Questions about kneading, baking, storing, and culinary use of any kind of bread.
2
votes
3answers
5k views
Which baking dish is best to bake a banana bread?
When I bake a banana bread or cake at home, I always use a square Pyrex(about 20cm in width and 7 cm high) dish. The batter only fill the dish at half its height or less and I set my oven to 350F. I ...
5
votes
2answers
594 views
No-Knead Bread: How long should I raise the dough in different tempratures?
The famous No-Knead Bread recipe said:
Let dough rest at least 12 hours,
preferably about 18, at warm room
temperature, about 70 degrees (21 Celsius degrees).
But I don't have the ideal 21 ...
2
votes
1answer
163 views
What would the drawbacks/benfits be to making French toast with egg alternatives (Egg Beaters, etc)
Would there be any benefit to making French toast with a low cholesterol version of Egg alternative? Or possibly just using the whites for French toast? (I'm currently using the very basic 1 egg/3 ...
9
votes
2answers
367 views
Do bakeries generally knead dough for bread by hand or use a machine?
Question is in the title - if anyone has experience working in a bakery that would be great. Thanks!
11
votes
2answers
283 views
Good breads for evening cooking?
Are there good bread styles or techniques for baking bread in the evening after a day at work?
Specifically, there's a couple of us who have taken to bringing food for a meeting every couple of ...
12
votes
4answers
586 views
How to get threads in a yeast dough?
I think I may make some traditional food for Easter this year. What I love most is a type of rich sweet bread called kozunak. The perfect kozunak is defined by many qualities, but what I find hardest ...
8
votes
1answer
10k views
Calories in toast vs bread
Does toasting bread change the amount of calories in the bread?
i.e Does a slice of toast have more/less calories that a slice of bread?
I know that some moisture is lost in the toasting process but ...
9
votes
2answers
231 views
how to break up a bread recipe?
I found this recipe for a pull apart cheesy bread that I love. It turned out ok the first time, and I'd like to try it again for a dinner I'm having this week.
However, I don't have a lot of time to ...
2
votes
0answers
401 views
How do store bought bread keep so soft? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How does commercial whole grain bread stay fresh for so long?
Does anyone know what store bread's secret is to making certain loaves of bread super soft for more than a ...
6
votes
3answers
535 views
Baking bread with spelt flour, without using a bread pan
I ran out of "normal" wheat flour a few days ago, so I had to bake my bread with the closest thing - spelt flour.
I noticed the dough was a lot stickier than when using wheat flour, and when baked, ...
1
vote
5answers
2k views
Making bread dough in the bread maker and baking it in the oven
I am in the process of making bread in the bread maker, but I want to try to bake it in the oven. I am just making white bread. What temp and how long would you recommend baking the bread?
9
votes
3answers
1k views
Why does bread taste raw if you stop baking it and continue after it has cooled?
Unlike, for example, almost anything that is made on the stove and even cakes (of course, as long as your cake doesn't fall as you take it out of the oven), if you stop baking a loaf of bread for some ...
3
votes
0answers
388 views
What are alternate uses for leftover buttermilk? [closed]
Buttermilk is one of those pantry items that I buy for a specific recipe, then don't know what to do with the leftovers (and I think this is not uncommon). In my question about buttermilk in soda ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
Why does soda bread call for buttermilk?
I've been looking for a soda bread recipe to try and I notice that most of them contain buttermilk. Buttermilk is not a standard part of my pantry. Part of the appeal of soda bread is that it's ...
3
votes
1answer
413 views
Lightening Bread
Is there a generally accepted method for lightening bread dough that is pretty general for a variety of breads; pizza crust, whole grain bread, dessert breads, etc.
2
votes
2answers
501 views
Is it possible to make vegetarian 'prawn' toast?
As a vegetarian for over 15 years the only food I continue to miss is prawn toast. Does anybody whether it would be possible to make a vegetarian version and what alternatives to prawn could be used?
4
votes
1answer
213 views
What's the best approach to baking bread with whole grains?
I have a plethora of whole grains (barley, rye, wheat berries, kamut, spelt) sitting around my kitchen, and I'm getting bored with soups and salads. Is it possible to use these in bread (yeast, ...
11
votes
2answers
502 views
Devising a first-scratch bread recipe
I have some cracked wheat, some bran flakes, wheat germ, bread flour, and whole wheat flour (among other various things). How could I, using those ingredients and whatever basic principles (what I'm ...
6
votes
2answers
580 views
What grains (and in what ratios) go into a nine-grain flour?
Many recipes are available for making nine-grain bread, but they presuppose that you have nine-grain flour. We have a wheat grinder so we would like to use it to make our flour to make the bread.
9
votes
2answers
3k views
Does active dry yeast really need proofing?
Several sources (e.g., The Bread Baker's Apprentice, The Fresh Loaf's Yeast FAQ, and even On Food and Cooking) tell me that active dry yeast must be reactivated by proofing in warm water, or the bread ...
2
votes
1answer
281 views
Are there guidelines for choosing bread for a sandwich?
I'm trying to figure out if there's a sort of "etiquette" to it, like there is with wine.
Obviously, some sandwiches just "go" with a certain bread, like cream cheese and salmon on a bagel. I'm ...
6
votes
1answer
623 views
Why does baking bread in a closed pot make a good crust?
I just tried a recipe for bread that suggests baking it in the oven a casserole pot with a lid (Dutch oven?)
Suddenly I have a loaf with a wonderful crust which I have never managed to do with an oven ...
5
votes
4answers
752 views
How can I put a hot dog in a bun without splitting the bun?
I have some store-bought, pre-slit hot dog buns. They are a little brittle, and if I open the slit wide enough to take the hot dog, the bun splits in two.
I've tried using my toaster oven to warm the ...
3
votes
1answer
225 views
Making corn bread pudding from corn bread
I have a large batch of corn bread that's about to go bad, a situation I'd like to salvage by turning it into corn bread pudding. Unfortunately, all of the recipes I can find online start from base ...
5
votes
1answer
277 views
Safety of Egg Yolk Glaze
Yesterday I baked a special loaf of bread with an egg yolk glaze. After it was mostly cooled I covered it with plastic wrap and set it on the counter to be served today. I am now concerned that I ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
Why does bread soften after heating it up?
Usually when bread or other dough stuff gets harder after few days, I use microwave to heat it up and it softens.
Why is that so?
The taste is not that good anymore, but better then eating it hard.
...
13
votes
8answers
6k views
Why does leftover pizza dough make terrible bread?
I like to make my own pizza dough. Usually I end up with some leftover dough, which I stick in the fridge and then try to make into buns or something for breakfast the next morning. It never turns ...
5
votes
2answers
854 views
How much dough will I need in order to fill a loaf tin?
I'm going to be making a loaf of bread in a 900 g tin (11" x 4.5" x 4" deep).
What is the total weight of the dough I will need (when mixed) for a tin this size?
7
votes
2answers
361 views
How can I make this very low hydration bread more home baker friendly?
The recipe is something like that:
400g of flour
180g of water
2g of yeast
7g of salt
Part of the flour and water can be used to prepare a biga or a poolish, let's ignore that to keep it simple.
...
4
votes
2answers
7k views
My hand mixer came with dough hooks, can I knead dough with it?
I bought a fairly inexpensive (<$50) hand mixer a while back, and when I was organizing the kitchen I came across a set of dough hook attachments for it.
I thought dough was too heavy for a hand ...
10
votes
2answers
3k views
What is 'Bread Improver'?
I purchased a bread maker years ago and am happy with the bread I make with it. I was at a cooking supply store and saw Bread Improver for sale in a jar, apparently for bread makers.
What is it? Does ...
2
votes
2answers
890 views
Why does frozen bread sort of taste different?
If I buy a packet of bread:
And put it in the freezer, in it's packet, when I take it out to defrost it tastes different, sometimes drier as well. Why is this? I would of thought moisture would ...
8
votes
2answers
802 views
My grandmothers “brown” bread
I grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada and my grandmother used to make what she called "brown" bread she used to make it every time she would make homemade baked beans. She is no longer with us and I'm ...
11
votes
5answers
3k views
Crusty french bread
The crust on my french bread never turns out "crusty" like it does in restaurants, what am I doing wrong?
4
votes
2answers
895 views
How do I make bread more firm?
So I have now successfully repeated a bread recipe twice. Both times it came out with a very tight grain and very spongy. The bread itself squishes easily and bounces back. I would like to make it ...
10
votes
4answers
3k views
How to make hot dog buns or sandwich rolls with a soft crust?
Whenever I make sandwich rolls, the crust ends up too thick and too crispy. I've tried a few things, such as a moister dough, but I can't seem to get a combination of a hearty bread and a soft crust. ...
13
votes
3answers
5k views
How long will a sourdough starter last between feedings?
I'm using a sourdough starter from the recipe in Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day and I have gone through several of the rebuilding cycles with it. It's been working fairly well for me and I ...
12
votes
2answers
2k views
Cookbook says to store dough in fridge overnight, why can't I just bake it already?
I've been reading "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" and all the sourdough bread recipes call for overnight storage in the fridge. Is this really necessary? Can I just leave it out at room temperature and ...
7
votes
6answers
3k views
What can I do with extra sourdough starter?
I recently made a sourdough starter from wild yeast, but the process I followed for making it resulted in a lot of starter.
Instead of throwing it away I'd like to use it, and then once it gets down ...
4
votes
3answers
280 views
delaying moldy bread
I always keep bread around, home-made or otherwise. Is there a way to keep it from molding, or at least delay the process?
I've tried the fridge with some success (extra day or two), but I don't ...
2
votes
3answers
516 views
Bread Dough Dried out in Fridge
Last night, I mixed and worked some dough and put it in the fridge overnight. I didn't account for enough rise, and it rose out of the bowl and out from under the plastic wrap covering it. The edges ...
12
votes
4answers
24k views
baking bread with all-purpose flour
I'm a bread-baking novice and have acquired a vast quantity of all-purpose flour.
If I follow a typical bread recipe, for example one of these, but use all-purpose flour instead of the recommended ...
2
votes
1answer
358 views
Is it possible to use casserole dish to make no-knead bread?
I don't own a heavy enamel pot, which seems to be the best for no-knead bread. Is it possible to make good no-knead bread in a glass casserole dish?
8
votes
3answers
1k views
What are the factors that affect the chewiness, softness, moisture of bread based desserts like cinnamon rolls?
I made some cinnamon rolls the other day but the outside of the rolls are firm rather than soft after baking. What are the factors that affect the chewiness, softness, moisture of bread based desserts ...
3
votes
2answers
14k views
How can I prepare bread dough to be cooked the next day?
I'd like to make some fresh bread for breakfast tomorrow, but don't particularly want to wake up at 5am to mix and prove the dough. How could I make the dough tonight so that I could just throw it in ...
3
votes
3answers
3k views
Most efficient technique to prepare milk and butter for proofed yeast?
I have a recipe for rolls where 1/4 cup cubed butter is added to 2 cups of warm milk. The butter / milk mixture is added to proofed active dry yeast, and then a cup or so of flour is added to get the ...
15
votes
5answers
5k views
How warm must dough be in order to rise?
While making some focaccia this afternoon, my wife said, "sure the house is 'warm'; it'll be fine." One hour later, no rising. It may be worth noting that our house is 66F. So we stuck it in a warm ...
8
votes
2answers
425 views
Storing hard crusted bread
I'm currently baking a batch of sourdough bread. My last batch turned out perfectly with a hard crust and chewy inside. My problem is how to store the bread such that the crust stays hard. If I put it ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Techniques for mixing bread dough with stand mixer
Can anyone tell me what the best technique is for using a stand mixer to make bread dough?
I just got a stand mixer with a dough hook and have started using it for mixing and kneading bread dough. ...
9
votes
3answers
541 views
How to achieve great baguette crusts
I have baked baguettes a few times, the recipe I used was something from the net which might or might not be good. It went like this:
13 dl wheat flour
5 dl clean, cold water
salt, some olive oil
...
