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Know your ingredients
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.
Important note on flours
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 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.
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
white flour. Breads made with this flour are usually
smaller and heavier than white loaves. To overcome
this whole wheat flour/wholemeal flour can be 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.
Other ingredients
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. Fast action granular yeast is
used in all recipes that call for yeast. There are basically
three different types of yeast available, fresh, traditional dry
active and fast action.
It is recommended that fast
action type yeast be used. This type of yeast comes
in sachets and are labelled fast action, easy bake or
easyblend.
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 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
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. 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, however, your baking may
suffer.
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