A recipe and simple method for producing excellent bread with an open crumb structure are given first, with additional notes. Instructions for making a standard loaf are given later on this page. Pictures of sample products are shown at the bottom of Judging success.
Quick bread
Ingredients
Standard bread
The finer crumb structure and larger volume of the standard loaf is produced by causing the dough to mature more fully by kneading it and extending the process times. Wholemeal flour is less responsive to this treatment than white flour because the bran particles that it contains, being non-functional protein, do nothing to sustain the yeast yet cause a more open crumb structure which impairs gas retention. Volume can be enhanced if required by including a proportion of white flour in the dough, but at the expense of flavour.
Method
Method
Notes
a) No kneading is involved in the Quick method. None of the quantities, temperatures or timings are critical (in any method), but volume measurements can be speeded up by using a measuring cylinder which when full, accommodates the required amount of flour. Additional marking can make it also suitable for measuring water.
b) Use a bread baking tin of about 1.5 litres capacity.
c) Use strong wholemeal or strong white flour, or a mixture of both. White flour weakens the flavour but enables the dough to rise more.
d) The water should be at about 40°C. This may be obtained by mixing 1 part boiling water and two parts cold tap water (at about 10°C). See also note h.
e) The salt strengthens the gluten and limits dough softening during fermentation. It has a moderating effect on yeast activity, making more sugar available for crust browning. It also enhances the flavour of the bread.
f) Choose any type of yeast and use it according to the manufacturer's instructions. The following amounts are typical. For Fast Action Yeast use 7 gm (2% of the flour weight) mixed dry with the flour. A similar amount of Dried Active Yeast can be used but it must be rehydrated first. Manufacturers of dry yeast usually recommend adding about 2.7 gm (0.7%) of sugar to the yeast. For fresh yeast use 12 gm (3.4% of the flour weight) mixed in enough of the warm water to disperse it freely, then add it to the other ingredients. The amount of yeast may be increased in order to improve the volume of the loaf, but the water content should reviewed first, see note h (less yeast, given time to mature more fully, is supposed to give bread with better flavour).
g) Use a high temperature cooking fat such as Cookeen or Trex. The fat coats the gluten strands, acting as a lubricant to improve the general build of the loaf.
h) The volume of water required depends on the type of flour being used and the method. The dough in the Quick bread method needs to be softer (contain more water) than that for Standard bread to facilitate rising. The particles of the dough should be just wetted, with minimal excess in the voids between them. The excess point is readily identified because the dough becomes sticky and more reflective of light. Even strong bread flours vary as to their breadmaking properties, so it will be necessary to experiment when dealing with an unfamiliar brand. Methods which include kneading stages require less water, see Science of kneading.
The water absorption of wholemeal flours is greater than that of white flours owing to the (otherwise chemically inactive) bran particles.
i) The dough should finish rising (at least doubling in volume) in from 35 - 60 minutes depending on the water content, yeast content, temperature and the variety of flour. The conventional temperature range for rising is 27 - 38°C, becomming faster towards the upper limit of the range.
j) To remove the loaf from the tin, invert and shake it. Leave the hot loaf on a rack to cool for two hours or more.
k) If the dough expanded to overflow the tin, the overflowed parts should be sliced off with a knife after baking to allow the loaf to be removed (you may have made excess mixture or used excess water). If the loaf adheres to the sides of the tin, use a spatula to ease it away. If it adheres at the bottom, wait about 15 minutes for some water vapour to condense on the inside of the tin and weaken the crust (the tin must be placed upright so that the condensate does not drain away). After removal of the loaf, it will dry out if aired whilst still warm. If the loaf is left in the tin to cool completely it will become sodden. In this case it may be made eatable at least, by letting it dry on a rack in a warm oven.
l) Wash the utensils soon after use; flour and water make an effective glue which sets hard.
m) Storage conditions prior to use should be cool with ventilation. Storage for future use should be at -5°C.
Using the ingredients in the recipe above, modify the method as follows.
Instructions for kneading
Squeeze the ball of dough down onto a hard smooth surface using the heels of your hands, moving them apart so as to create a shearing effect as the dough collapses, then fold it back into a ball. Do this repeatedly, squeezing the dough down as far as reasonably possible in each cycle. The mixture will be soft initially, then become firmer as the flour absorbs water. Kneading should be continued until the dough has developed an obvious degree of elasticity (if you indent the dough slightly with your finger it should fill out again). It should also lighten in colour slightly and develop a slight surface sheen. The process should be complete within 10 minutes. See also Science of kneading.