Fresh baked bread aroma

[GD485]

Hi

Along with smell of fresh Coffee and Bacon, bread comes fairly high on my list of best kitchen aroma's.

I am a bit of a home cook and bake bread every other day even in the caravan when we are away.

I was wondering if I'm alone in hand made bread making on this forum?

 

[Damian]

No, you are not alone.
I have been making home made bread for quite a number of years as the stuff supermarkets have on the shelves they call bread is foul, and if you take a slice of white bread and squash it in your hand you are left with a lump of dough !

Home made does not last as long as shop bought as it only has unadulterated ingredients in it, but it tastes just so much better, has a better texture and normally is all eaten very quickly.

I do not use the fast action yeast, preferring to use live yeast as it has a much better taste.

Yes it takes some time and effort to produce but the results are worth it.

 

[GD485]

I do the same thing, bioreal yeast, stoneground organic flour and hand forming.
Your right about shop bought wheat based bread replacement products (WBBRP)! There is up to 13 ingredients mostly to aid processing and profit margins.
Chorleywood bread process (CBP) has changed what most people think bread is, since WW2 this country has been brainwashed into believing the supermarket stuff that lasts for more than a week is bread.
It’s my pet rant!
The Real Bread campaign has tried to get slow bread back where it belongs.
However, a large loaf of WBBRP at 80p is very attractive but tasteless.

I have been making bread for about 15 years. I tend to make yeasted breads mostly sometimes sourdough and some enhanced doughs. Like croissant, Chelsea and Hotcross.
One of my favourites for caravan holidays is Soda bread. No bulk ferment just bung it altogether and bake it. Lasts for days and makes the best fried bread.

 

[Anseo]

I have been thinking about taking the bread maker along in the caravan (I'm not skilled enough or confident enough to bake bread in the oven), more stuff to carry but have to agree that fresh baked bread smells wonderful.

I have space in the car and time on my hands when away in the caravan, so I will make a determination to try to remember the breadmaker and ingredients for future outings.

And yes, real bread varieties are supremely better than that white stuff in roll or square shapes, can someone pop-up a recipe or two and explain 'live yeast' and how to use it. Be much appreciated, perhaps a new thread?

Thanks for bringing up this topic again GD485

 

[GD485]

Hi Anseo
I'm not a fan of bread makers and the ones I've tried have produced great door stops! Bread Makers don't allow enough time to produce great bread.
A bread maker just bumps up the MTPLM!

When I going away in the Caravan I bake a loaf to take and put some dough in the fridge to cook later in the week. Live dough will become dormant at 3C so the dough remains viable for a few days up to a week.

As for the Yeast thing: Yeast is a living thing much like a fungus. "Live Yeast" is used by commercial bakers if they have a need for a constant supply but it has a short shelf life and requires a bit of love and care to keep it viable.
Dried yeast is used by most bakeries and home bakers its got a good shelf life and takes up less space. In a loaf recipe the amount of live yeast bu weight is twice that of dried yeast.
When it comes to bread making by hand requires good technique rather than fancy ingredients.

I can give you a recipe for a basic loaf that uses only 4 ingredients. From this basic recipe most bread styles can be made. With a few extra ingredients things like Bagels, Chelsea buns, Brioche and Croissants.

More important is the technique for making these breads, they aren't complex "brain surgery" type tasks and they can be mastered easily. Once the basics are understood it is easy to tweak to suit your needs and tastes.

Most people are put off by the incorrect assumption bread takes up a lot of time to make. Most basic breads need a hands on time of 20-30 mins. The whole process may take hours or even days but the time you need have dough on your hands is very little.

 

[Damian]

Here is one recipe which will produce two Crusty White loaves (or one large one)
800g Strong White Flour
450ml Lukewarm Water.
25g Fresh Yeast
15g Vetetable Shortening (Trex or Lard)
5g Sugar
10g Salt.

1.Mix the flour and salt together, rub in the vegetable shortening.
2.Dissolve the sugar in a little of the water and use to mix the yeast into a
smooth thin paste, then add the rest of the water.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour the liquid (water and yeast) in.
4. Mix well together and knead for at least 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
5. Shape into a ball and place in a warm slightly greased bowl, cover with clingfilm
or damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes to rise
6. Turn out onto a floured surface and knock all the air out of the dough
7. At this point you can decide if you want to make the two loaves or one,
if you want to make just one, cut the dough in half (weigh it) and wrap
the unwanted dough tight in clingfilm AND baco foil and freeze.
8 With the dough you are using, knead again until springy and smooth.
9. If making two loaves, cut the dough in half (weigh it) and place in two
2lb well greased loaf tins, if making one, one tin.
10. Cover the tins with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 40 to 45 minutes
to allow the dough to rise to the top of the tin(s).
11. Preheat the oven to 230c/450f/Gas 8 and bake for 40 to 45 minutes for two loaves
or 45 to 60 minutes for one large loaf.
12. Cook until golden brown and should sound hollow when gently tapped underneath.

The frozen dough, should you go that route, will keep well in the freezer for 3 months,
when needed, thaw overnight in the fridge, then knead as in step 8 then place in greased tin to rise as before and cook as described.

Fresh Yeast is a living organism of the fungi family and produces Carbon Dioxide as it feeds on the sugar, causing the dough to rise.
It must be used within 2 weeks unless frozen, when it can be stored for up to a year
at -18C.
If frozen it must be defrosted in the fridge and used within 24 hours.

There are several suppliers on ebay
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Fresh-n-Tasty-Cakes-Bakery-Supplies?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

I use this one as the yeast is first class.

 

[GD485]

Hi Damien,

I go a lot simpler with my basic white.

I don't use live yeast I prefer dried yeast without any flour improvers or enhancers. Dried yeast stores well and easier to use. Most artisan bakeries now use it. Even the Organic world of Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall at River cottage uses dried yeast.
The addition of sugar is to speed up fermentation and to feed the yeast. I my view this is the wrong way to go. Long slow fermentation allows time for the enzymes present in the flour and for the yeast to develop. this improves both texture and flavour.
The addition of fat turns the basic recipe into an enhanced bread. This stops the strands of gluten developing making the bread more cake like, a bit like brioche.
Don't get me wrong your bread recipe is a thousand times better than a supermarket bread with gum and titanium oxide!
Bread is much like any other artisan product there are thousands of different ways to get to a very similar result.

Most bakers use the Baker's ratio in there recipes, this allows scaling of the batch size and in most cases it is easier to remember.
It works simply by using a quantity of flour as the reference. Like this:

White stoneground strong bread flour of some quantity e.g. 500 grammes
The dried yeast is 1% by weight of the flour. e.g.5 grammes
The sea salt is 2% of the flour. e.g.10 grammes.
the cold tap water is 65% 325grammes.
The method:
Mix the dry ingredients and add the water. If using a mixer knead for about 10 mins.
For hand kneading stretch the dough across the worktop with the heel of the hand and claw back with the fingers turn the dough on the worktop and repeat after 5 -10 mins the dough will become smooth and springy.
Good basic dough should be tacky but not sticky (none should stick to the hand) add more flour and re-knead if the dough is too sticky. Its one of the skills you develop as you get used to your ingredients. Using the ratio method allows tweaking very easily.
Now place in a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for a good two hours.
Once the dough has doubled in size place dough on the worktop and "knock back" the dough which is nothing more than stabbing the surface for the dough with your fingers to remove the gas.
This may seem the opposite to whats required but the texture of the final bread will be improved by deflating.
Now shape the dough to the rough shape of your desired loaf on a baking tray and leave to rise for approximately 1 hour (double in size again).
Preheat the oven to 220C(fan). Place the bread in the oven and cook for 10 mins the reduce the oven to 190C and bake for a further 40 mins.
The Bread is cooked if it sounds hollow when tapped, allow to cool and enjoy with a great bit of Strong cheese and pickle.

The yeast I use is called Bioreal it is organic and made using an environmentally friendly method. The main reason I use it it doesn't have flour improvers or any other additive that just make things a bit more tricky. Its available online.

Well that's my way I'm sure there is a thousand different variations a on the same theme.

 

[saint-spoon]

I haven't ventured to yeast bread yet but I have made soda bread, much quicker and just as delicious in my humble opinion (I only really eat wholemeal anyway). As the weather warms it will be a definite for the Cobb oven.

 

[GD485]

Soda bread is an ideal bread to make when in the caravan. No kneading, rising and a relatively short bake.
I make mine with half white and brown flour, a bit of butter and buttermilk and the all important bi-carb.
Even when it’s getting bit stale it make great fried bread for a breakfast.
Very versatile and much overlooked is soda bread. There are many versions of the same idea with Irish soda bread and the Aussie damper made with beer.
Yeasted breads are just as easy but require a lot of time to rise. Don’t bother with bread makers!

 

[saint-spoon]

I wouldn't to be fair. If you do it then do it properly.

 

[GD485]

Most of the bread makers I’ve tried produce great door stops
They don’t allow variation of rise times or baking temperature. Not enough control.

 

[Buckman]

We have a Panasonic breadmaker at home and make seeded bread every week using 5 or more seeds. When we go away to France or Spain the intention is to carry it with us in the car for sue on site. The French and Spanish make very nice baguettes etc but by the next day we find they are stale. Also prefer sandwich bread and their sandwich bread is terrible!

 

[GD485]

It nice to hear that you are making your own bread. Its far more tasty than the mass produced stuff and you have the bonus of adding ingredients to your liking.
One of my favourites is sun-dried tomato and black olive focaccia. Italy in an loaf, loads of olive oil an a bit of garlic. This bread can last a good few days.
I hope you have more success with using a bread maker. Maybe the ones I've used are the bottom end of the market.
The reason why French Baguettes stale so quickly they are made without the factory-bread-chemical-set!
You can revive the bread by wrapping in foil and baking in a hot oven for 10- 15 mins. eat while it's warm. Stale bread isn't due to drying out its more to do with how the proteins behave which can be "reset" by a bit of heat.
Bread shouldn't last a week it should be eaten fresh.
Maybe my dislike of bread machines is due to how I was taught to make bread. All the training I've had has been for hand made baked goods the only machine allowed was a mixer but that was for enhanced or high hydration doughs.
The Chefs insisted on hand made is best even for a 6kg batch! Hard work too.
Good luck with the baking.

 

[Mel]

You both seem to have expertise in this area; any tips for a decent gluten free loaf. Supermarket gluten free bread has improved beyond recognition, over the twenty odd years since I was diagnosed Coeliac. However, it would be nice to make a fresh baked loaf now and then. You can buy gluten free "bread" flour, but the finished product is often cake like.
Thanks in advance
Mel

 

[GD485]

Sorry to here about you being Coeliac, not nice. I too have an auto-immune desease but it does cause any problems with wheat.
There’s lots of theories why gluten has become more of a problem. One train of thought is the current commercial bread production method doesn’t allow enough time for the yeast and enzymes to digest the gluten proteins properly.
Anyway gluten free bread will always have a bit of a cake like structure due to the lack of gluten.
I know some people with gluten intolerance can eat bread made with Spelt. It’s an ancient grain that has very reduced gluten but I think that maybe a bit too much for you unless you are borderline.
I like a challenge, so give me a week or so to find a suitable recipe for you.

 

[GD485]

Mel
There is great little book written by the River Cottage contributor Naomi Devlin on the subject of Gluten-free baking. I find the recipes they use are reliable and quite simple to follow.

 

[GD485]

Hi Mel,

As promised I've done a bit of experimenting and research regarding Gluten free bread.
Most offerings from the supermarkets seem to be more cake than bread and are very disappointing as a suitable replacement.
To make up for the loss of stretchy gluten substitutes are needed, this tends to be by using Xanthan or Guar gum. The problem here is getting the blend of flours and gums is tricky to get right (see my kitchen bin!).
I have found a easy alternative that will make the job a lot easier. I buy a lot of my flours from a mill in Gloucestershire and they have a pre-prepared blend. They sell online and call the flour mix Gluten Free White Bread Mix. I have tried this flour and followed the recipe on the bag. I extended the rise time to around 12 hours in the fridge. The result produces a crumb much like a good sour dough and has good flavour. The crust is a bit pale but does have a nice texture.
I am going to continue trying to improve the loaf over the next few weeks.

The mill can be found on https://www.shipton-mill.com

Good luck with the baking.

Geoff

 

[Mel]

Geoff, how fantastic are you! Thank you so much for experimenting, I will give it a go. The long rise is an excellent tip.
all the best
mel

 

[Buckman]

Geoff, how fantastic are you! Thank you so much for experimenting, I will give it a go. The long rise is an excellent tip.
all the best
mel

Just to update. I have started using spelt flour and less pain in my joints plus water works seems to be functioning better. We will also try the gluten free bread at some point.

 

[Simple_Life]

I have a machine!

2.5kg sultana loaf doesn't last a day!

 

[Buckman]

We now use the recipe for bread rolls and instead of using butter we use oil. In addition, we only make the dough and let the mixture rise in the baking tin. Adding seeds improves the flavour.

 

[Thingy]

Adding seeds improves the flavour.

Not like bacon does