Instructions:

 

• Rising Time: The faster bread is raised the flatter the flavor and the more airy and loose the texture inside. Slow rising it much better for a good loaf of bread. For standard bread making: after kneading the dough leave it to rise in a warm place (70ºF+) until the dough doubles in size. A good way to tell when it is ready is when it sighs and falls after a poke with your finger.  The raising can be repeated or you can just shape the loaves and leave them to rise until almost doubled and then bake them. 

 

• Yeast: There are two types of yeast, instant and regular. Instant can be added directly to your dry ingredients and will activate once it comes in contact with the water. Regular or slow acting yeast needs to be dissolved in a bit of warm water with sugar. Set it aside to bubble – usually 5-10 minutes.. To check if it is still good try a ¼ tsp of yeast as described above and if it does not bubble up in ten minutes then it is not good.

 

• Flour: Use fresh flour when making bread. If the flour smells old and stale donʼt use it. Donʼt stock up on more flour than you can use in a month or so. Better yet, grind your own if you can. Store it in a cool place. Avoid very course flour because this will make the bread heavier. I find that Whole Wheat Bread Flour works well.

 

• Water Temperature: Water temperature can make or ruin a batch of bread. If the water is too hot the yeast will die. If it is too cold the yeast may never work or will take a long time resulting in decreased rising and small loaves. The ideal is between 100-110ºF. It should feel warm to your hand. On hot days use cooler water because the warm air can cause the yeast to work too fast. This leads to large air bubbles in the dough and weak, airy texture in the finished product. Even the flavor will not be as good. Keep the bread in a warm place while it is rising. (Above 70ºF)

 

• Kneading: A very important factor in good bread is how well the gluten is developed. This is what traps the bubbles created by the yeast causing the bread to raise and become soft and spongy. A ball of dough should be kneaded about 600 strokes so that when you poke your finger into the dough and pull it back out quickly the dough will spring back. It is good to knead dough a little between risings to move the yeast around and give it more food.  If when shaping the dough it is just too springy and wonʼt stay in place set it aside and let it rest a bit before continuing.

 

• Baking Bread: A loaf of bread is ready to go into the oven when it has doubled in size and filled the pan. Be very careful during this process that you donʼt set the pans down too hard as this can cause it to fall. A normal size loaf of bread will take about 40 minutes to bake at 325-350ºF. Turn the temperature lower if the crust gets too dark before the bread is baked. To check if your bread is done, remove a loaf from the pan and thump the bottom of the loaf with your thumb. If it sounds hollow it is baked.