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Understanding Baking
It is often said that cooking is an art relying on the creativity of
the chef, while baking bread is much more of a science. This
means that the process of combining flour, water and yeast,
results in a reaction that produces bread. You have to
remember that when the ingredients combine with each other
they produce a specific result. Read the following information
carefully to gain a better understanding of the importance
each ingredient plays in the breadmaking process. In all of the
recipes you create yourself, never exceed a total amount of 5
cups of dry ingredients (that includes the total amount of flour,
oats, oatmeal, bran.) Also do not exceed the total amount of 3
teaspoons (tsp) of yeast and 5 teaspoons of baking powder.
Using The Right
Ingredients - Flour
Flours, while visibly similar, can be very different by virtue of
how they were grown, milled and stored. You may find that
you will have to experiment with different brands of flour to
help you make that perfect loaf. Storage is also very
important, as all flours should be kept in an airtight container.
All Purpose Flour/Plain Flour
All purpose flour is a blend of refined hard and soft wheat
flours especially suitable for making cake. This type of flour
should be used for recipes in the cake/quick bread section.
Strong White Flour/Bread Flour
Bread flour is a high gluten/protein flour that has been treated
with conditioners that give dough a greater suitability for
kneading. Bread flour typically has a higher gluten
concentration than All purpose flour; however, depending on
different milling practices, this may vary. Strong plain flour or
bread flour are recommended for use with this Breadmaker.
Wholewheat Flour/ Wholemeal Flour
Wholewheat flour/wholemeal flour is milled from the entire
wheat kernel which contains the bran and germ and makes it
heavier and richer in nutrients than white flour. Breads made
with this flour are usually smaller and heavier than white
loaves.
To overcome this wholewheat flour/wholemeal flour can be
mixed with Bread flour or strong plain flour to produce a
lighter textured bread.
Self-Raising Flour
Self-raising Flour contains unnecessary leavening ingredients
that will interfere with bread and cake making.
It is not recommended for use.
Bran
Bran (unprocessed) & Wheat Germ are the coarse outer
portions of the wheat or rye grains separated from flour by
sifting or bolting. They are often added in small quantities to
bread for nutritional enrichment, heartiness and flavour. They
are also used to enhance the texture of bread.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal comes from rolled or steel-cut oats. They are used
primarily to enhance flavour and texture.
10
Using The Right
Ingredients - Others
Yeasts (Active Dry Yeast)
Yeast through a fermentation process produces gas (carbon
dioxide) necessary to make the bread rise. Yeast must be able
to feed on sugar and flour carbohydrates in order to produce
this gas. There are three different types of yeast available:
fresh, traditional dry active, and fast action. It is
recommended that fast action yeast be used for the recipes in
this book. Fresh or compressed cake yeast is not
recommended as they will produce poor results. Store yeast
according to manufacturers instructions. Ensure your yeast is
fresh by checking its expiration date. Once a package or can
of yeast is opened it is important that the remaining contents
be immediately resealed and refrigerated for future use. Often
bread or dough, which fails to rise is due to stale yeast being
used. The following test can be used to determine whether
your yeast is stale and inactive:
1
Place half a cup of lukewarm water into a small bowl or cup.
2
Stir 1 tsp. of sugar into the water then sprinkle 2 tsp. of yeast
over the surface.
3
Place bowl or cup in a warm area and allow to sit for 10
minutes undisturbed.
4
The mixture should foam and produce a strong yeast aroma.
If this does not occur, discard mixture and start again with
another packet of dried yeast.
Sugar
Sugar is important for the colour and flavour of breads.
It is also food for the yeast as it is part of the fermentation
process. Use caster sugar or soft brown sugar according to
the recipe.
Artificial sweeteners cannot be used as a substitute for
sugar as the yeast will not react properly with them.
Salt
Salt is necessary to balance the flavour of breads and cakes,
as well as for the crust colour that develops during baking.
Salt also limits the growth of yeast so the amounts shown in
the recipes should not be increased. For dietary reasons it
may be reduced, although results may be affected.
Liquids/Milk
Liquids such as milk or a combination of powdered milk and
water, can be used when making bread. Milk will improve
flavour, provide a velvety texture and soften the crust, while
water alone will produce a crisp crust. Some recipes include
juice (orange, apple, etc) to be added as a flavour enhancer.
Note: For most recipes we suggest the use of dry (powdered)
skimmed milk.
Eggs
Eggs add richness and a velvety texture to bread doughs and
cakes. Recipes supplied use medium eggs.
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