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FRESH FROM THE OVEN
- Water or milk (whole, skimmed, evaporated or
reconstituted nonfat dry) are most often used for breads. Water makes the
crust crisp, while milk produces a soft crust and a creamy-white crumb. The
liquid must be at the correct temperature; if it is too hot, it will kill
the yeast; if it is too cold, the dough will take longer to rise.
- Many different kinds of fat (butter, margarine,
shortening, salad oil or lard) can be added to bread dough to improve flavor
and make the dough stretch more easily. The bread will have a tender crumb
and stays soft longer.
- Eggs added to a yeast dough add flavor, color and
nutrition. They soften the crust and give the interior a fine crumb.
- Do not try to speed up the yeast in bread dough by
increasing the amount of flour, sweetener or salt, or by adding ingredients.
These will only make the bread heavier.
- To test the rising of the yeast dough: The dough is
doubled when two fingertips pressed 1/2 inch into it leaves dents that
remain. If dents fill in quickly, let rise 15 minutes longer and test again.
- Ways to glaze bread before baking are: for a dark,
shiny glaze, brush on I beaten egg yolk. For a light shiny glaze, beat the
whole egg or brush on melted butter or margarine. For shine with no color,
brush on I egg white beaten with I tablespoon water.
- How can I test the vitality of yeast? Just before using
the yeast, mix some into one-quarter cup of lukewarm water that has been
enriched with one-quarter teaspoon of sugar, the food for the yeast If the
yeast mixture does not start to bubble within five to ten minutes, your
microorganisms are dead or enervated and will not leaven your dough or
batter.
- When baking bread, if tops brown too quickly, cover
loosely with foil. To test for doneness - tap on top of loaf lightly with
your fingertips. If it sounds hollow and is well browned on top, the bread
is ready. Remove loaves from pans immediately so bottoms don't become soggy;
cool on wire racks.
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