How To Make Good Loaf Bread ??

karpenter

Gold Member
Jun 5, 2018
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I Don't Bake Loaf Bread
I Make Construction Bricks

I've Made Dump Herbal & Cheese Bread
Chewy Soft Pretzels, Bagels
And Peta Complete With Internal Pocket

But Loaf Bread Is Still A Mystery
And All White Bread Recipes Are As Good As Identical

I Think, Maybe
I Don't Knead The Dough Long Enough ??

What Am I Not Getting Correct ??
 
Don’t use standard recipes, experiment with more liquid. Measure water temp to the degree 47c. Fresh yeast vs packaged yeast.

If you’re using bread maker , liquid ingredients first. Add yeast and salt on different sides of the pan.

Hand kneeding ten full minutes at least and get in there. Rough it up.
 
what is the recipe & process you use when making loaf bread?
Basic Bread Recipes Are Pretty Much The Same
But Some Might Use Milk, And Some Might Use An Egg

I Use Fleischmann's Bread Machine Instant Yeast From A Jar
I Have A Cheap Mixer To Blend The Ingredients
But No Kneading Hooks
I Knead The Dough By Hand
And Follow The Rest And Proof Instructions To A 'T'

The Final Knead Usually Calls For A 10-12min Knead
But I'm Usually Shot After About 7 Minutes
 
After kneeding as long as you can, take a bean sized piece of dough and stretch it out with your fingers. If you can get it thin enough to be translucent but it doesn’t tear, you’re there.

You can slap the dough on the table over and over really hard then kneed for a few mins and alternate that.
 
I Don't Bake Loaf Bread
I Make Construction Bricks

I've Made Dump Herbal & Cheese Bread
Chewy Soft Pretzels, Bagels
And Peta Complete With Internal Pocket

But Loaf Bread Is Still A Mystery
And All White Bread Recipes Are As Good As Identical

I Think, Maybe
I Don't Knead The Dough Long Enough ??

What Am I Not Getting Correct ??
After a while you just get a feel of how much to knead it.

A good rule of thumb is the finger poke test. Poke your finger into the dough ball about a half inch or so. If it doesn't spring back, you are not done kneading. You need to knead it more to further develop the gluten.
 
After kneeding as long as you can, take a bean sized piece of dough and stretch it out with your fingers. If you can get it thin enough to be translucent but it doesn’t tear, you’re there.

You can slap the dough on the table over and over really hard then kneed for a few mins and alternate that.
So I'm Just Not Giving It Enough To Get My Glutens Proper
I Can Slam It On The Counter With More Enjoyment
Than 10 Solid Minutes Of That Fold And Shove Stuff
So I Mix Them Up Until I Can Pass The Stretch Test

I'm Going To Try That Tomorrow
Thanx Errybody !!
 
After kneeding as long as you can, take a bean sized piece of dough and stretch it out with your fingers. If you can get it thin enough to be translucent but it doesn’t tear, you’re there.

You can slap the dough on the table over and over really hard then kneed for a few mins and alternate that.
So I'm Just Not Giving It Enough To Get My Glutens Proper
I Can Slam It On The Counter With More Enjoyment
Than 10 Solid Minutes Of That Fold And Shove Stuff
So I Mix Them Up Until I Can Pass The Stretch Test

I'm Going To Try That Tomorrow
Thanx Errybody !!

Egg in the dough makes it richer and I've always thought eggs were more for a sweet or dessert bread.

Most recipes call for 'proofing' your yeast in warm water, but I've never done that. Mainly because I can't get the temps correct......and that may be another factor. The liquid temp & yeast.....if the liquid is too cool the yeast won't activate and if it's too hot, it will kill the yeast.

Anyway, I have always added all the dry ingredients & mixed together, then added hot tap water...…..with the yeast mixed with the flour & salt, it can survive the hotter liquid temps.

Knead for 5-7 minutes, slap it on the counter 2 or 3 times, then knead again...….do this 3 or 4 times each (knead & slap), then put in a bowl, cover with a clean towel, set in a warm draft free place & let rise for about an hour or so...….it should grow to 2 or 3 times the size than what it started as.

Then knead it again for a few minutes to get out the air bubbles, then form into whatever shapes you want. Cover & let rise again for about 45 minutes to an hour. Then bake
 
For Those That May Still Be Lookin'

I Had My First Successful Trip At Bread Yesterday
I Kneaded The Livvin' Tar Out Of Ot
Made All The Difference

It's Still Not Quite What I Want
But It's A Vast Improvement Over What I Had

Not Light And Airy Yet, But It's Alright

Thank You For All Your Help
 
For Those That May Still Be Lookin'

I Had My First Successful Trip At Bread Yesterday
I Kneaded The Livvin' Tar Out Of Ot
Made All The Difference

It's Still Not Quite What I Want
But It's A Vast Improvement Over What I Had

Not Light And Airy Yet, But It's Alright

Thank You For All Your Help

Keep fiddling with the ratio of wet to dry ingredients. The dough on first kneading should be almost too sticky so you use just a pinch of flour to keep it from sticking to your hands. Too much flour and the dough will be tough.
 
fncceo said:
Too much flour and the dough will be tough.
I Prolly Wound Up With 4c Flour, To 2c Wet

This Is Also The First Time
Both Rises Went Out Of My Bowl
I Used 2 Rise And Knead Cycles

Next Time I Think I'll Use Bread Pans
And Let Them Rise A 3rd Time

I Attempted These Pretzel Breads
Mine Weren't Quite So Nice And Domed
Pretzel Bread

FF3QGTLGJHVCPPD.LARGE.jpg
 
To make good bread:

- Buy the high quality BREAD flour (and don't use flour that's been sitting around getting stale for awhile). I like Bob's Redmill, but King Arthur's is also good.
- When mixing up to the point you can kneed it, be sure to keep it a bit sticky.
- Dont overbake.
 
fncceo said:
Too much flour and the dough will be tough.
I Prolly Wound Up With 4c Flour, To 2c Wet

This Is Also The First Time
Both Rises Went Out Of My Bowl
I Used 2 Rise And Knead Cycles

Next Time I Think I'll Use Bread Pans
And Let Them Rise A 3rd Time

I Attempted These Pretzel Breads
Mine Weren't Quite So Nice And Domed
Pretzel Bread

FF3QGTLGJHVCPPD.LARGE.jpg


I don't know if risking three times is the proper thing - unless the recipe actually calls for it. Over-rising the dough exhausts the yeast, resulting in lack of oven spring when baking the loaf.
 
boedicca said:
I don't know if risking three times is the proper thing - unless the recipe actually calls for it. Over-rising the dough exhausts the yeast, resulting in lack of oven spring when baking the loaf.
Baking's Gonna Kill 'Em Anyway, Right ??
I Think I'll See If It Rises Well The Third Time
If It Don't, It's Just Flour & Water

I'l Toss It Out, Or Make Crackers !!
 
boedicca said:
I don't know if risking three times is the proper thing - unless the recipe actually calls for it. Over-rising the dough exhausts the yeast, resulting in lack of oven spring when baking the loaf.
Baking's Gonna Kill 'Em Anyway, Right ??
I Think I'll See If It Rises Well The Third Time
If It Don't, It's Just Flour & Water

I'l Toss It Out, Or Make Crackers !!


Well, it's your dough. But rather a waste of time to just ruin it.
 
Buy the high quality BREAD flour (and don't use flour that's been sitting around getting stale for awhile). I like Bob's Redmill, but King Arthur's is also good.

Agreed! That stuff sitting on the shelf at Safeway is months old. Look for better quality flour or ... do what I do. I buy hard red wheat berries in bulk and grind my own flour with an electric mill.

300-350.jpg


When stored in an airtight container, wheat berries will stay good for years. By grinding what you need, when you need it, you're guaranteed fresh flour and it tastes so much better.
 
Buy the high quality BREAD flour (and don't use flour that's been sitting around getting stale for awhile). I like Bob's Redmill, but King Arthur's is also good.

Agreed! That stuff sitting on the shelf at Safeway is months old. Look for better quality flour or ... do what I do. I buy hard red wheat berries in bulk and grind my own flour with an electric mill.

300-350.jpg


When stored in an airtight container, wheat berries will stay good for years. By grinding what you need, when you need it, you're guaranteed fresh flour and it tastes so much better.


I would love to have a mill and grind my own flour. I plan to do that when I stop working fulltime.
 
Buy the high quality BREAD flour (and don't use flour that's been sitting around getting stale for awhile). I like Bob's Redmill, but King Arthur's is also good.

Agreed! That stuff sitting on the shelf at Safeway is months old. Look for better quality flour or ... do what I do. I buy hard red wheat berries in bulk and grind my own flour with an electric mill.

300-350.jpg


When stored in an airtight container, wheat berries will stay good for years. By grinding what you need, when you need it, you're guaranteed fresh flour and it tastes so much better.


I would love to have a mill and grind my own flour. I plan to do that when I stop working fulltime.

Grinding a few cups of flour for bread takes me less time than running to the Safeway.
 
Buy the high quality BREAD flour (and don't use flour that's been sitting around getting stale for awhile). I like Bob's Redmill, but King Arthur's is also good.

Agreed! That stuff sitting on the shelf at Safeway is months old. Look for better quality flour or ... do what I do. I buy hard red wheat berries in bulk and grind my own flour with an electric mill.

300-350.jpg


When stored in an airtight container, wheat berries will stay good for years. By grinding what you need, when you need it, you're guaranteed fresh flour and it tastes so much better.


I would love to have a mill and grind my own flour. I plan to do that when I stop working fulltime.

Grinding a few cups of flour for bread takes me less time than running to the Safeway.


I just don't bake often enough to justify taking up the counter space in an already crowded kitchen. But someday, we're going to build a ranch house in a rural spot with a huge kitchen - great room. Then I'll get more bread-making gear.
 

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