Bread Basics
BASIC BREADS
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This is the tale of the loaf on the shelf.
As told to me by the loaf itself:
This is the tale that was told to me
By a loaf of home-made bread, you see,
As it sat one night on the pantry shelf-
A loaf on each side of it--just like itself,
While grouped around stood the pies and cakes,
The good old kind like mother makes.
I seem to trace through the distant haze
My bygone life in the good old days;
I see in my vision a field of wheat-
I knew I was there that the world might eat--
I drank of the showers and the morning dew;
In the noonday sun I throve and grew....
And when I had grown both tall and strong
The reapers came--a merry throng--
And through the fields they wend their way.
Just to and fro through the livelong day.
Perhaps they were rude--for they cut me dead--
But what if they did? I kept my head
And turned on my back and laughed in glee
At the thought of the good, good flour I'd be.
I know I was good, yet the day came at last
When they said I'd be better if soundly thrashed.
Please pardon me here--I can't dwell on this much,
The subject is painful--my feelings are such.
Oh my! but the straw, it flew high in the air
And the chaff chaffed unceasing, but I didn't care
And then came the time when I journeyed away
To the mills where the "Roller Mills" roll all day,
And all of them smiled with a happy grin
And welcomed us poor little wheatlets in...
And now in the latest fashions gay
In the big round world I have my say
For in this most becoming sack,
Please note the hang--both front and back,
I journeyed far from the land of my birth
To feed the hungry hordes of Earth...
To the kitchen I go--to the bakers who bake
The bread and the cookies, the pies and the cake;
It was there that I met the package of yeast
Who raised the dough for the coming feast,
And that's why I sit and talk tonight,
For tomorrow I know I'll be out of sight....
(Modified from a poem by L. P. Hubbard, 1905)
So you're going to bake bread! You probably won't bake all the bread you'll
eat from now on, but knowing how to bake bread can be a great pleasure and
maybe a necessity in your life.
Many people bake bread as a hobby. While most crafts take weeks to complete,
a loaf of bread can be made in just a few hours.
Bread can be made with very few ingredients or many. It can be made with
equipment most kitchens have on hand or with expensive equipment. Either way,
in a minimum amount of time, you can have something very special to share with
family and friends.
Bread is nutritious! It is great anytime! It is low in calories. A
one-ounce serving contains no more than 80 to 100 calories unless it is fried
or covered with a spread. It is an important source of carbohydrates, fiber,
iron, protein and B vitamins.
Each loaf is like a small miracle, an accomplishment, a gift!
The quest for the "perfect" loaf is said to be comparable to finding the
secret to a joyful life, an ideal marriage and eternal happiness! But even
not-so-perfect beginning loaves can be very good, too.
Bread is extremely personal. Three people can follow the same recipe and the
resulting product, shape, and embellishments could be different! Kneading the
bread before baking can be an act of meditation, a way to vent frustration and
a way to express creativity. Kneading should be done at a comfortable height
that allows the arms to be fully extended so palms can rest on the work
surface. A good guide is that the counter should be level with the wrist as
you stand next to it. A table may be more suitable work surface for a child.
There are so many types of bread and so many ways of preparing it--the fun is
in the discovery!
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The first lesson is divided up in four parts:
1. Singing and Tasting
2. Bread in the Food Pyramid
3. Slicing and Storing Bread
4. Bread Making and Baking
Depending on advance preparation, this lesson can be done in as little time as
an hour or all day (depending mostly on the fourth section of the meeting).
After the bread making section, we suggest that the young people and adults go
through several individual and individualized sessions as soon as possible
using the Fleischmann's bread baking kit, the learning loaf we've outlined and
was popularized in the 1940s (see at end of lesson), or the one most recently
published by Cook (1995). Perhaps using all three methods are best as each
one of us has a unique learning style and youth "pick up" new ideas in
different ways. The other lessons can follow in any order. You may choose to
use the activities outlined or something that inspires you from the reading.
Bread making is fun, use your creativity in teaching, too!
Advance Preparation--Plan Ahead!
Get everyone involved! Assign one adult or teen leader to prepare and
teach each lesson.
1. Singing and Tasting
Set up tables with stations that have bowls or custard cups and scoops next to
different variety of flours. Bake and purchase a number bread products to
show the types of bread products available.) Photo copied labels are nice,
but youth learn more from having the actual product.
Also, set up a snack area for the youth with homemade bread, grape jelly;
raspberry, strawberry or cherry jam; and butter or margarine to match the
following jingle. You can vary the jingle depending on the type of bread you
serve. Finally make enough copies of the jingle so everyone can have one to
read:
Yellow butter purple jelly red jam black bread
Spread it thick
Say it quick
Yellow butter purple jelly red jam black bread
Spread it thicker
Say it quicker
Yellow butter purple jelly red jam black bread
Now repeat it
While you eat it
Yellow butter purple jelly red jam black bread
don't talk
with your mouth full!
Mary Ann Hoberman
2. Breads and the Food Pyramid
Set up a basket with actual bread products and/or cardboard and plastic food
models. Also provide a scale and a cutting board and knife (if the products
are real. Food models may be obtained from the Dairy Council or your
extension office may have some they will loan.) The Dairy Council also has
food pyramid stickers that can be ordered in advance and given to each young
person in the group.
3. Slicing and Storing Bread
Prepare several loaves in advance. These may be all yeast loaves or include
some quick breads so that the youth will be able to recognize the different
types. Provide several bread boards and cutting knives, cloth or paper towels
to wipe hands and tables, and foil, freezer paper or freezer bags to show how
to freeze breads. Include a sample of store purchased bread so the youth are
able to locate the expiration date.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Activity:
Most of us are conditioned to judge a bread's freshness by the squeeze test,
so we can be easily fooled into buying bread on softness alone.
Purchase breads with various expiration dates (you may have to buy bread
several days in a row. Have youth try squeezing the bread to judge freshness
and place the bread products in order of their freshness. Then check the
expiration dates on the tags.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Round up bread equipment and/or ask a kitchen shop to display a variety
utensils, bowls and pans. (They may want to also show items such as bread
boxes, table maids, slicers, bread boards with crumber racks.) The youth
don't need to have these items, but it is good for them to know what each does
and that they are available.) Set out about 5 or 6 general cookbooks that
have bread recipes in them (you can borrow these from the library).
Also prepare some "rotting jars" and have several slices of bread that has
been "just left around" for several days or weeks. Provide a comparison of
homemade vs. commercial bread. (Tape on lids securely and dispose carefully.
The jars should not be opened.)
4. Making and baking bread
Order Fleischmann's bread making kit or use the learning loaf recipe that
follows. Have bread ready in various stages in preparation for a
demonstration on how to make bread and extra dough available to teach the
youth how to knead and form a loaf or make unique shapes.
ACTUAL LESSON
As the youth arrive, hand out jingle. Have someone lead the jingle as others
are setting out bread products for them to sample. Set cookbooks open to
bread pictures and recipes on a coffee table or in a seating area so youth and
adults can browse and get inspired.
Enjoy sampling bread. Explain the purpose of the lessons 1-6, what you have
planned and ask them what they would like to be doing also. Before the next
lesson, put together a planning grid that has the date and location of each
lesson, the lesson, and what will be happening.). Show types of bread. If
you don't have actual bread, show food models. Spend some time discussing the
food pyramid and the number of servings of bread and bread products and the
serving sizes needed per day.
Show how to slice the bread. Try using a variety of knives and point out how
much better the bread knife slices. However, sometimes warming a sharp knife
before slicing is helpful. Cutting bread on its side may be easier, also. In
any case, the bread should be cool. A hot loaf of bread will collapse or
compress if you slice it too soon. Talk about the bread board. Why is it
good to have one? How do you care for it? Show how to store bread in a bread
box, drawer, and in the freezer. Homemade bread doesn't last more than a
couple of days stored at room temperature. Through the use of the "rotting
jars" show how quickly bread decomposes and when it is not good to eat. Show
other bread making and serving equipment and utensils and how to use these.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Finally, provide a demonstration in which the youth can participate by
checking temperatures, kneading the dough, covering, shaping etc. If there is
enough time, a demonstration on how to clean equipment with members actually
participating is very helpful.
As soon as demonstration is over, give the key points that you want the
members and their parents to remember, remind them about the next meeting and
that you want them to practice making bread several times before the next
meeting. Give them supplies they can use from the Fleischmann's bread baking
kit or provide them with the following recipe:
If you have time, talk about the care of ingredients that go into a homemade
loaf of bread. For example, storing eggs in the carton in the refrigerator
and watching the expiration date on eggs and dairy products, and yeast. All
ingredients should be at room temperature before baking. If whole grain flour
has been refrigerated. It should be removed an hour before use or placed in a
warming oven.. When butter is used straight from the refrigerator, cut it
into small pieces or soften it a few seconds in the microwave oven.
What makes flours distinct from one another is the hardness of the grain.
Hardness refers to gluten and protein, which form the cell structure of the
dough. Harder flours can absorb more liquid and usually require a longer
kneading time. Label the date of purchase and store at 70 degrees F. for up
to six months. Flour should be kept in airtight containers or the bag of
flour placed in a plastic bag. Any flour that contains part of the germ from
grain will easily turn rancid, so should be refrigerated or frozen up to three
months (let flour come to room temperature before using). Be sure to check
for weevils or other pests, too.) A bay leaf is sometimes stashed in a
container of flour to ward off pests.
Yeast is not a simple thing. It is a fungus of which there are many strains,
each with its own personality. Bread yeast comes from the species of yeast
called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. Yeast can be purchased as active dry yeast,
compressed yeast, rapid-rise yeast, and bread machine yeast. Most yeast
requires no refrigeration, but will retain its activity for longer periods if
stored in a refrigerator rather than at room temperature. Yeast is dated to
insure best results in its use.
Compressed yeast is a moist mixture of yeast and starch. The moisture makes
it perishable. It must be refrigerated and used within 2 or 3 weeks.
Compressed yeast that crumbles easily is still good, even though drying may
have turned the edges slightly brown. Compressed yeast should be crumbled in
water 90 to 100 degrees and allowed to stand 10 minutes before mixing. Active
dry yeast grows best in temperatures of 105 to 115 degrees and rapid rise
yeast (that is stirred first into dry ingredients) can handle liquids of 125
degrees to 130 degrees). Compressed yeast is excellent for soured yeast
breads that require a firm dough and a long rising time. Compressed yeast has
a short "shelf life"--so watch the expiration date closely. Some folks like
to use a starter, rather than yeast. One-half cup starter is equivalent to 1
tablespoons of active dry yeast. Rising time is slower than with commercial
yeast, though there is less chance of overproofing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yeast test:
In a small mixing bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon (tsp.) granulated white sugar in
1/2 cup warm water 110-115 degrees. Sprinkle 2 1/4 tsp. of yeast over the
surface. Stir the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes. The yeast mixture
should be frothy and double in size.
Another test:
Dissolve one package in 1/4 cup warm water with one teaspoon sugar. If yeast
foams, then it will perform.
Final test:
Check the expiration date on the yeast package or jar.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Take time to get ready to bake:
1. Be spotlessly clean--hair combed, apron (you really need one!),
hands and nails scrubbed clean.
2. Read all directions completely and carefully.
3. Assemble all the necessary ingredients.
4. Assemble all utensils needed. A good plan is to keep mixing spoons,
measuring cups, scraper and all other small utensils on a tray, a
cookie sheet or set them on a sheet of waxed paper. This makes
cleaning up easy.
5. Learn to regulate the oven for best results.
6. Measure accurately.
UTENSILS FOR MAKING BREADS AND ROLLS
1. A large bowl that holds at least two quarts. A glass bowl or a
crockery bowl is especially good. When warmed, it holds the dough
at an even temperature. It protects the dough and keeps it warm
like a coat keeps you warm.
2. A set of measuring cups to measure dry ingredients. A set has cups
to measure 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup.
3. A measuring cup to measure liquids. This may be a 1-cup, 2 cup or 4
cup measure with measures marked on the side to use smaller amounts
of ingredients.
4. A set of measuring spoons. A set has spoons to measure 1 Tablespoon
(3 teaspoons), 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon. (The
abbreviation for a tablespoon is T. or Tbsp. The abbreviation for a
teaspoon is tsp. or t.
5. A small saucepan or microwave bowl to melt shortening or heat other
ingredients.
6. A large metal spoon or flour scoop.
7. A large wooden or other mixing spoon.
8. A bread board.
9. A bowl scraper-a rubber scraper or hand-held scraper
10. Clean dishtowels and a clean, damp hand towel.
11. A sharp knife, kitchen scissors or baker's bench knife to cut dough
12. Rolling pin
13. Correct size baking pans (see above)
These are useful, but not required: pastry brush, wire cooling racks, pastry
cloth, stockinette cover for rolling pin, oven thermometer, waxed paper, and
an electric mixer or food processor.
THE LEARNING LOAF
*Youth should avoid answering or talking on the phone while measuring
ingredients.
Heat 1 cup milk slightly until it is room temperature. There is no
need to scald the milk unless it is raw.
Then combine in a mixing bowl:
the milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Stir to dissolve butter and sugar. Let cool until just warm. Meanwhile place
in a small container, such as a 1 cup liquid measuring cup
1/4 cup warm water
The water should feel neither hot nor cold. Go ahead and stick your finger in
it to see how hot it is. (We know you washed your hands before you started.)
Sprinkle into the water:
1 teaspoon sugar
1 scant tablespoon (or one packet dry yeast)
Stir the mixture to soften yeast and dissolve sugar, and let it stand for
awhile. This is called proofing the yeast. The yeast mixture should begin to
grow, slowly rising in the cup. When the milk mixture has cooled down to warm
(remember your finger thermometer?. Stir in:
softened yeast mixture
1 egg yolk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
Beat well, as this will develop the gluten in the dough. After you have
beaten it awhile, beat it some more. Then stir in another.
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
Blend well. Stir in 1/4 cup at a time, another
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour.
Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in thoroughly with each 1/4
cup addition. Always stir well before adding any new flour. If dough has
enough flour incorporated, it will begin to pull away from the sides of the
bowl. If not, it is too sticky.
*If too sticky, add to dough another:
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
Again, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Repeat from *
as many times as necessary until the dough begins to pull away from the sides
of the bowl. Make an 8-inch circle of flour on a bread board with
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
Turn the dough out onto the center of this. Rub a little flour between your
hands and knead until the dough becomes smooth and begins to spring back when
you let it go. When the dough is kneaded, gluten forms an elastic network to
trap carbon dioxide produced by the yeast. Kneading develops the gluten to
make dough stronger and more elastic for better volume. To knead: Lift the
back third of the dough and fold it over the remaining dough. Press this
forward as you work. Use the heels of your hands for the most pressure. You
only want to be sure than the surface under the dough remains lightly floured.
Once you establish a good kneading rhythm, add flour only when the dough
drags on the work surface. If you put flour directly onto the dough's surface
by sprinkling, you could force the dough to take in too much flour, resulting
in a tough loaf of bread. If the dough is sticky, begin by lifting and
turning it with a dough scraper or blade. You can also cover the dough and
let it rest for 5 to 15 minutes. This gives the dough time to absorb the
flour and makes it easier to knead.
Some people break the rhythm kneading by lifting the ball of dough above the
table and bringing it crashing down on the counter. Wham! The kneading
process usually takes about 10-12 minutes. When you are through kneading, the
ball of dough should be as smooth as a baby's bottom. You'll see blisters
form on the dough and should be able to stick two fingers into the ball and
have the imprint hold its shape.
Now wash the bowl in which you mixed the dough. Remove the bread and flour
particles with cool water and then wash and rinse in warm water. The warm
water will warm the bowl. Dry completely, then grease liberally with
shortening. Place the ball of dough into the bowl and press it into the
grease. Turn the dough over so that the greased bottom is now on top. Pull
the sides under slightly until the ball rounds up again. Cover the top of the
bowl with a slightly dampened cloth or with plastic wrap. This will keep the
surface of the dough soft as it rises. Place the bowl on a counter away from
any drafts. Let dough rise in the bowl until double its size (for about 45
minutes). If not, let it rise a little longer. Rising improves the flavor
and texture of the bread, but do not over raise the bread, for it may collapse
because too much lactic acid that has been built up. Yeast tends to work in
doughs that contain sugar, but exhausts itself after two rises. This is why
one rise in the bowl and one in the pan after shaping is appropriate. A
dough, such as French bread, that has no added sugar and the yeast works more
slowly can often sustain as many as three to five rises before a yeasty,
alcoholic flavor develops.
Remove the cloth or plastic wrap and punch the dough down with one fist into
the center of the dough. Then use a gentler version of the kneading action to
force the large bubbles of trapped air out of the dough. Take up the ball of
dough and form it into a smooth, round shape in your hands. Using only enough
flour on your bread board to prevent sticking, press the dough out with your
hands or a rolling pin to a 6 X 9 inch rectangle. (If the dough is allowed
to rest for 1- minutes , it will roll more easily.) Brush off any flour that
may have gotten onto the surface of the dough.
Roll the dough up tightly, starting with the 6-inch side. Place the resulting
loaf in a well-greased 9" X 5" inch baking pan, with the seam of the loaf
facing down. Cover again and allow to rise for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the
dough has risen to the top of the pan--no more. (The second rising will take
less time than the first and the first 10 minutes of heating the loaf will
cause it to rise higher. This is called "oven spring".)
Mix together:
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
Brush a layer of this mixture onto the top of the risen loaf. This will
produce a nice glaze which will make your baked loaf attractive. Use the rest
of the glaze for topping other breads or incorporate into scrambled eggs.
Using a sharp knife, gently cut a slash down the center of the loaf or
diagonally in several places on the loaf's surface.
Always be certain there is sufficient dough to fill the pan in the amount
called for in the recipe. Too little dough produces a stunted loaf, while too
much creates a misshapen loaf that seems to be all top and no body Determine
the total amount of dough by weight or measure, then decide how many loaves,
and of what size, you wish to bake.
Pan Size (in inches) Volume Weight
Large 9 x 5 X 3 3 cups 2 pounds
Medium 8 x 4 x 2 2 1/2 cups 1 1/2 pounds
Small 7 x 3 x 2 1 1/2 cups 1 pound
Miniature 5 x 3 x 2 3/4 cup 1/2 pound
Sub-mini 4 x 2 x 1 1/2 cup 5 to 6 ounces
Note: The pan sizes may be 1/2 inch larger in their dimensions. (source:
Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads, p.37.
Adjust oven racks. Place the loaf in a cold oven and set it to bake at 375
degrees (F). (Set glass pans 25 degrees lower.) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Make sure you have at least one inch between baking pans inside the oven and 1
inch between the pans and the oven wall. If it is the only loaf in the oven,
place it in the middle of the oven on the middle rack.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Activity:
Some recipes recommend a cold oven, others specify preheating. Your young
people may want to try both to see if there is any difference in the product.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Activity:
Loaf pans with anodized aluminum or darkened and dull finishes produce a good
brown crust, but experiment with other pans to see what the difference may be
and how to correct for it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Remove from oven. Put an oven glove over your hand. Turn the loaf out of the
pan and into this hand so that the top of the loaf is down. Tap the bottom of
the loaf. It should sound hollow. If the bottom of the loaf is white, the
loaf is not completely done and should be put back in its pan and returned to
the oven without the pan to bake 5-7 minutes longer. (Remember the loaf will
cook much more quickly without the pan.) When fully baked, turn out onto a
wire or wood rack to cool. If left in the pan too long steam collects around
the loaf. (Delicate loaves or sweet bread may be cooled longer in the pan and
are less likely to fall apart if laid out on their sides. Cool completely
before slicing or wrapping to store. If you want to eat the bread while it is
still warm from the oven, wait until you can handle it without protection
(20-45 minutes). Otherwise, it will be doughy inside and not be firm enough
to slice. Makes 1 loaf.
There is no joy like the exhilaration a baker feels as that honey-colored
fragrant crackling loaf comes from the oven. Ready to slice and ready to
share!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Don't envy the applause lavished upon the great and mighty.
There is no praise to equal a man's love for tender,
golden-crusted, home-made bread.
Virginia Roberts, 1944
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This lesson plan was developed by Jan F. Scholl and 4-H Leaders and Members in
Pennsylvania as a part of a grant from National 4-H Council and the
Fleischmann's Yeast Company. No part of this document may be reprinted in any
form without previous permission.
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Updated 8/17/05