Bread Baking

[Coloradomtnman]

I've been baking my own bread for about 4 years. Those first batches of blunt weapons were discouraging, but nowadays I use my Kitchenaid mixer and have learned a few techniques.

However, its still difficult and I don't seem to be very talented at it. I can do a basic artisan bread well, crusty but dense, but I want to bake some fluffier, lighter stuff that isn't as crusty because my girlfriend of nearly three years suffered a broken jaw that didn't heal well and causes her pain when she chews harder foods. She LOVES sour doughs and I don't have a starter and don't know how to make one - if that is an option.

Can anyone give me a recipe or tips on how to do this and/or any other kinds of breads one would recommend (I love bread A LOT).

Ps. I live at 5,000 feet in Denver.

 

[koshergrl]

Oooh...the elevation may be an issue.

I'm good at bread, and make it without a recipe, just whenever.

Couple of things about bread..the more you work yeast dough, and the more times it rises, the finer it gets. Sometimes it will get tougher, too, so you have to hit a balance.

When I first started out, my mom told me to always let it rise 2x....so you let it rise 1x in the bowl, punch it down, knead it a little, and then prepare it for the oven...loaves in oiled loaf pans, buns in their pans...and let it raise again.

Butter or margarine across the tops (olive oil is probably just as well) as SOON as it comes out of the oven, and it will make the crust softer.

Seriously, bread is made or broken in the kneading. You need to do it enough that you learn what a good dough feels like..and you aren't going to get that with a kitchenaid. You have to work it yourself.

My bread:

About 2 cups hot water, with a couple of tbsp oil/butter/lard (melted), a tbsp. of sugar, 2 tbsp of salt, and 1 tsp. - 1 tbsp (depending on how much I trust it) yeast.

Stir it up, let it sit a few minutes.

Add around 7 C of flour, stir until it's sticky, add more flour if you need to, so you can knead the dough inside the bowl with lots of flour to keep it from sticking.

Or you can turn out onto a floured board, and just keep dusting with flour as needed (if it's sticking it's needed). When the dough is elastic, and the skin doesn't break anymore, you can turn it back into your bowl, oil the top, and let it rise for however long it needs to get to 2x original size.

Then punch down, divide into loaves and/or rolls (oil the pans well) and let rise again...turn on the oven to 425 here. It doesn't have to raise to 2x the size for this one...it will rise a little more in the oven so keep that in mind.

Then cook it. It's done when it's golden brown and sounds hollow when thumped.

Butter the crust when it comes out; wait a couple of minutes then turn out of the pans.

If you're using bread machine yeast, just mix the yeast, salt, sugar in with the flour...then pour in the water/oil mixture and stir. I have really good luck doing it that way, too.

 

[koshergrl]

Have you tried different yeasts, btw? From what I'm reading online, the yeast should be fermenting pretty quickly...

 

[koshergrl]

"Yeast Breads:Decrease the amount of yeast in the recipe by 25%, and make water/flour adjustments as necessary to get a dough with the correct texture. Make sure your bowl has plenty of room for the dough to rise in. Since rising times are much shorter at higher altitudes, you have a number of options to help its flavor.

• Give the dough one extra rise by punching it down twice before forming it.
• Try covering the dough and placing it in the refrigerator for its first rise, to slow the action of the yeast give the dough more time to develop.
• If you have sourdough starter on hand, use some of it for some of the liquid in the recipe.
• Make a sponge by mixing the yeast, the liquid in the recipe, and 1 to 2 cups of flour. Cover and let the sponge work for a few hours in the refrigerator to develop it."

High-altitude baking - King Arthur Flour

 

[Coloradomtnman]

Have you tried different yeasts, btw? From what I'm reading online, the yeast should be fermenting pretty quickly...

I'm using Fleischmman's or Red Star Active Dry Yeast. It takes maybe a 5 minutes to foam up in the water and sugar solution.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

I mix the ingredients in the mixer and let it work it for about 8 - 10 minutes then pull it out and knead it on a flour-dusted table for about another 3-4 minutes. Until its elasticky. But I've only learned to bake bread using Youtube or Google searches or books. I've never had anyone show me in person, so I can only guess at what they mean by elasticky. I don't know if its elasticky enough or too much, you know what I mean?

What do you mean by "trust" when talking about yeast? Do you have a brand or type you prefer?

I do have some bread machine yeast too, because I used to use a bread machine, but didn't like the way the loaves came out. I also like making a more artisanal bread. I feel better about it, as I'm sure you can understand.

The thing is, I'm a hell of a cook. Cooking is an art. Baking is an art AND a science, wouldn't you agree, or am I seeing that wrong. It seems like you need to have exactly the right amounts of each ingredient, and the exact right temperature for rise (I seem to live in cold houses), etc. etc.

 

[koshergrl]

Knead your bread until it's elastic (it will "spring" back to it's original shape), and raise it 2-3 times and see what happens.

 

[koshergrl]

Different yeasts have different qualities; some are old when they hit the shelf; some don't do as well.

I don't use Red Star. I'm all about fleischmann's. Packets or jars....when I used packets, I use a couple of them just to be on the safe side.

Also if it doesn't rise the way you like, you can always knead MORE yeast in; I've done that, and then let it rise again and see what happens. Important to knead really well to prevent big bubbles though.

You might also be using too much water...might need to add more flour to your dough...throw flour around, don't be skimpy with the flour.

What's your recipe?

 

[koshergrl]

I'm making rolls tonight, btw...

 

[derk]

Ive been doing it for about 7 years now. I bake it on Sundays and get togethers the most common is rolls clover leaf.. I started doing it to quit smoking. My family expects it now. I get a beer and Sundays get out the yeast and sit around and late in the evening the smell is all over the house, and usually I take some to my son and his family.

now its just.....

 

[syrenn]

I've been baking my own bread for about 4 years. Those first batches of blunt weapons were discouraging, but nowadays I use my Kitchenaid mixer and have learned a few techniques.

However, its still difficult and I don't seem to be very talented at it. I can do a basic artisan bread well, crusty but dense, but I want to bake some fluffier, lighter stuff that isn't as crusty because my girlfriend of nearly three years suffered a broken jaw that didn't heal well and causes her pain when she chews harder foods. She LOVES sour doughs and I don't have a starter and don't know how to make one - if that is an option.

Can anyone give me a recipe or tips on how to do this and/or any other kinds of breads one would recommend (I love bread A LOT).

Ps. I live at 5,000 feet in Denver.

what type of bread are you looking for? A loaf or free form?


starters are easy enough to get and feed.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sourdough%20starter&sprefix=sourdough+%2Caps%2C323&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asourdough%20starter]Amazon.com: sourdough starter[/ame]

 

[derk]

How are you Syreen? Good to see you.

 

[syrenn]

How are you Syreen? Good to see you.

im good... thinking about baking bread now....

How ya doing derk?

 

[Coloradomtnman]

Different yeasts have different qualities; some are old when they hit the shelf; some don't do as well.

I don't use Red Star. I'm all about fleischmann's. Packets or jars....when I used packets, I use a couple of them just to be on the safe side.

Also if it doesn't rise the way you like, you can always knead MORE yeast in; I've done that, and then let it rise again and see what happens. Important to knead really well to prevent big bubbles though.

You might also be using too much water...might need to add more flour to your dough...throw flour around, don't be skimpy with the flour.

What's your recipe?

Should I knead more yeast in after the first rise, if I'm unsatisfied with how much it has risen?

Thanks for those tips. I don't think I'm being too skimpy with the flour, but I am afraid to add too much flour after I get a dough ball going.

I use different recipes depending on what kind of bread I'm going for i.e. pizza dough, regular white loaf or a basic round flour sugar yeast salt bread.

 

[syrenn]

Different yeasts have different qualities; some are old when they hit the shelf; some don't do as well.

I don't use Red Star. I'm all about fleischmann's. Packets or jars....when I used packets, I use a couple of them just to be on the safe side.

Also if it doesn't rise the way you like, you can always knead MORE yeast in; I've done that, and then let it rise again and see what happens. Important to knead really well to prevent big bubbles though.

You might also be using too much water...might need to add more flour to your dough...throw flour around, don't be skimpy with the flour.

What's your recipe?

Should I knead more yeast in after the first rise, if I'm unsatisfied with how much it has risen?

Thanks for those tips. I don't think I'm being too skimpy with the flour, but I am afraid to add too much flour after I get a dough ball going.

I use different recipes depending on what kind of bread I'm going for i.e. pizza dough, regular white loaf or a basic round flour sugar yeast salt bread.

ratio of all of those things is what makes the different doughs.

adding in yeast after the fact will do nothing for you.

 

[syrenn]

can you post what recipe you are using? It may help in telling you options.

 

[derk]

How are you Syreen? Good to see you.

im good... thinking about baking bread now....

How ya doing derk?

I'm doing ok. I was drinkin a few beers and hangin out in a few forums. I gotta go now though. I hope you'll be on tomorrow I'll look you up.

 

[koshergrl]

Different yeasts have different qualities; some are old when they hit the shelf; some don't do as well.

I don't use Red Star. I'm all about fleischmann's. Packets or jars....when I used packets, I use a couple of them just to be on the safe side.

Also if it doesn't rise the way you like, you can always knead MORE yeast in; I've done that, and then let it rise again and see what happens. Important to knead really well to prevent big bubbles though.

You might also be using too much water...might need to add more flour to your dough...throw flour around, don't be skimpy with the flour.

What's your recipe?

Should I knead more yeast in after the first rise, if I'm unsatisfied with how much it has risen?

Thanks for those tips. I don't think I'm being too skimpy with the flour, but I am afraid to add too much flour after I get a dough ball going.

I use different recipes depending on what kind of bread I'm going for i.e. pizza dough, regular white loaf or a basic round flour sugar yeast salt bread.

ratio of all of those things is what makes the different doughs.

adding in yeast after the fact will do nothing for you.

I have kneaded in yeast after the first rising, in instances where the yeast I used was bad and there was no *rising* going on at all, and had the bread rise.....

But it's obviously not standard bread making procedure.

Glad you chimed in, I came in here to tell him to find the resident baker.

You can't add too much flour. The dough won't pick up more than it needs. When I get my dough going usually I dump flour on top, turn the dough over (in the bowl...I have a big earthenware bowl for break making) and then knead the dough right in the bowl, in the flour. The dough should be dry and non-sticky to the touch when you're done.

 

[koshergrl]

My rolls were yummy last night.

 

[syrenn]

Should I knead more yeast in after the first rise, if I'm unsatisfied with how much it has risen?

Thanks for those tips. I don't think I'm being too skimpy with the flour, but I am afraid to add too much flour after I get a dough ball going.

I use different recipes depending on what kind of bread I'm going for i.e. pizza dough, regular white loaf or a basic round flour sugar yeast salt bread.

ratio of all of those things is what makes the different doughs.

adding in yeast after the fact will do nothing for you.

I have kneaded in yeast after the first rising, in instances where the yeast I used was bad and there was no *rising* going on at all, and had the bread rise.....

But it's obviously not standard bread making procedure.

Glad you chimed in, I came in here to tell him to find the resident baker.

You can't add too much flour. The dough won't pick up more than it needs. When I get my dough going usually I dump flour on top, turn the dough over (in the bowl...I have a big earthenware bowl for break making) and then knead the dough right in the bowl, in the flour. The dough should be dry and non-sticky to the touch when you're done.

yes, you can add to much flour..... to much can make breads very tough and chewy depending on the ratio of other ingredients....

there is a science to baking so it is more precise then you may think.