12
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.
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 Flou
r
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 four 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 easy
blend.
Fresh or compressed cake yeast is not
recommended as it will produce poor results. Store
yeast according to manufacturers instructions.
Ensure 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
bread. 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.
