Six steps to brilliant bread (2024)

Yeast is activated or brought back to life at 37C/100F (just above blood temperature). For most breads (except sourdoughs), which require long, cool fermentation, the water needs to be at least this temperature to get the yeast going. If you don’t have a thermometer, the water should feel just warm, not hot, to the touch – if the temperature is too high, it will kill the yeast.

2. Make kneading a pleasure

Six steps to brilliant bread (1)

Most breads require kneading (the process of stretching the dough) to develop the gluten and evenly distribute the ingredients. An easy way is to hold the dough with one hand and stretch it out over the work surface with the other, then bring it back to a ball and repeat with the other hand. Keep kneading until it has a smooth texture and can be stretched without tearing – this typically takes 10 minutes. Make it relaxing by turning on the radio and setting a timer.

It’s possible to over-knead dough if you’re using a tabletop mixer. The gluten can be stretched too far and start to ‘shatter’, resulting in a flat and heavy bread. If you’re worried, stop the machine after three minutes and finish kneading by hand.

3. The secret of successful rising

Six steps to brilliant bread (2)

Coat your dough with oil or cover it with oiled cling film while rising or ‘proving’ so that the surface doesn’t dry out and form a skin. Most recipes call for the bread to double in size – this can take one to three hours, depending on the temperature, moisture in the dough, the development of the gluten, and the ingredients used. Generally speaking, a warm, humid environment is best for rising bread.

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For deeper flavour (and convenience), most doughs can be put in the fridge for their second rise and left to prove overnight. This sounds wrong, given that doughs rise fastest in warm conditions, but it really does work. Put the dough in the fridge straight after shaping, covered with oiled cling film. It will start to rise but slow down as the dough chills. In the morning, allow it to come back to room temperature and finish rising 45 minutes to one hour before baking as usual.

4. Is it ready?

Six steps to brilliant bread (3)

To check that your dough has risen to its full capacity, gently press a fingertip into the surface - if the dough springs back straight away, it means the gluten still has some stretch in it, so you can leave it for a little longer. If the indentation left by your finger doesn’t move, the gluten has stretched as much as it can and the dough is ready to bake.

Don’t leave it any longer or the air bubbles will start to collapse, as the gluten will be unable to support them.

5. Knocking back

Six steps to brilliant bread (4)

This is a technical term for punching or pressing down on the dough after the bread's first rise. This process bursts the tiny air bubbles that have formed in the dough and then forces them to reform again in the final shape you want, which results in a smoother texture. For some bread recipes – such as ciabatta – irregular holes are desired, so the dough is not knocked back.

When can you use a bread machine?

Six steps to brilliant bread (5)

In theory, it's possible to do the first rise of most bread recipes in a machine, scaling the quantities to your machine and following its instructions for timings. However, you then need to finish, shape and bake the bread by hand.

Our recommendation is to use the bread machine for an everyday loaf, but to make it by hand for a really special bread. See our review of the best bread makers.

Our favourite bread recipes...

Whether you're looking for sourdough, rye, foccacia or a seeded wholemeal loaf, we've got plenty of beautiful bakes in our bread collection.

Watch our video for making three basic bread recipes from a simple dough mixture.

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Six steps to brilliant bread (6)
Six steps to brilliant bread (2024)

FAQs

What are the six 6 stages of bread making? ›

It consists of a series of steps including mixing, fermentation, makeup, proofing, baking, cooling, slicing and packaging.

What are the 6 steps to making yeast bread? ›

Directions
  1. Step 1: Proof the yeast. Taste of Home. Proofing yeast is the first step to any yeast bread recipe. ...
  2. Step 2: Make the bread dough. Taste of Home. ...
  3. Step 3: Knead. Taste of Home. ...
  4. Step 4: Let the dough rise. Taste of Home. ...
  5. Step 5: Punch down and shape.
  6. Step 6: Proof again. Taste of Home. ...
  7. Step 7: Bake. Taste of Home.
25 Mar 2021

What is the sixth step in the baking process? ›

Step 6: Pre-shaping or Rounding

This organizes the dough into consistent pieces and makes the final shaping easier and more efficient. It also stretches the gluten on the outside of the dough and forms a skin that helps it retain the gases produced by the yeast.

What are the 6 main ingredients in bread? ›

Bread Improvers.
  • Ingredient # 1. Flour:
  • Ingredient # 2. Water:
  • Ingredient # 3. Yeast:
  • Ingredient # 4. Salt:
  • Ingredient # 5. Sugar:
  • Ingredient # 6. Milk:
  • Ingredient # 7. Egg:
  • Ingredient # 8. Oil/Fat:

What is the 7th step in bread-making? ›

Proofing bread dough is the seventh step in the bread-making process. Proofing bread dough is the step before it is baked in the oven.

What are the 8 steps in bread-making? ›

There are 8 basic steps that the production of all yeast doughs follow. Keep in mind that each step may have slight variations based on the specific yeast bread being made.
...
How to Make Bread Dough
  1. Mise en Place (Scaling) ...
  2. Mixing. ...
  3. Kneading. ...
  4. Bulk Ferment (1st Rise) ...
  5. Shaping. ...
  6. Proofing or Proving (2nd Rise) ...
  7. Baking.
21 Feb 2021

What are the 6 main ingredients in yeast bread and their functions? ›

Match
  • Flour. Provides structure.
  • Gluten. Protein part of the flour.
  • Baking soda (leavening agent) Combines with an acid such as buttermilk or sour milk and produces carbon dioxide.
  • Baking powder (leavening agent) Combines with a liquid, a chemical reaction occurs carbon dioxide is formed.
  • Air. ...
  • Eggs (leaving agent) ...
  • Sugar. ...
  • Fats.

What are the 12 basic steps in the production of yeast breads? ›

SCS 019| Twelve Steps of Bread Baking
  1. Scaling Ingredients.
  2. Mixing and Kneading.
  3. Primary or "Bulk" Fermentation.
  4. Punching or "Degasing"
  5. Dividing.
  6. Rounding or "Pre-forming"
  7. Benching or "Resting"
  8. Final Forming / Panning.

How do you make bread in 10 steps? ›

These are the 10 stages of yeast production:
  1. Scaling the Ingredients.
  2. Mixing and Kneading the Dough.
  3. Fermenting the Dough.
  4. Punching Down the Dough.
  5. Portioning the Dough.
  6. Rounding the Portions.
  7. Shaping the Portions.
  8. Proofing the Products.
23 Apr 2012

What are the six method of cooking? ›

There are five main dry heat cooking methods that are important to know: baking, roasting, broiling, sautéing, and grilling. But frying such as deep-frying and pan-frying are also dry cooking techniques, relying on fat and high temps to cook the food.

What are the seven 7 components of baking? ›

What are the 7 basic baking ingredients? The essential ingredients consists of flour, leaveners, salt, sugar, dairy, fats, extracts, spices & other add-ins such as vanilla extract, and chocolate chips.

What are the steps in making bread? ›

Bread making involves the following steps:
  1. Mixing Ingredients. Mixing has two functions: ...
  2. Rising (fermentation) Once the bread is mixed it is then left to rise (ferment). ...
  3. Kneading. ...
  4. Second Rising. ...
  5. Baking. ...
  6. Cooling.

What makes a good bread? ›

Slightly moist, tender and Moist, tender and light Soft, springy texture, flaky crumb, with a medium crumb, with medium fine, tender and slightly moist fine grain. evenly distributed air with fine grain, thin- spaces. walled cells.

What is the 4th step in bread making? ›

Step 4: First proofing / Bulk fermentation. Once a dough has been made it is ready for its first rise, also called bulk or first fermentation. As mentioned in the kneading stage: in order to make a fluffy bread air pockets have to be made. These are grown through fermentation of the yeast.

What are the 9 steps in making dough? ›

9 Steps of Yeast Bread Making
  1. Scaling of Ingredients. ...
  2. Mixing. ...
  3. Bulk Fermentation (1st Proof) ...
  4. Punch Down. ...
  5. Divide & Shape. ...
  6. Bench Rest. ...
  7. Scoring/Finishing. ...
  8. Bake.
13 Jan 2021

What are the 9 basic techniques used in baking? ›

Basic Baking Techniques
  • Scoop and Level Method.
  • Spoon and Level Method.
  • Scoop and Pack Method.
  • Tips and Tricks for Measuring.
  • Quick Bread Mixing or the Easiest Mixing Method.
  • The Creaming Method.
  • Rub In The Flour Method.
  • Hot Milk Method for Baking.
30 May 2021

What are the 7 distinct stages when cooking with yeast? ›

- STEP BY STEP GUIDE - BAKING WITH YEAST
  • Prepare Yeast. There are two ways to incorporate yeast into dough: ...
  • Mixing. Mixing combines ingredients to form a dough mass that will be ready for kneading. ...
  • Kneading. ...
  • First Rise. ...
  • Punching Down. ...
  • Shaping. ...
  • Final Rise. ...
  • Baking.

What are the 5 essential ingredients in bread? ›

The 5 bread ingredients are:
  • flour.
  • yeast.
  • sugar.
  • salt.
  • oil.
16 Sept 2022

What are the 3 main steps to baking bread? ›

Directions
  1. Step 1: Proof the yeast. Before you can get to mixing and kneading, it's important to proof the yeast. ...
  2. Step 2: Mix the bread dough. ...
  3. Step 3: Knead the bread dough. ...
  4. Step 4: Proof the dough. ...
  5. Step 5: Punch down and proof again. ...
  6. Step 6: Bake and enjoy.
4 Nov 2022

What are the 5 main ingredients in yeast bread? ›

There are recipes for so many different styles of bread out there, but sometimes it is wonderful to go back to basics. This traditional yeast bread is as simple and plain as it gets with a straightforward combination of flour, water, yeast, a little sugar, and butter.

How many stages does bread production have? ›

First is the “incorporation stage”, then “slow mixing” and finally “fast kneading”. The three-pronged approach encourages the gluten structure to develop into a well-hydrated, strong structure that will retain gas. Good gas retention qualities are vital for good bread dough, and proper kneading is where it begins.

What are 5 tips for making quick breads? ›

Quick Bread Tips
  1. Measure Accurately.
  2. Test Baking Soda or Baking Powder for Freshness.
  3. Preheat Oven 10 Minutes Before Baking.
  4. Don't Over Mix the Batter.
  5. Get Batter Into the Oven Quickly.
  6. Position Your Oven Racks.
  7. Set a Timer.
  8. Cutting the Quick Bread.

What are the six 6 stages used for food preparation and standard recipes according to food production requirements? ›

select ingredients. select, prepare and use equipment.
...
Confirm food production requirements
  • determining the ingredients required.
  • understanding and dealing with deadlines for food preparation.
  • using correct portion control to make the most of the available produce or ingredients.
  • estimating the quantities to be produced.
30 Jan 2020

What are the 5 steps in cooking? ›

The aim is to make the 5 steps of cooking – preserving, preparing, cooking, dishing up and washing up – straightforward and consequential. To offer the tools of the trade of the greatest chefs to home cooks.

What is a Level 6 Chef? ›

Cook (tradesperson) Grade 5 (wage level 6) A chef de partie or equivalent who has completed an apprenticeship* or has passed the appropriate trade test* in cooking, butchering, baking or pastry cooking and who performs any of the following: • general and specialised duties, including supervision or training of kitchen ...

What are the 4 elements of good cooking? ›

Chef Calls 'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat' The 4 Elements Of Good Cooking Chef Samin Nosrat talks with NPR's Rachel Martin about what she calls the four essentials of good cooking. Nosrat's new cookbook is called Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.

What are the six 6 major ingredients in baking? ›

9 Essential Ingredients That Every Baker Needs
  • Flour. Basic Flour. ...
  • Leaveners. Eggs, Yeast, Baking Powder, Baking Soda | Photo by Meredith. ...
  • Sugar. Syrup, Honey, Molasses, White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Powdered Sugar | Photo by Meredith. ...
  • Salt. Basic Salt. ...
  • Dairy. Basic Dairy. ...
  • Fats: Oil and Shortening. ...
  • Extracts and Flavorings. ...
  • Spices.
28 Jun 2022

What are the 4 main ingredients in bread? ›

The principal ingredients in all bread are:
  • Flour.
  • Yeast.
  • Salt.
  • Water.

What kind of bread did Jesus ate? ›

The gospels of Mark, Luke, and Matthew place the meal during the Jewish Passover on the day of Unleavened Bread.

What kind of bread is Jesus? ›

Sacramental bread, also called Communion bread, Eucharist wafer, the Lamb or simply the host (Latin: hostia, lit.

What is God's bread called? ›

The Bible has two parts of the same book: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament tells the story of God's people before Jesus was born, and the New Testament tells the story of His people after Jesus was born. God's people were called the Israelites.

What is the secret to baking a good bread? ›

16 Bread Baking Tips Your Grandma Forgot To Tell You
  1. Start with fresh, organic ingredients. ...
  2. Use high protein wheat or add gluten. ...
  3. Rise it at 70F. ...
  4. Proof your yeast. ...
  5. Optional dough conditioner bread baking tip. ...
  6. Half the yeast and double the rising time. ...
  7. Use less flour than you think you need. ...
  8. Knead with wet hands.

What flour makes the best bread? ›

Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, ranging from 12% to 14%. That makes this type of flour ideal for all kinds of bread recipes, including hearty sourdoughs, tender brioche, and lacy English muffins.

What ingredient makes bread last longer? ›

Add in a Bit of Pectin

It is most commonly used as a gelling agent in jams and jellies, but it can also be used to help preserve the life of your home-baked sweets and savory breads. A tablespoon or two of powdered pectin can help improve the consistency of baked goods while also giving them a longer shelf life.

What are the stages of dough making? ›

Dough Mixing
  • Incorporate air.
  • Hydrate dry ingredients.
  • hom*ogenize the dough by evenly distributing all the ingredients.
  • Knead the dough.
  • Develop the gluten.

What is the 1st stage in making bread? ›

Stage 1: Gathering everything that you need to make the loaf

That way you are always ready for the next stage. For bread making there are a few essentials that you need: Your ingredients, flour, yeast, salt & water.

What are the 12 stages of bread making? ›

SCS 019| Twelve Steps of Bread Baking
  1. Scaling Ingredients.
  2. Mixing and Kneading.
  3. Primary or "Bulk" Fermentation.
  4. Punching or "Degasing"
  5. Dividing.
  6. Rounding or "Pre-forming"
  7. Benching or "Resting"
  8. Final Forming / Panning.

What is the process of bread? ›

When you add yeast to water and flour to create dough, it eats up the sugars in the flour and excretes carbon dioxide gas and ethanol — this process is called fermentation. The gluten in the dough traps the carbon dioxide gas, preventing it from escaping. The only place for it to go is up, and so the bread rises.

What are the 10 steps of bread production? ›

The 10 Stages of Yeast Production
  1. Scaling the Ingredients.
  2. Mixing and Kneading the Dough.
  3. Fermenting the Dough.
  4. Punching Down the Dough.
  5. Portioning the Dough.
  6. Rounding the Portions.
  7. Shaping the Portions.
  8. Proofing the Products.
23 Apr 2012

Which is the most important stage of the bread making process? ›

The second fermentation, which comes after shaping, in step 10 is the most important step for making a bread that rises above the norm. The first fermentation is the one who determines the taste of the bread.

What are the 3 main methods of bread? ›

Straight Dough Method. Delayed Salt Method. Sponge and Dough Process (S&D)

What is the most important part of making bread? ›

Kneading is the process of repeatedly folding the dough onto itself. It is a vital part of making bread because it distributes the yeast evenly throughout the dough, forming long, stretchy strands of protein called gluten. The kneading stage can intimidate a beginner.

What are 4 key things to remember when making bread? ›

Follow these tips for bread that comes out right every time.
  • Use the right yeast. ...
  • Store your yeast properly. ...
  • Treat salt with care. ...
  • Take your time. ...
  • Try different flours. ...
  • Consider vitamin C. ...
  • Practice makes perfect. ...
  • Don't prove for too long.

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