5 Hot Tips for Better Homemade Bread By Richemont Masterbaker

The thought of baking bread can make many people anxious. Bread baking can be very satisfying and even fun with right amount knowledge and a little bit of practice. The whole process of kneading the dough and watching it rise followed by the smell of that freshly baked bread filling your home is very fulfilling and rewarding. So, for those of you who are extremely intimidated by bread making, don’t be any more, because here we are sharing five amazing and easy tips to make a better homemade bread!

1. Make sure you have all the ingredients:

This part is very easy because of the four main ingredients of bread a very commonly found in most kitchen – Flour, salt, yeast, and water. Now, let's pay close attention to these ingredients.

Yeast is a living organism which if stored in cold environment, stays alive longer. So, whether you use active yeast or not, keeping them refrigerated makes them more viable. Also, one tip to make sure that your yeast isn't too old is by stirring a small portion in a cup of warm water. It will foam up if it's still alive.

If you are new to bread making you should know that there are different types of flours and while bread comes out well with all-purpose flour, it bakes even better if you use bread flour which is made out of a different kind of wheat which has more protein.

As for the water used, make sure it's warm but not too hot. The easiest way to test the warmth of the water is on your wrist.

2. Measure your ingredients:

The ratio of flour to water determines the softness of dough. Hence, it is important to buy a scale for more reliable results. Weighing flour after measuring in cups are the best way. Also, the ratio varies depending on the type of flour used. Standard hydration required is 60% for all-purpose flour and bit more for flour with more protein.

3. Limit the flour used while kneading the dough

The most common mistake done is using more flour to smooth the dough while kneading. If you have weighed your ingredients well, then know that even if the dough seems too sticky, the bread will come out just fine. Adding more flour can make the dough less sticky, but the loaf becomes too dense preventing it from rising as much as it should. The simple solution for sticky dough is spraying a thin layer of oil on the counter or your hands. This, along with scraping the dough which sticks to your counter will keep you from adding extra flour. And remember, more kneading makes the dough stronger.

4. Let the dough rise in the right environment

The time taken for your dough to rise depends on the ingredients used, room temperature and humidity. Dough rises more quickly in a warmer environment. But a long, slow rise, gives the bread better flavor.

Most bread usually have two proves. The first probe is to develop better flavor, and if kept covered in a warm environment, it will take about 2 hours to rise. After this, the flour is kneaded once again and kept covered in the baking pan, allowing it to prove for an hour again until it doubled in size.

5. Know when your bread is done

The tip to know whether your bread is baked to perfect is the nice golden-brown color at the bottom and the hollow sound you get when you tap it. This way you can make sure that it's fluffy and cooked on the inside.

To learn more about different techniques and tips of perfect bread making, be a part of the European Bread Baking Program at RichemontMasterbaker – Professional Baking and Pastry School in Dubai. It is the only destination in the region that provides fun filled, hands on baking classes by well trained professional chefs.

Richemont Masterbaker

Richemont center for Excellence for the bakery-confectionery-chocolate education was established in 1945 in Lucerne, Switzerland, focusing their work in GCC since 1992.

RichemontMasterbaker Professional Bakery and Pastry School, located in Jumeira Lake Towers in Dubai, in the only institute in the GCC which provides intensive modern-day Bakery and Pastry training.

RichemontMasterbaker Professional Bakery and Pastry School, located in Jumeirah Lake Towers in Dubai, is the only institute in the Gcc which provides intensive modern day Bakery and Pastry training.