Avoid
Prepackaged Mixes
Packaged mixes are fiction, you don't actually save time.
Why? As you would with any recipe, you still have to assemble
ingredients. Also, baking with prepackaged mixes makes it
difficult to adjust a recipe to your environment.
Perfect
a French and Sweet Bread Recipe
You should have a basic French and sweet bread recipe perfected
to your machine and environment. These two recipes will
be basis for may other bread creations. For instance, foccacia,
herb bread and cinnamon rolls etc...
Bread
Flour
Believe it or not, this is important. Buy and use ONLY bread
flour. The distinction between bread flour and all-purpose
flour is that bread flour is made from wheat that was harvested
and ground at a certain time of the year. Trust me, it will
make a huge difference in your bread baking experiences.
The price difference is nominal. One other tip: bread flour
can be used in all your recipes that require all-purpose
flour. That's right - bread flour is not just for baking
bread.
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Baking
Stones
Invest in a good quality baking
stone. Baking stones are basically a ceramic cookie
sheet. Baking on clay dates back thousands of years
to ancient Egypt where breads were baked on rocks in
the sun. Today, fine pizzerias and bakeries throughout
the world still bake in brick-lined ovens. |
Baking stones duplicate the effects of these ovens, by evenly
distributing heat and absorbing moisture to produce baked
goods with superior crispy crusts right in your own kitchen.You
can bake anything on a baking stone and if you have an oven
that heats unevenly, try using a baking stone to create
evenly baked goods.
Consistency
Use the same measuring cup and spoons every time you assemble
your bread ingredients. This will contribute to a consistent
loaf of bread.
Water Temperature
Luke warm means mildly warm and tepid. This is important
to effective yeast activation.
Rolling
Dough
Oh the frustration of rolling out dough and having it spring
back to where you started. I call this “Dough Drama.”
Here's the solution: with your fist, punch down your dough.
Next, do a few quick kneads. Let it rest for about 5-10
minutes. You'll find your dough is more cooperative.
Avoid
Rubbery Crust
In some countries, it is considered cruel and unusual punishment
to eat rubbery crusted bread. To avoid this punishment,
don't let your bread sit in your bread machine once the
baking cycle has completed. The remaining heat and condensation
creates a chewy, rubbery crust. Some bread machines have
a one hour warming cycle - beware bread baker - this does
not always prevent the rubbery chewy crust.
Now
you've got the basics. Go out and be a bread baking fiend!
Bread
Machine Recipes
By Bev
Brock-Alexander
