by Mike Churchill © 2007, All Rights Reserved
It has to be one of the most enticing smells known to man. Noted in the Bible as a mainstay of our diets and used by grocery store chains to encourage more sales from customers, the aroma of bread evokes feelings of home and satisfaction. However, the idea of baking bread from scratch may induce feelings of anxiety, especially for those with no culinary arts training.
While it is time consuming, baking fresh bread really isn't difficult. The perception that turning out a good loaf of bread is hard probably came from those who saw the amount of time involved. In New Hampshire, culinary professors spend countless hours instructing students on the proper techniques of making bread. Here are some tips they suggest for those who want to improve this skill.
Proven Techniques for Fail-Safe Bread
Making sure your yeast is prepared properly before baking your bread is an absolutely vital step. The yeast must be "proofed" to ensure its freshness and quality. Without active yeast, your bread won't rise. Start by heating the liquid called for and heating it as per recipe instructions. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid then let it sit. (There will be many times where you're required to "let it sit" during the process of baking bread.) As the yeast begins to foam and bubble, you can proceed with measuring your dry ingredients.
After mixing your dry ingredients, form a well in the center of the bowl and add the liquids outlined in your recipe. At the point where the mixture becomes too thick to stir, turn it out on to a heavily floured board or clean countertop and begin to knead.
Proper Kneading Techniques
Kneading is your second checkpoint. Instructors at one New Hampshire culinary arts training academy give us some insight as to why this process is important. During this step, you will accomplish several things. First, kneading strengthens the gluten in the dough. Gluten is a wheat protein that runs throughout the bread. Without properly developed gluten, your bread will be flat and tough rather than light, full and fluffy.
Kneading is important for most types of bread with the exception of rye. Rye bread contains no gluten and, therefore, requires no kneading.
The process of kneading is very simple and usually only takes a few minutes, depending on the recipe you're preparing. Fold the dough in half and press down with the heals of your hands. Give the dough a 1/4 turn, fold in half again and press down. Continue this process as your recipe indicates. Please note that over-kneading wears down the gluten making your bread dry, coarse and tough.
Adding Flavor and Ingredients
You'll find various flavors and other ingredients added to bread throughout the country. Many are regionally inspired. For example, hazelnuts would be a common addition to bread in New Hampshire. Culinary school graduates and professional chefs in this region might also opt to add cranberries, cinnamon or other flavors to create a local taste. Once you've introduced all your ingredients to the loaf, you'll wait once again.
The dough must rise in a lightly greased bowl in a warm place (often by a window on a sunny day or atop your refrigerator) until it doubles in size. This should take between 10 to 20 minutes. Punch down the dough and place it in a loaf pan or create an original shape and place it on a cookie sheet.
Brushing the dough with egg whites will create a wonderful, shiny crust, or opt for using butter to deepen the golden-brown color. You can also sprinkle the loaf with spices before baking.
As the aroma fills your home, breathe deep. It's almost like aromatherapy! When you remove your masterpiece from the oven, allow it to remain in the pan for about five minutes. Once it has rested, turn it out onto a cooling rack and let it reduce in heat for about 10 minutes more before slicing. Your family and friends will be truly impressed at your culinary talents!
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Mike Churchill
|
