Tips on making yeast breads

When making yeast bread, you?ll want your loaves to look and taste extra special. Here are some helpful hints we recommend for achieving a perfect product every time.

Although you can still make bread the conventional ?soften-the-yeast? way, consider the newer easy-mix method. It eliminates the year-softening step since you combine the dry yeast directly with the flour.

Here?s how to identify the stage of dough specified for your bread; soft dough is too stick to knead and is often used for batter breads. Moderately soft dough is slightly stick, may be kneaded on a floured surface, and is used for most sweet bread. Moderately stiff dough is somewhat firm to the touch, kneads easily on a floured surface, and is used for most unsweetened breads. Stiff dough is form to the touch and is easily rolled on a floured surfer, French bread dough is an example.

When the recipe gives a range on the amount of flour, start by adding the smaller amount. And remember, flour used in kneading is also part of this measured amount.

Don?t place dough in a hot area to rise because excessive heat will kill the yeast. A good spot is in an unheated oven with a large pan of hot water set on the lower rack under the bowl of dough. The optimum rising temperature is 80o.

Do not add flour after rising starts. This produces dark streaks and a coarse texture.

Don?t let loaves rise too long or to the top of the pay. If the dough rise much over twice its original size, the cell walls become thin; since the dough rises further in the oven, the cells may collapse and the bread may fall.

Before baking, gently brush the top of the loaf with shortening, butter, margarine, or oil for a browner crust. Brush with milk, water, or beaten egg for a crispy and shiny crust. For a softer crust, brush the top with butter or margarine after baking.

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