HOME-MADE BREAD: Making bread at home, especially for the family to enjoy daily or as special treat, and/or for entertaining guests, is a most satisfying thing to do. Hope these general hints in bread-making will be useful to you.

BREAD-- BASIC TECHNIQUES IN BREAD-MAKING:

 

 

 

1. Make sure the temperature of the water for the yeast is correct. Very hot water will kill the yeast but too cold water will slow down its action.  The temperature should be around 100-110 degrees F.

 

2. The amount of flour needed will depend on how accurately the liquid has been             measured. While kneading, you may continue to add liquid until the dough no longer sticks to the board, or to the sides of the mixing bowl.    

 

3. Kneading by machine---using a powerful standing mixer (like the Kitchen Aid Table Mixer being used for all the bread recipes here) with dough hook attachment. Dough should be kneaded for 2 minutes at low speed, or Speed 2, after flour and enough warm water and other liquid has been added to it to make dough. Dough is kneaded and ready when it clings to the dough hook and cleans sides of the mixing bowl.

 

4. Kneading by hand--turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface to do so. Knead the dough by using the heels of your hands to push the dough away from you, give it a quarter-turn then fold the dough over towards yourself. Repeat this action until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. 

 

5. Allow dough to rise in a greased bowl, covered with a large clean tea towel, in a warm place. The preferred way is to sit the bowl on a rack inside a cold oven, with the oven light turned on, and a large bowl of hot water sitting directly underneath the rack. Empty and refill bowl with hot water every 30 minutes.

 

6.  To test if dough is ready and well-risen, press two fingers into dough and withdraw them quickly.  If the fingers leave a deep impression, the dough has risen sufficiently.  After the second rising, a gentle touch by the finger leaves a slight impression means that it is ready.

 

7. To shape the loaves for baking—with a rolling pin, roll one ball of dough into a rectangle, pressing out all large air bubbles. Roll dough up like a jelly-roll, starting from the end closest to you. Flatten out the dough, making it uniform in thickness, and tuck both ends under to meet in the centre.  Pinch seams firmly with fingers. Flatten out to fit into size of loaf pan.

 

8. When baking the bread, follow the time called for in a recipe. Bread is done when loaf lifts free from the pan and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

 

9. Bread freezes very well if allowed to be completely cooled first, and then wrapped well with plastic to freeze.