Saturday, February 18, 2012

Basic Bread Making Info

I didn't make any new bread today, but did some reading, and felt it would be good for me, and hopefully for any other beginning bakers if I added this info to my blog. The following info comes from "Healthy Bread Recipes & Menu Planner" © 1998 Salton/Maxim Housewares, Inc.

BREAD INGREDIENTS:

The only ingredients needed to make bread are: flour, water and yeast - the rest is
personality. Learn a little about what each of the other ingredients add and you will be
prepared to create your own delicious recipes.

Flour:

Bread Flour: Bread Flour can be used when the recipe calls for bread or all
purpose flour. It has more gluten than all purpose flour and is a better choice
when mixing white flour with whole grain flours. Bread flour often has ascorbic
acid (vitamin C) added as a dough conditioner. This creates a larger holed
grain sought by many bakers.

All Purpose Flour: This is fine whenever the recipe calls for all white flour. It
will make a smaller grained bread than bread flour. All purpose flour and bread
flour are wheat flours with the bran and germ removed and B vitamins added.

Gluten: Gluten is a mixture of proteins responsible for the elastic (glue)
quality of dough. As yeast grows, it releases bubbles of carbon dioxide that
become trapped by the stretchy gluten. Wheat has a high gluten content while
other grains have little or none. Use it in recipes that call for whole grain
flours to prevent the top of the loaf from collapsing. Buy gluten in any health
food store.

Whole Wheat: Whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor. It also increases the
nutritional and fiber content of a recipe. It has less gluten than white flour, and
used alone, will create a dense loaf. Many of our recipes use a mixture of whole
wheat and bread flour to create a light textured, nutritious bread.

Other Whole Grains: Rye, buckwheat, spelt, oats and other whole grains add
wonderful flavors and nutrients to bread but do not have gluten needed to rise
very high. Mix 3 to 4 parts of wheat flour for each part non-wheat (or add a
few Tbls. of gluten) to make sure your dough will rise.

Eggs: Eggs add color, richness, protein and structure to bread. They also serve as a
liquid. A large egg adds about 3 Tbl. ofliquid, and an extra large egg, 1/4 cup (4 Tbl.)
When adding or eliminating eggs, adjust the other liquids in your recipe. All the recipes
given here were made with large sized eggs.

Butter and Oil: Fats add richness to bread and keep it fresher longer, which is why
breads without any butter or oil are great fresh, but get stale very fast. They also add
calories - about 100 calories per loaf for every tablespoon of added fat.

Milk: Adding milk creates a tender textured, mellower flavored bread. Yogurt,
buttermilk, and sour cream make moist doughs, and add a slight tangy flavor. Milk also
increases the protein content of bread. Fresh milk is fine when making recipes to start
immediately. When setting the timer ahead several hours, use dry milk to
prevent spoiling.

Yeast: All the recipes here use dry active yeast the small packages contain 1 Tbl.
1/4 oz.). If you bake often, however, it is convenient to buy yeast loose in jars and
measure out only the amount you need. Check expiration date before buying or using
and keep yeast refrigerated or in the freezer.

Salt: Salt adds flavor to bread and tempers the rising process. If you are watching your
salt intake, reduce the amount of added salt or leave it out completely. Dough, however,
rises more quickly without salt, so add a bit less yeast as you reduce the salt.

Sweeteners: Yeast does not need a sweetener to rise - flour serves as its food
but it speeds up the process. Sweeteners, of course, add flavor, and keep bread moist
longer. Sugar adds pure sweetness, while brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and molasses
also add distinctive flavors. Molasses, the strongest flavored sweetener, is sometimes
used to darken recipes.

GRAIN GLOSSARY

Amaranth: This petite golden grain is moving quickly from the "unusual" grain
category to one of mainstream acceptance. A mainstay in the diet of the Aztecs,
amaranth was considered a strength-giving food, probably due to its high protein
profile. Both the grain and its flour offer a distinct flavor when added to your favorite
bread recipes.

Barley: This grain has a hearty, earthy flavor and produces a dense loaf of bread due to
its low gluten content. Barley is a good substitute for white flour in recipes, but should
be cut with a lighter flour when several cups are being used at a time.

Buckwheat: Technically not a grain, buckwheat is really the fruit of a plant related to
rhubarb. Its flour (ground buckwheat seed) and groats are both useful for unique bread
baking. The flavor has been described as a combination of rosemary and green tea.

Corn: The only grain eaten fresh as a vegetable, corn (also known as maize) is available
in a wide variety of colors. Judge the freshness of cornmeal and flour from its sweet
and delicate flavor. Blue cornmeal, a beautiful hue when dry, becomes a purplish color
when cooked.

Kamut: This "ancient" wheat grain is available as a whole grain, rolled grain, flour and
cereal. People who are wheat sensitive have reported a tolerance to kamut products,
though this is still being investigated.

Millet: Commonly used to feed birds, millet lends a delightful crunch when added in
whole grain form to bread recipes. People who are allergic to other grains have had luck
with millet. It is considered to be the most digestible grain around.

Oat: Rolled oats and oat flour are welcome additions to almost any bread recipe.
Their delicately light texture and flavor embody the pleasures of home-baked goodness.
Grind your own oat flour by chopping oat flakes in the blender until they reach the
desired consistency.

Quinoa: This recently rediscovered grain is found in whole form, in flour and in
prepared products like pasta. When added to bread recipes, it imparts an earthy flavor
matched by no other grain, and it packs a protein punch.

Rye: This cold-weather grain is famous for its use in savory pumpernickel and
caraway seed-rich rye breads. Rye has very little gluten and rises with the assistance
of wheat flours.

Spelt: Another of the "ancient" super grains, spelt has been reintroduced with
resounding success. Use it in bread recipes in place of wheat for a slightly nutty flavor.

Wheat: Wheat and whole wheat flour are the basis for most bread recipes.
The gluten content of wheat provides the strength and resiliency necessary for
a high and sturdy loaf.

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Additional info on bread making, lots of recipes, and a great chart on the amounts of all the basic ingredients needed in making bread in a bread machine can be found on THIS site.

That will wrap up today's blog posting. Until next time, Happy Baking! And be sure to tell all your friends about my blog!

Jerry

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