Ingredients
Flour: Using the right flour is an important start. Strong white flour is the best for breadmaking as it absorbs liquid easily and develops quickly with kneading into a firm, elastic dough that rises well to make a loaf with a good volume. White flour for breadmaking is usually labelled ‘strong’ on the packet. A recipe for bread given on the reverse side of the packet is also an indication that it’s the right kind of flour. Wholemeal (or wholewheat) flour is milled from the whole grain and includes the wheatgerm and the bran with nothing taken away during processing. This flour produces a brown bread with a nutty flavour and a closer texture because the presence of the wheatgerm and bran retards the stretching qualities of the gluten. Wheatmeal flour usually has an extraction rate on the packet indicating that 80-90% of the original grain remains and that the coarsest particles of bran have been removed. Wheatmeal flour is more digestible and makes a lighter textured loaf than wholemeal. Granary flour is a special blend of wholemeal flour that includes malted wheat and rye. It is very coarse and flavoursome and can be used in place of wholemeal flour in bread recipes.
Sugar: This is the food yeast needs in order to grow. In plain bread doughs, yeast finds sufficient natural sugar in the flour for fermentation. In sweet bread recipes extra sugar is added for flavour. Sometimes a little sugar (it can be treacle, honey or ordinary sugar) is added to yeast to start it working, particularly when reconstituting dried yeast granules. Too much sugar slows yeast down.
Salt: An essential ingredient that you must not forget. Salt gives flavour, strengthens the gluten and controls the yeast by preventing it from fermenting too quickly. Unsalted doughs are sticky and rise too fast. The correct proportions to use in a bread dough are 1-2 level teaspoons salt per 1 lb (450g) flour or 1/2-1 oz salt per 3 lb (1.4kg) flour. Too much salt slows yeast down.
Fat: Lard, white cooking fat, butter and margarine are used in breadmaking. Not an essential ingredient but if a little is rubbed into the flour, it softens the crumb to provide a finer texture and also improves the keeping qualities of the baked loaf. Proportions are about 1/2 oz (15g) per 1 lb (450g) or 1-2 oz (25-50g) per 3 lb (1.4kg) in a plain bread dough. Rich bun doughs have a higher proportion of fat in order to make a softer texture. For some continental breads, butter is softened or melted and added at a later stage in the recipe. A high proportion of fat slows yeast down.
Liquid: The liquid used for mixing a dough can be water or a mixture of milk and water. Milk improves the food value and encourages a good colour on the crust. Water gives bread a chewier texture and a crisp crust. About 1/2 pint (300ml) liquid to 1 lb (450g) flour is an average quantity, but you will find that wholemeal flour requires a little more liquid than white flour because the bran in wholemeal flour is thirsty and absorbs more liquid. In rich doughs, an egg is used as part of the mixing liquid. Egg improves the keeping quality and makes the baked bread very light and soft in texture.
Yeast: This is what makes bread rise. Fresh yeast should be creamy in colour and break into nice chunky pieces without being crumbly. A lump of yeast will keep in a tied polythene bag for 4-5 days in a cool place or 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. Fresh yeast should he first mixed into a cupful of tepid liquid and it will quickly dissolve. There is no need to cream fresh yeast with sugar.
Dried yeast is just as effective if used properly. Dried yeast will keep for 3 months in the storecupboard so long as the tin or sachet is kept tightly closed. Easy blend dried yeast can be added to recipes directly with the flour follow packet instructions.
Dried yeast granules must be reconstituted first and require a mixing liquid of about 110°F (43°C), or hand-hot (a drop on the wrist feels hot but not burning). Mix 1 teaspoon castor sugar, honey or treacle into 1 teacupful of the recipe liquid, sprinkle in the yeast granules and stir with a fork. Then set in a warm place for about 15 minutes until the liquid is frothy.
If dried yeast does not froth up to give a lively brew, the yeast is stale and should not be used. When using dried yeast in a recipe remember that it is more concentrated than fresh yeast. When a recipe calls for fresh yeast only half the amount of dried yeast should be used: 1 oz (25g) fresh yeast equals 1/2 oz (15g) or 1 level tablespoon dried yeast and 1/2 oz (15g) fresh yeast equals 2 level teaspoons dried yeast.