When it comes to baking, the most satisfying thing is making your own bread. The task may seem daunting and it’s not as easy as we may think. You will definitely encounter a few hits and mostly misses at the start. But eventually, you’ll be able to pick up some great tips, tricks or maybe a few secrets along the way.
The moment you’ve mastered that perfect blend of knowledge, the smell of freshly rustic baked bread will flow through your house, hitting all your senses through your nose. After all, the taste and smell alone are worth all the effort you put into making it! There are 5 secrets to succeed in baking bread.
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Know your tools/kitchen appliances
Having the right tools can even make the simplest task quite a bit easier for us to achieve near-professional results. However, it’s quite important for us to know the exact measurements, the suitable ingredients and the applicable tools.
If you are looking into getting some bread baking supplies, it certainly doesn’t mean you need many extra gadgets. Just start with a standard mixer (you can buy Kitchenaid online), as this will definitely come in handy. You’ll also most likely need at least one loaf pan if you are planning to make rectangular bread, unless you prefer a different shaped loaf.
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Getting the right kind of ingredient
The first rule about baking is that the ingredients are always the key to a good start. Knowing the right ingredients is crucial for baking bread, as it helps to achieve a successful and delicious loaf. It won’t be long before you feel ready to mix things up!
Basic bread ingredients will often include just flour, water, yeast and salt, coupled with eggs, butter or even oil, and so on. Having a grasp of how these few items are used will allow you to create the good quality bread that you are looking for.
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Get onto your measuring skills
The first step in bread making is to know the different proportions of your ingredients. Weighing your ingredients can give much more accurate results as most recipes are written with exact measurements in mind. Incorrect measurements could produce significant changes in the final product.
When it comes to measurements, make sure you are focusing on the weight using grams or ounces or kilotons, as it will make a huge difference. Focus on using weight instead of volume, as weight is more consistent with getting the correct proportions for a loaf of awesome bread.
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Knowing your yeast
As far as we know, yeast is the key ingredient that will help a beautiful ball-shaped dough get ready to be kneaded, shaped, baked and lastly, transformed into a savoury bread. Before mixing your ingredients together, ensure your yeast is in perfect condition before using, as it will affect the outcome of your loaf.
The tricky part about yeast is that it’s a living organism that is ready to create carbon dioxide that gives the bread its lift. The best choice is to get your hands on fresh yeast, but if you are to use instant yeast, be sure to keep a close eye on the expiration date!
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Kneading your dough
Now for the fun part! Many beginners will also face the issue of being unsure how or when the dough is ready after kneading. The method of kneading is a process where you need to push, pull and stretch the dough repeatedly until it’s stretchy like a wad of bubble gum.
Kneading is all you have to think about, almost as if you are meditating and focusing only on teaching your hands what to expect from the dough. Just focus on that and do nothing else until you reach a point where you think, “Is the dough doing alright?” Communicate with your dough!
Once you feel confident with the basics of baking bread, feel free to try baking bread with different recipes. It’s hard to forget the comforting smell of freshly baked bread when you put all your effort into creating this piece of wonderful art!