Helpful Hints for Yeast Breads

Yeast, which provides leavening, is a living plant that grows in warm, moist dough. Bubbles of gas are produced as the yeast plant grows. When flour is moistened, a mesh like framework known as gluten is formed. Being elastic in nature, the gluten strands expand as the yeast produces tiny bubbles of gas. Thus, the dough rises.

If you love making home made yeast breads, but need some quick tips to make your bread the best, try using these helpful bread making tips.

• Dissolve yeast at the correct temperature: active
  dry yeast at 110 to 115° (very warm to the touch),
  compressed yeast at 80 to 85° (slightly cool). Hot
  temperatures kill yeast, cold temperatures slow its
  growth. The mixing bowl can be rinsed in hot water,
  and all other ingredients should be the proper
  temperature before being mixed with the yeast.

• Use the right amount of flour for the best texture.
  Add the second addition of flour just until the dough
  cleans the bowl. Then as you knead, sprinkle flour
  little by little into dough just until it no longer sticks to
  hands or board.

• Knead dough by folding it in half towards you, then
  pressing it down and pushing it away. Kneading gives
  dough the ability to stretch and expand as it rises.

• Keep rising dough away from drafts and at a tem¬perature of 85°. If too warm, bread will be dark,
  coarse, and taste “yeasty.” If too cool, bread will be
  heavy and solid. If kitchen is cool, place bowl of dough
  on rack over a bowl of hot water and cover completely
  with a towel.

• Dough has risen enough when it retains the impres¬sion after being lightly touched.
• Punching down the dough and letting it rise a sec¬ond time assures a fine-textured bread.
• Loaves or rolls are ready to be baked when they re¬tain the impression after being lightly touched. Glass,
  darkened metal, or dull-finished aluminum pans are
  ideal for baking bread. They absorb heat and give
  bread a good brown crust.

• Test bread for doneness by tapping it. It should
  have a hollow sound when done.

Following these simple bread baking tips, will surely make your bread the best bread around. And nothing smells more delicious than the smell of fresh baked homemade bread right from the oven. To many people, a dinner is not complete without the appearance of delicious baked bread.