Milk and milk products:
Their main purposes are:
They enhance flavour.
They increase the nutritional value
of bread.
Milk solids include protein, lactose
(milk sugar), and minerals.
Most recipes call for the use of milk powder.
NEVER use fresh milk on the overnight programme.
Otherwise it may sour during the rest time, spoiling
the final flavour.
Salt:
Salt has the following functions in
bread baking.
It strengthens gluten structure and
makes it more stretchable.
It inhibits yeast growth.
It enhances the flavour.
Therefore, too much salt will inhibit fermentation
whereas too little will result in weak gluten structure.
Both will result in a bread with low volume and poor
texture. Use ordinary table salt. DO NOT USE
coarsely GROUND SALT.
Liquid:
Cold tap water should be used.
(For BAKE RAPID, lukewarm water
should be used, especially during the
very cold winter months.)
Cold fresh milk can be substituted to
improve the keeping quality and
nutritional value of the loaf, which will have a softer
browner crust.
NEVER use fresh milk on the overnight program.
Always measure the liquid stated in the recipe
carefully, using the measuring cup provided.
TOO MUCH LIQUID will cause the dough to
collapse, giving a poor appearance.
Ingredients
18
Yeast:
Yeast is a living organism, a
microscopic plant which works as
a leavening agent in bread baking.
It acts on sugars and changes them
into carbon dioxide gas and alcohol.
This gas production causes the leavening or the rise
of yeast dough.
The alcohol evaporates during baking.
Yeast is available in two forms: fresh and dry. Dry
yeast is available in two types; the type that requires
preliminary fermentation and the type that is used dry
and may be mixed with other ingredients.
For , use the latter type.
Do not use
fresh yeast or dry yeast that requires preliminary
fermentation.
Always use yeast marked active dry ,
instant or breadmachine yeast on the packet. Do
not dissolve yeast in water before use. It is placed dry
in the bread pan first, before all other ingredients.
As there is an optimum temperature for yeast to
activate, your incorporates a heat
sensor to keep the dough at the correct temperature
during the rising process.
We use the minimum quantity of yeast required in
our recipes to avoid spoiling the flavour of the finished
loaf.
Yeast must be stored in the refrigerator for short term
storage.
For longer storage, keep in the freezer.
Its reactions to temperature are as follows:
...............................Inactive
(Storage temperature)
..................Slow action
..................Best growth (Fermentation
and proofing temperatures for
bread growth)
.................Yeast is killed
Chemical leaveners
Chemical leaveners are those that release gases
produced by chemical reactions. Chemical leaveners
used in this book are baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
and baking powder.