Our Best Bread Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the hardest bread to make? ›

Baguette. Baguettes are difficult to make because they require a precise balance of ingredients and technique. The dough must be mixed and kneaded properly to develop the gluten, and then shaped and scored correctly to achieve the iconic baguette shape and crust.

You can also put hot water in a heat-safe dish and place it on the floor of a cold oven (or on a lower shelf). The steam and heat from the water will help the temperature rise just enough that the yeast is active. The steam will also assist in keeping the surface of the dough moist so it will stretch as it rises.

Quick breads are typically mixed by hand, and it's important not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can cause the gluten in the flour to develop, resulting in a tough and chewy bread. Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined, and then stop. If there are a few lumps in the batter, that's okay.

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

There's something magical about the bread you get at your local bakeries - they're always sooo soft and fluffy. Many of these breads, especially packaged ones, are made with a ton of chemical additives such as calcium propionate, amylase, and chlorine dioxide which help keep them soft, light, and fluffy for days.

In most circ*mstances covering dough during proofing is the best practice, as it helps keep moisture in your dough. Without covering dough, the surface is likely to dry out which will limit the rise you are looking to achieve during proofing, and it can negatively impact your crust.

Yes! If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.

For best results, use a non-porous, tight fitting cover such as a saucepan lid, bowl cover or even a sheet pan laid on top of the bowl, weighted down with something. Also make sure your bowl is deep enough for the dough to double in size without hitting the cover and impeding its rise.

Don't Overmix

When stirring up quick bread recipes, it's important not to overmix the batter once you've added flour. Instead, mix until the liquid and dry ingredients are just combined. And, yes, it's OK to have a few small lumps leftover.

The main cause for homemade bread drying out so quickly is the fact that no preservatives are used in the baking process. Store-bought bread uses preservatives that not only keep it moist but also help keep mold away. Homemade bread lacks preservatives, and so it does not last nearly as long as a store-bought loaf.

Does it take the same amount of time to make yeast bread as to make quick breads? ›

While yeast breads require time to for fermentation, quick breads use chemical leavening agents including baking powder and baking soda, which creates carbon dioxide rapidly and can be mixed and baked in a short amount to time.

Bread is a baked product whose ingredients are flour, water, salt, and yeast. During bread making, biochemical and chemical-physical processes of changes occur, which affect various constituents. Water and flour are the main ingredients in a bread recipe and they affect texture and crumb the most.

For a basic loaf of bread, all it takes is flour, water, salt and raising agent – usually yeast (wild or store-bought). As with anything else, you'll get the best results if you work with the best quality ingredients. When buying your ingredients, look for flour that is high in protein.