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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 chemical 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.
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Flours, while visibly similar, can be very different by
virtue of how they were grown, milled, stored, etc.
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 a secure, 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
breads. This type of flour should be used for recipes in
the cake/quick bread section.
Strong plain flour/bread flour
Bread flour is a high gluten/protein flour that has
been treated with conditioners that give dough a
greater tolerance during 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.
Whole wheat flour/wholemeal flour
Whole wheat 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
All purpose flour. Breads made with this flour are
usually smaller and heavier than white loaves due to
the sharp edges of the bran and the germ cutting the
gluten strands. To overcome this whole wheat
flour/wholemeal flour is usually mixed with Bread flour
or strong plain flour to produce a high light 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.
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. Active dry
granular yeast is used in all recipes that call for yeast.
There are basically three different types of yeast
available, fresh, dry and instant quick rising. It is
recommended that traditional dry yeast be used,
however, instant quick rising can also be used in lesser
amounts. (Note: The recipes in this cookbook were
developed using traditional dry yeast except for
fastbake setting which uses a fast action or easybake
yeast which is usually sold in packets). 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 as
soon as possible 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 (granulated)
Sugar is important for the colour and flavour of
breads. It is also food for the yeast as it supports the
fermentation process. 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 even be
eliminated entirely, however, your bread may over-
proof and rise higher than normal.
