Most of us buy our bread from the shop, but what if you could make your own bread at home?
Bread is a staple in most of our households as it is a very versatile and fulling food. It can be used to make tasty sandwiches or as an accompaniment to any meal.
And it is the one carbohydrate that almost everyone agrees on. It comes in different shapes and forms, but, just like everything else, bread has become expensive too.
What if there was a way to save money on bread? Well, there is – you can make it at home.
Here are some tips to make the perfect bread at home.
Read the recipe and follow it
I know it seems obvious, right? But sometimes, you just do not want to read the instructions and you feel lazy and think you can pull it off by only checking the ingredients.
In bread-making, you need to read the full instructions, especially if you are new to this. Do not go substituting ingredients and hoping for the same outcome.
A good recipe will tell you what usually goes wrong, how you can avoid it, and what you should use as a substitute, if possible.
Begin with the basics
Make things easier for yourself by starting off with a standard bread recipe. This will enable you to learn the basic techniques of baking bread without getting lost in the details.
Use fresh yeast
Yeast plays many roles in developing bread dough into a fluffy loaf. It also aids in the development and strength of the gluten in the dough. Dried yeast is probably the most confusing part of making bread because there are many choices in the supermarket’s baking section.
Do not forget the salt
Bread without salt is tasteless, and the crumb isn’t as well formed. Salt mediates the yeast and changes the texture of the bread. Too much salt can inhibit the yeast though, so do not overdo it.
Measure your ingredients carefully
Obvious, but important. Bread-making is a very scientific process, so you have to be pretty exact with your measurements.
Wet your hands before kneading the dough
Wet your hands before you start kneading your bread dough. Most people flour their hands, but that can actually make the dough heavier. Wetting your hands will stop the dough from sticking to your hands too much.
Relax
Do not stress about your bread being perfect. There is no point in baking at home if it does not bring you joy. If a part of the loaf burns, don’t worry. Some people like the crispy parts.
If one part is not as firm as the rest, that is fine too – some people like the soft parts. The ultimate thing to keep in mind is that as long as the bread is fresh and warm, people will pick it apart the second it hits the table.
Preheat your oven and the pan you are using
Preheat whatever pan you are using before you add the dough and stick it in the oven. If it is not preheated, the cold temperature of the pan will bring the temperature of the entire oven down, which could negatively impact the way your bread is baked.
Let the bread cool before slicing
When a loaf is freshly out of the oven, I know all you want to do is slice it and eat it. Do not do it. Resist. Let the bread cool down first.