat, but I will keep trying )c+
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albertajune
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Re: Bread baking

Post by albertajune »

I expect we all have different ideas as to makes a good loaf of bread but the basics is the same for us all.
I used to do all by hand until arthritis affected my main hand. Now I mix in the Kenwood and when looking like dough, take out and knead by hand until it has lost its stickiness and is fairly elastic.

Find a good basic recipe for the type of bread that you want and stick to the recipe. A good web site is www.bakingmad.com It is the web site of one of our good flours.
When dough had been worked, put into a bowl that is covered until at least double in size. Bash down and knead again before putting into baking tin. Leave to rise again and then put into a hot oven 200c and bake until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

I think the secret of good bread is in the kneading and letting it rise properly. I think it does come with practice. Good luck )t'
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Re: Bread baking

Post by Stef »

Exactly what June said, including the Kenwood :-D

Do NOT try the HFW River Cottage bread book, it is very confusing.
Do consider a read of Mr Hollywood's books on breads, he uses a lot of salt but they are written clearly.
Do consider a read of Dan Lepard's artisan bread book, a different take on making bread that works a treat.

Paul Hollywood and Dan Lepard cover almost everything you need to know about the different ways to make bread, so that would be an easy library trip :-D
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Re: Bread baking

Post by fabindia »

davina112 wrote:I have tried in the past but results haven't been too good, but it don't like to be beat, but I will keep trying )c+


I'm certainly no artisan baker, but as they say practice makes perfect. There are a number aspects of bread making you need to practice and master.

First, getting the dough right. Recipes will always state the amount of water to add to your 500g of flour, but this is a guide and needs to be adjusted slightly depending on the flour. Then there's the kneading and getting the dough nice and elastic, this is where you may need to adjust the water in the dough by adding more water or flour. There's the rising and second proving. And, finally, getting the oven nice and hot.

All of these are a bit trial and error to begin with. I don't worry if things don't turn out exactly the same every time. After all if you are after something that always looks and tastes the same, then buy white sliced bread - yuk!

Paul Hollywood's basic bloomer is a good place to start and gives fairly consistent results.http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/paul_hollywoods_bloomer_84636 We've got his 'Bread' book and he has some great recipes.
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Re: Bread baking

Post by wendy »

I used to make bread, but in the bread maker.
OH really loves Warburtons Seeded Batch and it is nice. But Like most 'manufactured ' breads. I am sure it has too much salt and sugar.
So I am going back to the bread maker.
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Re: Bread baking

Post by Mercedes »

I started baking my own bread back a couple of months ago and haven't bought any bread from the supermarket since!

I usually make 2 loaves every week which means using 1kg of strong white bread flour. I know wholemeal is better and sometimes I will put 25% of that in, but I still prefer the taste of white bread! Like others I have a Kmix and put the flour, yeast, crushed salt flakes, warm water and olive oil in that and as soon as it's all sticking to the hook I take it out and knead it by hand for at least 10mins. As I am only small it tends to take me longer as I don't think I have the strength that a bigger person has when it comes to kneading bread.

You can definitely tell when the dough is right for proving, although I still tend to knead for a few minutes more just in case. I then pop it in an oiled bowl with a lid and put it in the airing cupboard for an hour. After it's been knocked back I shape it and put it in 2x2lb tins and put it to prove again for another hour. I do find the more I use my so called non stick pans the less non stick they are. I now put a piece of baking parchment on the bottom and then rub some butter on the sides. Apparently, according to Paul Hollywood, you shouldn't grease the tins with oil as the bread cannot get a grip on it when proving or when it's in the oven rising, so you need to use some kind of hard fat.

Tips I have learned from experience and reading books are that if you put your bowls in cold water after mixing they are easier to clean. Five minutes before the loaf is ready if it's brown enough for your taste open the oven and put a piece of foil over the top to stop it getting too brown. After baking I turn my loaves out and pop them back in the oven to get the sides and bottom browner and it just makes them look nicer to me.

For whatever reason the yeast and salt are not supposed to make contact until you are ready to start mixing so you are supposed to put the yeast into one side of the bowl and the salt the other side. Also the temperature of the water has to be just right, when they say "lukewarm" it's hard to know exactly what they mean, I'm still trying to get that bit right!

Also don't cut the loaf until it's cold, which takes time :-D
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davina112
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Re: Bread baking

Post by davina112 »

Thank you all for your replies.
How warm does it need to be to prove the dough ? When I made it last I put it on the hearth near my stove, but it didn't seem to rise properly. Does if need a constant temp, I guess there were draughts, would that affect the rising process. I don't have an airing cupboard.
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Re: Bread baking

Post by tosca100 »

davina112 wrote:Thank you all for your replies.
How warm does it need to be to prove the dough ? When I made it last I put it on the hearth near my stove, but it didn't seem to rise properly. Does if need a constant temp, I guess there were draughts, would that affect the rising process. I don't have an airing cupboard.

According to Mr Hollywood, you don't need warm water, or a particularly warm place to prove, it just takes longer. So if you are unsure, make it cooler.

I have been making all my own bread for six months now, using my Kenwood Chef, and still have the occasional mishap. At one time I just couldn't get it right, wouldn't rise and spread instead. Found out the yeast was a bad batch. I mostly use a basic recipe of 500g flour, 7g instant yeast, 2 flat tsp salt and around 300mil cool water, depending on flour. If I add cheese and or onion or anything else to ring the changes I use a shake more yeast and add the flavourings after the first prove. But you can play around to get it as you wish. I use a fair bit of salt as I can only get unsalted butter. If I wants soft rolls or loaves, I add a slug of oil or good blob of butter and warm milk and water mix.

Adding to others' tips, when you prove don't go by time, go by when it has doubled in size (first prove) or a little less (second prove) the time will be affected by flour type/temperature/ad-ins etc. Try not to rush.

And practice, but don't give up if you get it wrong occasionally.
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Re: Bread baking

Post by Mercedes »

I once did the second prove of mine in the fridge and had expected it to take hours and hours to be ready. After only about 3hrs it had risen far more than when I leave it in the airing cupboard and my fridge is always at 3c so quite chilly! I have no idea what temp my airing cupboard is but I don't think it's that warm as it's a very large walk in cupboard and although the hot water tank is in there it's not necessarily full of hot water so it's probably just a bit above room temperature. I think it does help to not have a draught, I usually do the first proving in a plastic mixing bowl that has a lid and the second proving I put the tins in a big pedal bin bag and just make sure it's got enough space for the bread to rise without getting stuck to the plastic. I did read of someone who puts a cheap shower cap on their tin which is a good idea as the elastic would keep it draught free

I also tend to mainly use the basic recipe of 1kg of flour, 4tsps of salt, 2x7g packs of yeast, 600ml of tepid water and 6tbsp of olive oil for 2 loaves. I think if you use oil or butter it makes the bread last longer as well as changing the texture of it :-D
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Re: Bread baking

Post by davina112 »

Thanks again, I will give it a go when I return home from my hols )t'
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Re: Bread baking

Post by HedgeHugger »

We have a very cold kitchen. My oh does most of the bread making, we either use the breadmaker to make the dough, (it stays warm and does the first rise), or the Kenwood.
We actually use the oven for rising. Turn it on so it gets warm in there, then turn it off again for the bread to rise in.
We use a torch to look in there to check the rising, then no need to open before cooking.

Breadmakers do have a use sometimes :) Handy as you can leave the house and it just gets on with it.
It's also pretty useful for making dough, if you have other things to do too.
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Re: Bread baking

Post by Mercedes »

I've read of quite a number of people who use a breadmaking machine to mix and prove their dough but then they actually bake it in the oven to give it a more natural look. Having seen pictures of how they look compared to each other I did think the oven baked one looked nicer :-D
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Re: Bread baking

Post by fabindia »

Mercedes wrote:I did read of someone who puts a cheap shower cap on their tin which is a good idea as the elastic would keep it draught free


I was covering the bowl with cling film but Mrs Fab is a hairdresser and brought me home some plastic shower caps. Actually, all they are really are poly bags with an elasticated rim. They work really, really well and I would recommend them if you can get hold of them.
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Re: Bread baking

Post by davina112 »

Thanks again guys, I take all your comments on board. I will jeep you informed how it goes. I may start myself a little diary in this section, to show my progress, if that's ok with Lord of the Lane :-D
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Re: Bread baking

Post by fabindia »

I have just checked the packet of the caps Mrs Fab got for me. They are; plastic processing caps for perms conditioners and colour, bluffing 21in clear.
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