How to Make Bread

Satisfying Your Knead

From “Guide to the art of bread making” by Susan Jane Cheney
Flour, water and yeast are the three essential ingredients in bread making. Flour ground from hard wheat (bread flour) or flour ground from hard and soft wheat (all-purpose) is best for risen breads because it contains a high amount of gluten, a protein with the capacity to stretch and form a strong elastic structure. (Soft, or pastry, wheat flour is appropriate for quick loaves, muffins, cakes and cookies.) Whole-wheat flour makes a slightly heftier loaf than refined (white) flour but provides more nutrients and a richer flavor. Low-gluten and non gluten flours, such as rice, spelt and potato, need to be mixed with about 50 percent wheat flour for the dough to rise properly.
Leavening agents cause dough to rise by creating bubbles that expand the gluten strands. The most commonly used leavened in bread making is yeast; a living organism that converts the natural sugars in flour to gases. Active dry yeast is easy to find in the refrigerated sections of supermarkets. Be sure to check the expiration date on individual packages before you buy (and keep it refrigerated until ready to use).
When water is at the proper temperature (105 [degrees] F to 115 [degrees] F), it activates the yeast and turns the flour into a dough. It’s best to use filtered or spring water to avoid any chemicals or off-flavors in tap water that could interfere with dough’s development. Water can also be replaced completely or partially with milk or soy milk.
Fats, such as oil, butter and eggs, are not necessary, though they do give the dough a soft, tender texture and richer flavor. Sugar or other sweeteners are optional and may mask the subtle flavor of whole grains, though too much sweetener will impair optimal dough development.
Salt is used in most bread to add flavor and control the rate of fermentation.
Accurate measurements of flour, leavening and water are the foundation of good bread baking. When measuring flour and other dry ingredients, stir briefly to aerate. Fill a dry-measure (nested) cup above the rim, then level the top with a long straight edge, such as the blade of a blunt knife. With liquid ingredients, place a glass measuring cup on a flat surface and bend down so that the measuring line is at eye level.
Procedure
1. The first step is to “proof,” or test, the viability of the yeast.
Pour a small amount (as the recipe directs) of lukewarm water into a small ceramic or glass bowl. The water temperature should be comfortable to the touch not too hot but not cool. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and then gently stir to dissolve. Set the yeast mixture in a warm place; the mixture should appear slightly bubbly within 5 to 10 minutes. This indicates that the yeast has been activated and is now ready to be added to the flour.
2. Mixing and kneading the dough is next.
In a large bowl, mix the activated yeast with the ingredients called for in your recipe, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The next step, kneading, performs a crucial function in preparing the dough to rise. First, it completes the mixing process, and then it allows the flour’s protein to develop into gluten. To properly knead dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Keep a little additional flour on the side and lightly dust the dough as necessary to keep it from sticking. Using the heel of your hand, gently push the dough away from you. At the same time, use your other hand to rotate the dough slightly toward you, guiding the dough slowly around in a smooth, rhythmic, circular motion. Continue this process for approximately 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and satiny and has a springy quality.
3. Now it’s time for the dough to rest and rise.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled ceramic or glass bowl and cover with a damp dishtowel or greased plastic wrap to keep the surface from drying out. Put the bowl in a warm, draft-free place (a gas oven warmed by the pilot light or the top of the refrigerator are good spots) and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size. The rising time depends primarily on the amount of yeast used and the room temperature. For most dough, it will take about 1 to 2 hours. During this period, the yeast multiplies and the gluten in the flour begins to stretch and strengthen. The key process of fermentation also begins. In the absence of oxygen, the yeast begins to break down the starch into simple sugars. This yields carbon dioxide, which leavens the dough. The dough is ready when it springs back slowly when you gently press the surface with a fingertip. (Over-rising will permanently weaken the gluten structure and cause dough to collapse.) Once the dough has risen completely, punch it down once to deflate. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead about 5 times to release the built-up carbon dioxide and reinvigorate the yeast and gluten. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest, uncovered, for another 5 to 10 minutes.
4. The last step is shaping the dough according to the recipe and letting it rise for the final time. The second rising will take less time than the first, about 45 minutes, because the gluten structure has already been formed. (Note: The finger-poke method is only useful for the first rising.) Before you put the shaped and risen dough into the oven, make several slashes in the top of the loaf using a sharp knife or razor blade. These will allow the dough to expand rapidly without tearing. At this time you can also brush on a glaze, such as beaten egg, or sprinkle on seeds.
Hard as it may be, you really should wait until a loaf has cooled thoroughly to the touch before slicing it. The center of a fresh-from-the-oven loaf is still doughy because the baking process isn’t complete. If hot bread is absolutely too tempting to resist, make a few rolls out of part of the dough and bake them along with the loaf. These you can eat almost immediately. By the way, the best way to store your loaves (if there are any left over, that is) is to keep them unwrapped in a large ceramic bowl at room temperature covered by a plate or tray. Freezing bread is better than refrigerating it (which robs flavor), but freeze loaves sliced rather than whole so that you can take out just what you need at any one time.
From start to finish, the best breads are the product of a happy marriage of art and science. Besides practice, the secret to good bread baking is allowing enough time for fermentation to completely transform the grain, physically and enzymatically. This process enhances the taste, texture, digestibility and shelf life of the finished bread. Understanding how to make bread or bread making may dispel its mystique, but it will never diminish the magic of a superlative loaf.

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