Picture Perfect Bread

The secret-at least most of it-is in the rise. The most common mistake that we see in bread making is not letting the dough rise enough.

So how do we know when the bread has risen enough? The dough will double in size. It will be soft and look a bit airy. When you touch it with your finger, it will feel soft and an indention in the dough will remain. If it feels a bit springy and the dough bounces back from the indentation, it hasn't risen enough.

To help you tell when your bread has risen enough, most recipes tell you how long to let the bread rise at normal kitchen temperatures. (The stated time is a guideline but it's usually pretty accurate if you are using water at the recommended temperature. Set the timer and forget about the bread until you hear the timer.)

Can you let bread rise too much? Yes-but most of us are too impatient to let that happen often. If it does rise too much, it will be blistered, so soft it won't hold its form, and may even collapse. No problem. Just gently knead some of the air from the dough, reshape the loaves, and let it rise again. It will rise more quickly the second time.

Sometimes, the bread dough is too dry or too wet. That won't happen often if you carefully measure the water. Traditional bread dough will be soft and barely sticky but dry enough to handle with a little flour on your hands. Environmental conditions, such as humidity or water hardness, may affect the moisture in the dough. If you feel that your dough is too wet or dry, add another tablespoon or two of flour or dribble in a tablespoon of water.

One more thing-when you put your loaves into the oven, allow as much space as possible between the loaves and between the loaves and oven walls. If air can't circulate properly around the loaves, the loaves will be misshapen.

Baking bread is an art. With a little practice, anyone can have picture perfect bread. Even when it is not picture perfect, it is a treat to enjoy.

Dennis Weaver is the general manager at The Prepared Pantry (http://www.preparedpantry.com) with recipes, ideas, and the best selection of mixes and ingredients. Visit the free Bakers' Library for more articles like this, free baking guides, and tested recipes.

---

Modifying Your Recipes, More or Less

You just found that great recipe that you have been... Read More

What is Gluten and Why does it Matter?

Gluten is a substance made up of the proteins found... Read More

Unique Cake Decorating With Flowers

Flowers as a Cake Decoration, unique and easy to place... Read More

Slimming Secrets From The Kitchen

To get the svelte figure, start in the kitchen. Slimming... Read More

How To Eat Fresh Vegetables ? Ideas for Working More Veggies Into Your Diet

Fresh, uncooked veggies are so healthy and it's important to... Read More

Troubleshooting Machine Bread

Bread machines-wonderful inventions that they are-don't think very well. You... Read More

Save Time in the Kitchen - Cook Pasta the Way Restaurant Chefs Do

Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a... Read More

Is Cooked Food Really All That Good For Us?

In nature all animals eat living foods as yielded up... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 2 of 5) Selecting a Wok

As mentioned in Part 1 of the series, woks come... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 1 of 5)

IntroductionWoks have been synonymous with Chinese cooking since the emergence... Read More

Once-A-Month-Cooking: How to Make Your Plan Work

As one of the oldest children in a family of... Read More

Reductions: Proving Less is More

Any liquid can be reduced just by heating it -... Read More

Buying, Storing, and Preparing Apricots

When buying apricots, always look for those that are firm,... Read More

Pyrex Mixing Bowls ? A Kitchen Favorite

Pyrex mixing bowls typically come in sets of 3 with... Read More

Flax Seed Will Add A Little Extra Flavor To Your Recipes

Flax seed will add a pleasant nutty taste to any... Read More

What Are Scoville Units?

To understand what a Scoville Unit is, one must understand... Read More

The Right Grill for Your Barbecue

Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice... Read More

Picture Perfect Bread

The secret-at least most of it-is in the rise. The... Read More

Why do We Need to Knead?

Bread dough needs to be elastic in order to capture... Read More

The Best-Kept Secrets of Beef Revealed! Get Ready to Become the Meat Expert in Your Family!

Do you helplessly stand at the meat counter looking from... Read More

The Wonderful Wok: Stir Frying Basics

Want to enjoy the tantalizing taste of Asian food at... Read More

10 Deadly Bacteria That Can Get In Your Food (And How To Stop Them From Getting There)

Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our... Read More

Bacteria and Food-borne Diseases

Types of BacteriaBacteria are all around us, in the air,... Read More

Digital Kitchen Timers ? Never Burn Another Dish

Digital kitchen timers come in many shapes and sizes. Timers... Read More

Make It With Mint

It wouldn't be summer without fresh mint in pots on... Read More

Christmas Cookie Decorating 101

Many bakers ask for tips and instructions on decorating cookies.... Read More

Bread in the Woods

We really like fresh bread while we're camping. There is... Read More

Kitchen Canister Sets - How to Beautify Your Kitchen

Kitchen canister sets are a great way to accent your... Read More

A Cookie Assembly Line: Efficient Cookie Baking for Busy Cooks

As a busy working mother, I'm short on time, especially... Read More

Barbeque Grilling has Reached a Whole New Dimension

Grilling on the barbecue has never been more exciting. Not... Read More

Fine Tuning Bread Machine Mixes

Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were trying to... Read More

Baking Bread and Your Freezer

There's a lot of bread in our freezer. In our... Read More

Storing Fats and Oils

The human body requires the intake of six types of... Read More