How to Bake Perfect Homemade Yeast Breads
A Guide to Baking Professional Bakery Style Bread at Home
Jul 31, 2009
When making yeast breads, sugar, salt and warm water are added to the yeast, to stimulate growth and to help start the fermentation process. During the fermentation process gasses are released that cause the elastic structure of the flour to rise.
Because yeast does not like the cold, it is important that all ingredients used to make yeast breads be at room temperature, and that doughs should be allowed to rise in a warm area that is free of draft. Breads should be cooked quickly in hot ovens and allowed to cool on a way from any drafts.
Once cooled completely yeast breads should be put into moisture-proof bags or wrap.
Making Yeast Bread
The amount of all purpose flour in most bread recipes is just a rough estimate and is determined by many variables, such as the addition of extra ingredients to the bread recipe itself. For example if a white bread recipe was to be used to make onion bread, the addition of the onions to the dough will add moisture and the dough will require more flour.
Add flour to the dough until, after mixing it well the dough comes cleanly off of the spoon or hands. Knead dough on a lightly floured board, adding more flour until the dough no longer sticks.
Kneading the Dough
On a lightly floured board, fold the dough in towards you and push the outer edge of the dough down, and away with the heel of the hand, giving it a slight turn each time. Continue this until the dough is smooth and silky. A bread maker can also be used to do the kneading.
Letting the Dough Rise
- Place kneaded dough in a large glass bowl that has been well greased.
- Turn the dough over so that the top is slightly greased to prevent it from drying out.
- Allow dough to rise until it has doubled in size.
Shaping the Dough
To shape a loaf of bread, roll out the dough so that it is three inches wider and three times longer than the baking pan.
- Starting at the narrow end, begin rolling the dough up as you would a jelly roll.
- Seal the ends and fold over one inch of dough at each end.
- Place in a greased loaf pan and allow to rise until doubled in size.
- Bake according to recipe directions.
- Brush the loaf with butter for a soft crust or beaten egg white for a shiny crust.
Basic White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 pkg active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup very warm water
- 2 cups scalded milk
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 cups sifted all purpose flour
Method
- Sprinkle yeast into very warm water, let stand a few minutes then stir until dissolved.
- Pour hot milk over salt, sugar and butter in a large bowl.
- Let cool and add 3 cups of flour and beat well.
- Add remaining flour and mix well.
- Turn out on a floured board and knead until dough is smooth and shiny, adding more flour if necessary.
- Allow dough to rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size.
- Divide dough into two equal parts and and form into loaves as per the above instructions.
- Allow loaves to rise until doubled in size.
- Bake for 35 minutes in a 400* oven.
Yeast breads and doughs both freeze well, but because of yeast`s dislike of the cold, doughs that are being prepared for freezing should be made with double the amount of yeast to allow them to rise properly before baking.
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