Bread baking...?

Question

I love good bread and for a while have collected several receipes and a few books.

I prefer a good crust and flavorful light interior. Artisan-type breads that are at Safeway with olives are great, but I want to take it up a notch.

What are some tips for good bread baking? Do you use a stone? Do you spray the oven? Do you put any wash on it before baking?

Answer 1

Make sure you have a good recipe (they can be found at King Arthur Flour (link below), or in the book Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan (GREAT step by step instructions) and there are some good ones on allrecipes.com and these are just a few excellent bread making sources), good flour (I only use King Arthur Flour and I usually use bread flour when making bread, unless the recipe specifically says to use another kind of flour*), fresh ingredients and a good dependable yeast, such as SAF (can usually be purchased at your local grocery store or online at King Arthur Flour).

Also make sure your dough is kneaded a sufficient amount of time. This is going to determine the structure and texture of your bread - just don't over-knead it or it may be tough instead of tender.

Just a note about SAF instant yeast - I love this because it does not need to be proofed - in almost every case you can mix it directly into your flour and I have NEVER had a bad result using SAF.

*Also, most of the time when a recipe calls for all-purpose flour, I use bread flour because it has a higher protein and generally yields a better result than all-purpose.

Link to KAF recipes: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/landing.jsp?go=DefaultRecipeMain

To get a good crispy crust and a tender inside: I first heat my baking stone to baking temp, then I put ice cubes on a tray on the bottom rack of the oven an then right before putting my bread in the oven I spray the tops with water using a misting spray bottle.

I hope this is helpful to you.

Answer 2

My tips for good bread are:

Don't over knead the bread that will make it tough.
Let it rest as needed
"Proof" the bread properly usually 20 minutes will give the interior a nice fluffyness.
Wash the outside with an egg wash or heavy cream wash.

I don't use a stone and no need to spray the oven.

Answer 3

A big ceramic bowl -- I had a big ceramic bowl in which I mixed my bread dough. Then when it was completely kneaded, oiled the sides, placed dough in, covered with Saran, placed in oven (with pilot light) to successfully rise each time. Now I no longer have that old oven or that big ceramic bowl. Gave that to Goodwill. At one point when I was still making bread, I was looking for a bread stone -- but lost interest before purchasing it. I'll bet it makes good bread better - but I like focaccia baked in a clay oven.

Whenever I want to make some bread, I use the bread machine which is not as fancy or as good in my opinion but a whole lot easier.

Answer 4

i admire that heady scent! I as immediately as had the theory to industry a product. It grow to be like that frozen bread dough you purchase on the nutrition industry to bake at residing abode. diverse than this is plenty extra advantageous indoors your ability. You bake it indoors the oven and it makes your place heady scent like bread, after which you throw it away. It wasn't for the bread in any understand, merely the heady scent. 8^) Up the constrained-get entry to highway from the region I stay the constrained-get entry to highway is going suited previous between the biggest bread bakeries indoors the international. became as quickly as you need to heady scent it for a pair of mile of constrained-get entry to highway! I enjoyed it! Then quicker or later you need to no longer heady scent it anymore. It grew to grow to be out that spectacular warmth bread heady scent is produced from hydrocarbons that contribute to smog! so as that they made them clean out their exhaust. 8^<

Answer 5

I always used the coffee can idea I would cut out both sides of a coffee can and bake it in there Wow it's great !!!!!