cabbagehead
|
Bread making is a process where you keep yeast alive in a mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients long enough to create air bubbles. If you do anything during the process that kills off the yeast, your bread will be a brick. If the yeast doesn't grow in the early stages or the dough doesn't spring back, the end product will be a brick.
Begin by measuring out some lukewarm water. If you drip some on the back of your wrist it should feel warm, but not uncomfortably so. Add the yeast and a little sugar and let it sit for a few minutes. If the yeast are alive, they'll form a foam on the surface of the water.
Mix in the flour. Depending on the recipe you're using, you may need to make a "sponge" first: this is a batter that uses half the recipe's total flour which is allowed to rise before turning into dough. If you're making whole wheat bread and are having problems getting it to rise, start it off with a sponge using white flour: the yeast are able to feed off of it faster.
Now it's time to knead. Spread some flour out on a flat surface. Push down, fold, turn, and push again. If you have a mixer with a dough hook, mix the dough until it sticks to the hook instead of the bowl. It will still need a little hand kneading to finish. Your dough it's elastic and has a smooth surface: the dough should spring back when you poke it. Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place to rise according to your recipe.
Now you're ready to bake. The bread is done when it makes a hollow sound when you knock on it. You can also check the bread using a thermometer: it should have an internal temperature between 190 and 200 degrees.
 Posted 5392 day ago
|