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Bread Making

Bread Making

By: RedmanShop | February 19, 2025

Introduction

Bread comes in various varieties, shapes, and sizes, using multiple dough-making processes. Straight Dough/No Time and Straight Dough Bulk Fermented are the two most common bread-making processes.

Due to their complexity, this guide does not cover other styles, such as Sponge and Dough, Pre-fermented Doughs, and Autolyse. Successfully mastering the two types mentioned will enable you to explore more complex methods later.

Lean Bread

Flour, Salt, Yeast, Water, Sugar, Fat Bread contains little or no sugar or fats.

 

Enriched Bread

Flour, Salt, Yeast, Water, Sugar, Fat
Bread with an increased level of sugar and fats.

Rich Sweet Bread

Flour, Salt, Yeast, Water, Sugar, Fat, Eggs
Bread with higher levels of Sugar, Fats and Eggs to improve softness.

Must Know

All the bread listed can have White or Wholemeal flour as their base or combinations.

Dough Making Methods

Straight Dough/ No Time or Instant dough

Straight Dough means all ingredients are mixed simultaneously to the fully developed stage. “No Time/ Instant” means that the dough does not have a long fermentation time after mixing before processing. After a short rest period, the dough is scaled, rounded, rested, shaped, proofed, and baked. The Baked Bread is available approximately two hours after the weighing, processing, preparation and baking.

Straight Dough / Bulk Fermented

The mixing process is the same as the No Time dough at the mixer stage. The mixed dough is left to stand for its ‘Bulk Fermentation’ period. During this stage, the flour proteins mellow, relax and become more extensible. The length can vary from 45 minutes to two hours or more, depending on yeast levels and the style of bread. The dough is then knocked back (degassed by punching the dough). It is scaled, rounded, rested, shaped, proofed and baked. The Baked Bread is available approximately three to four hours after mixing the dough. The total time will depend on how long the bulk fermentation stage is.

Must Know

Bulk Fermented doughs finish colder and contain less yeast as the longer standing times enable more yeast activity. This activity mellows the flour and lowers the pH resulting in better flavour and a softer internal crumb.

Use of Dough conditioner/ Bread improver

The No Time dough has an added ingredient (Dough conditioner/ bread improver) that quickly mellows the flour proteins as part of the mixing cycle and eliminates the longer fermentation time.

What does this Dough conditioner/ bread improver ingredient do?

Commercial bakers use it in the dough process to strengthen gluten, assist with yeast activity and mellow the gluten quickly. They also contribute to the bread’s shelf life.

Constituents of Dough Conditioner

The dough conditioner/bread improver is the composition of ingredients designed to improve the performance of the flour during the many processing stages and to enhance yeast activity through added yeast foods. These principal components are:

  • Ascorbic Acid (as a dough strengthener)
  • Enzyme Alpha-Amylase (assists fermentation)
  • Emulsifiers work on crumb softness (starch for soft bread) and crust hardness (protein for crusty bread).

Why is the use of a Dough conditioner important?

At the mention of the dough conditioner/ bread improver, many immediately think chemicals can’t be good for us! However, consider them a series of vitamins for the dough designed to enhance its performance and keeping qualities. Humans, after all, take vitamin pills for all sorts of applications and what are they comprised of, if not chemicals?

Ingredients in a Bread Formula

A Basic bread formula consists of Flour, Salt, Yeast and Water. Adding ingredients such as Butter, Eggs, Sugar, Dried fruits and nuts produce softer and moister bread.

Flour – Bread – Wholemeal

High protein flour containing gluten level suitable for bread making. Gluten is the protein in the flour, which gives the dough structure. When you mix flour and water and knead it, you form the gluten (Think chewing gum, which gluten texture is like). The protein level for bread flour is, on average, 12-14%.

You can make 100% wholemeal bread or a mixture with white flour. Singapore’s 20% Wholemeal and 80% White ratio is a typical bread style. In other countries, the balance may be different. Wholemeal flour is now more acceptable to the consumer due to its fine particle size that does not have large bran particles.

Salt

Salt provides flavour, assists in gluten development, and controls fermentation rate (Yeast activity). The trend is towards sea salt instead of common table salt.

Yeast

  • Fresh compressed or Instant Active dried (used directly into the dough)
  • Active Dried yeast (requires rehydration in warm water before its use)
  • Instant Frozen dough yeast, available to commercial bakers

It is a living organism that helps the bread rise; it brings flavour and aroma to many types of bread, depending on the length of fermentation.

  • Yeast produces Carbon Dioxide CO2 as part of the fermentation stage, and a by-product of this is alcohol which brings flavours.
  • Longer fermentation times result in the development of organic acids, which also provide flavour.
  • Yeast is temperature sensitive, requiring water temperatures as a controller.
  • Yeast is also sugar sensitive, with two types available in specific dough types.

Yeast Packaging

  • Low Sugar – White packaging
  • High Sugar – Gold packaging

You will find that as there are many manufacturers, it pays to check the wording on the pack to get the correct one.

Water

Hydrates the flour to form a dough during mixing. The amount will depend on the dough type and flour protein content. Bread flour will hold more water than Plain flour, for example. The water temperature is vital as this will affect the dough temperature after mixing (Finished Dough Temperature).

Regular tap water is acceptable; sometimes, you may need to chill it before using it. While in temperate climates, you will need warmer water during the cooler months.

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Asian Soft Sweet Bread

Asian Soft Sweet Bread

By: RedmanShop | February 19, 2025

History

This is a uniquely Asian style of making bread attributed to the Japanese (Yudane) and Chinese (Tang Zhong), producing a much softer crumb after baking. The key is mixing the flour with boiling water (water roux), resulting in the pre-gelatinisation of the starch, which gives the finished products a unique softness.

Several methods are used for starch cooking, all achieving a similar result.

  1. Add boiling water (1 part) to a set amount of flour (1 part), mix it to a paste and leave it covered in a chiller overnight. The following recipe uses this method.
  2. Another way is to warm water in a pan, slowly add the flour, and cook it by stirring until the starch gels and you have a smooth slurry. Allow this to cool and then it is used in the final mixing.

High Sugar Yeast

Note that the dough’s sugar levels are 12% of the flour weight, so you must use a high sugar yeast in this recipe.

Equipment

Weighing scales, medium size mixing bowl, saucepan, spatula, dough scraper, measuring jug, dusting flour, dry cloth or plastic sheeting, baking tray, suitable loaf pans and cooling wire.

Note

The Sweet Bun recipe is the base for all of the products in this section.

Dough Application

The basic dough can produce a range of products of different weights and shapes that will enable you to create a wide variety. Sweet Bun filling recipes are at the bottom of this section.

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Milk

Milk

By: RedmanShop | February 19, 2025

Fresh Milk

Liquid milk, full cream and skim are available for use in baking. All milk is Pasteurised (harmful bacteria destroyed by heat) and Homogenised (fat particles are made smaller by forcing the milk through a series of fine sieves) to increase shelf life, allows the milk to be frozen, thawed and used, kept refrigerated at 4°C.

Ultra-High-Temperature Milk UHT

The milk is heated to a temperature of 120°C and held for several seconds to destroy harmful bacteria. This milk does not require refrigeration until it is opened. Unopened, it has up to six months of shelf life. This type of milk has a slight caramel taste due to the longer heating process; the colour will also be darker than regular milk. Once opened, the shelf life is 5 days.

Milk Powders

The two types are Full Cream and Skimmed. Skimmed milk is best for baking as it has more lactose content than will assist in the browning of the crust. The reconstitution rate ranges between 10% to 15% of the liquid medium. Add up to 150g of milk powder to one litre of water. Commercial bread makers will use skimmed milk powder when making milk bread as it is more economical than liquid milk. Bakers milk powder is heated to denature the protein so it will not interfere with the gluten development when making bread.

Storage

Milk Powders are hygroscopic (attract moisture) and are best stored in airtight containers to prevent lumping.

Alternative Milk

Current trends have a range of new products targeted at the healthy alternative market. Oat, Almond, Soybean, Hazelnut, Cashew, Rice, and a range of plant-based milk find application in coffee shops and homes as an alternative to Cow’s milk. The author has limited experience with such products in baking but expects they will perform similarly to Cow’s milk when fat content and other component levels are equivalent.

Cheeses

For its flavour and colour in the grated or block form, Cheddar cheese adds colour in its grated form and finds applications across all bakery products – mozzarella as a topping on pizza. Cottage and Ricotta cheeses are also famous in bakery products as an accompaniment to fillings. Cottage cheese is used in a Spanakopita, a Greek cheese and spinach pie. In contrast, Ricotta cheese is used in the famous Italian baked cheesecake or as a traditional filling for Italian Cannoli.

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Egg

Egg

By: RedmanShop | February 17, 2025

Eggs

Eggs are a staple ingredient in baked items and bring a list of incredible attributes: Egg provides aeration, is a natural emulsifier, adds softness and tenderness to cake batters, brings nutritional value and assists in the shelf-life of products.

Fresh and liquid eggs are used to make fresh bakery products. The hen shell egg comes in various sizes/weights and should be cracked and weighed. Relying on the size gradings of eggs, e.g. 50g, 65g, instead of the liquid weight, can result in unbalanced recipes.

As a convenience, powdered eggs are a component in bakery pre-mix, with the application formula appropriating the liquid amount required for the egg powder. Eggs contain a natural emulsifying agent called Lecithin that stabilises cake batters.

Chicken Egg

Types of Eggs

 
Fresh

Shell Eggs / Egg Yolks / Egg White : The shell can be white or brown, with the colour related to the chicken’s genes. They come in varying sizes and should be weighed for accuracy when using them in a baking formula.

Fresh and Frozen

Liquid Whole Eggs / Liquid Yolk / Liquid Egg Whites : Shell eggs can be processed by pulping the whole egg to a liquid or separating the yolk and white.

Powdered Egg

Whole Egg / Egg Yolk / Egg White (Albumin) : The liquid shell eggs undergo a drying process that removes the egg’s moisture.

Pasteurisation of Eggs

For Food Safety reasons, egg products are pasteurised to destroy harmful bacteria and prolong shelf life. It is common practice for many brands of fresh shell eggs sold in the supermarket to have undergone pasteurisation.

Storage

Fresh shell eggs and fresh liquid eggs require refrigeration for safety reasons. Frozen egg product storage is at -10°C. Powdered egg products have an extended shelf-life of up to 5 years if stored in an airtight container at a low ambient temperature.

Must Know

The firmness of the yolk and white upon opening indicates freshness. Both should be firm, with the yolk having a bold appearance. Stale eggs will show a thin yolk that breaks easily and a thinner white. To obtain the best results when whipping, the fresher, the better.

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Yeast – Baker’s & Natural

Yeast – Baker’s & Natural

By: RedmanShop | February 17, 2025

Baker’s and Natural Yeast

Baker’s and Natural are two types of yeast more commonly used in baking, each providing the basis for dough fermentation. Yeast requires special conditions for it to perform consistently throughout the fermentation process. Yeast growth is shown by its increasing capacity to multiply and bud. The conditions necessary for its growth are water, food, oxygen, time, temperature, and appropriate acidity/alkalinity level (pH).

Baker’s Yeast

Baker’s Yeast is a commercial product available in several forms, such as low-sugar or high sugar-tolerant varieties. The choice of which yeast will depend on the dough’s sugar levels. Low sugar yeast works well up to 10% sugar content, whereas high sugar yeast works best in doughs with above 10% sugar content. To check the Percentage of sugar in the recipe, use the Bakers Percentage calculation method, as explained in Part Two.

Types of Yeast

Compressed : Block form is the most common. It is also available in flakes for larger plant bakeries.

Dried Yeasts: Instant Dried / Instant Active DriedStrains of yeast that have had the water removed. The yeast is re-activated by mixing with warm water. It is added directly into the dough when it is mixed.

Note: To convert fresh yeast usage to dried yeast, multiply the quantity by 0.4.

High and Low Sugar Yeasts

The type of yeast used in the dough relates to the amount of sugar in the formula. For lean dough formulas, sugar will range from 0% – 10% on the flour weight. In rich sweet dough formulas, sugar can be 12% to 20% of the flour weight. The high sugar yeast strain is required in these doughs as regular yeast will not be able to create enough fermentation activity. The dough would move slowly as low-sugar yeast cannot cope with high-sugar levels.

Storage

For dried yeasts, refrigeration in airtight containers is most suitable. Fresh compressed yeast also needs refrigeration and is wrapped in appropriate paper to prevent it from drying out. Buy small packs until confident so as not to waste ingredients. Do not purchase large pack sizes (500g) at first, as they deteriorate with age.

Must Know

Yeast is a living organism and requires attention to detail to obtain a consistent result. Buying yeast in individual small sachets is recommended rather than a large amount. Once opened, its gassing properties deteriorate.

Natural Yeast – Levain (Sourdough)

A mix of flour and water (equal parts) stands in a clean container to attract the wild yeast cells and organic bacteria in the air. Once evidence of activity (bubbles or air pockets visible), a regular feeding process using equal parts of flour and water begins. The action is repeated for the next seven days. The result is that Levain replaces baker’s yeast for dough fermentation. For further details refer to page 71, Part Three on practical baking.

Storage

It is best kept refrigerated during the building stage and upon completion of the starter. Any leftovers from daily production must be returned to the mother and kept under refrigeration.

Must Know

Building the Levain is a slow and steady process requiring care so that the foundation is solid and healthy. Once you have the Levain, you must feed it so it is ready for use before making the dough. The flour used in the starter and feeding must be unbleached, with the most suitable being a medium protein.

Fermentation

Yeasts are used as an aerator, affecting product structure, flavour, volume, and quality. The yeast’s performance depends on the amount of water, its temperature, and the finished mixing temperature. It will be challenging to control this process as it could move too quickly or slowly at times, so it is crucial to have a clear understanding for success to follow.

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Critical Elements of Bread Making

Critical Elements of Bread Making

Introduction

Understanding the role of Flour, Water, Dough Development and Temperature control are the keys to successful bread making. Understanding the relationship between the four elements and their interdependence enables you to practice mastering the initial art of baking bread.

Floor Quality

Part One of this handbook listed the flour  types, their protein content and their uses. On average, flour with 12 – 14% protein content will give the best result for bread making. The flour requires its ability to form a strong gluten matrix, whether mixed by hand or machine.

The retail supermarket’s flours will produce a satisfactory result, provided you follow the correct processes.

My advice for a beginner is to start with the flour available in the local supermarket and observe the results you achieve with the dough you make from it. Remember, it will require you to prepare many doughs to acquire proficiency with any flour. Resist the  temptation to try different brands until you are  happy with the process and the supermarket  flour results. Once you are satisfied with the handling, processing, baking, etc., look for other flours that may provide different volumes, aromas, etc.

Quote: “Good flour is not cheap and cheap flour is not good “. The secrets are in the process, not the flour! The protein content will guide the amount of water the flour will hold.

Water Absorption

The water content can vary from 58% to 100%, depending on your product and process.

Starting with water at 60% to 75% based on the flour weight of the recipe is an excellent range. I advise having a tight dough (62% – 65%) as you will be more able to handle this. Once you have mastered the process, increase the water gradually and determine what amount suits you best. Water used in the dough also controls the dough temperature and the fermentation rate.

Dough Development

When mixed, the ingredients for the dough of flour, salt, yeast, and water will develop the gluten matrix, which becomes the structure for the bread.The gluten matrix holds the Carbon Dioxide CO2 produced through fermentation, causing the dough to rise. Hand development is satisfactory but a tedious process that requires  time and technique to master.

Using a mixing machine will save time and generally develop better doughs. Some home bakers use their bread machine to mix the dough, remove it once mixed, and continue the bread making process. Reaching the optimum requires understanding  the importance of developing the flour protein.

Gluten Matrix is the optimum development of the gluten proteins: Glutenin (elasticity – ability to resume shape after being stretched) and Gliadin (extensibility – the capacity to stretch). To test the dough development, you do the gluten stretch test. Take a dough ball and stretch it out by pulling it from the sides. A well-developed  dough will be extensible, stretching and not breaking.

MUST KNOW

Dough development through building a solid gluten matrix that will hold in the gas CO2 the yeast produces during fermentation is crucial and will require lots of practice to achieve consistency.

Temperature Control 

The dough’s water temperature depends on the environment, machinery, time taken for fermentation, and the style of dough you are making. Home bakers prefer chilled water in  Singapore or warmer climates.Place the dough water in a chiller (4°C) overnight, ready for use the next day. The chilled water will assist with the  finished dough temperature (after mixing) and  the amount added will help control the yeast’s  growth.

The water temperature where the climate is seasonable will require adjustments to maintain  yeast activity. Observing the performance of the dough at different times of the year will help you better understand how the yeast performs.

What is the optimum temperature for yeast activity? 

Yeast works best at temperatures of 36 to 40°C. The objective when making bread is to be able to control this activity until the dough is in the final proofing stage. In a warm climate keeping the dough cool is the objective.

In contrast, a warmer dough is necessary for consistent fermentation growth when it is frigid in winter in a temperate environment. Hence the use of chilled or tempered water depends on the climate and dough-making style used.

Room temperature refers to the ambient temperature of the room where the doughs are mixed, which will vary due to climatic conditions. An ideal room temperature will be between 22°C to24°C.

The pH of Yeast Dough

The acidity level of the bread is the result of the fermentation process. During the dough fermentation stage, alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2) react with the organic acids that produce flavour. The yeast growth activity is related to the ambient temperature, water and fermentation time. In typical bread, the pH ranges between
5.3– 5.8, depending on the processing style. In sourdough bread, the pH is lower and ranges from3.8 – 4.6, giving the bread its characteristic flavour.

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Your Personal Guideline

Your Personal Guideline

BEST BAKES

B

Buy a set of digital scales that measure in 1g units. Start your baking journey methodically!

E

Examine and understand the nature of each stage of the process before undertaking it. Check critical details.

S

Specifically weigh all the liquids in the recipe.

T

Temperature management of ingredients and maintaining process control temperatures are vital elements in your success.

B

Baking times and baking temperatures will vary from oven range to oven range. Develop suitable oven settings from your actual experience with that oven.

A

Aeration in its many forms, is the key to all baking. Achieving optimum aeration requires adherence to critical stages of the process and a proper understanding of mixing speeds and times.

K

Keep records of what you have done to identify success when the product is out of the oven. Photos are a good idea.

E

Enjoy each baking experience and be patient with yourself. You might have many failures as you travel along the baking journey. However, family and friends will have the opportunity to enjoy your attempts with gusto.

S

Study the recipe and ingredients thoroughly before attempting to make it!

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Wheat Flour

Wheat Flour

Flour Categories

Flour comes in four categories to cover a variety of bakery products. The Flour classification  refers to its protein level. The protein content is determined by the wheat strain planted by the farmer and the subsequent climatic conditions during growing.

Wholemeal Flour

Protein average: 12% – 14%

High Protein Bread Flour

Protein average: 12% – 14%

Medium Protein Plain Flour

Protein average: 10% – 12% 

Low Protein Cake Flour

Protein average: 7% – 9%

Rye Flour

Protein average: 8% – 15%

Types: Dark Rye, Light Rye

Specialty Flour

Protein average: 12% – 14%

Suitable for Bread, Buns, Pastry, Cakes and Cookies. It can be  used alone but mainly in conjunction with other flour types as a  percentage of the total flour.

Suitable for all types of Bread, Buns and some Pastry.

Suitable for Bread, Pastry, Cakes and Cookies.

Suitable for all types of Cakes, Sponges Cookies and Muffins.  Cake flour can be chlorinated
(It denatures protein and increases absorption) or straight-stream unchlorinated cake flour.

Suitable for bread making on its own or blended with white flour.  The protein differs from wheat flour, containing only Gliadin, resulting in smaller, more compact breads.

Spelt, Einkorn, Kamut and Buckwheat are known as ancient grains. They can be used individually to make bread but are challenging to handle as doughs are sticky. You will blend these with white flour to make bread. Some speciality flours have a gluten-free label.

 

Flour Type and Availability

The protein content of the harvested wheat will finally determine its category and use. Flour is the base ingredient in a recipe, with each grade playing different roles across product ranges. A specific name often identifies flour types, e.g. all-purpose flour from the medium protein range; and self-rising flour, a medium protein flour containing baking powder.


Country generic names such as Hong Kong Flour are identified with certain dim sum products and are low protein flour. European Flours, very popular with Artisan bakers, use a different system which identifies the flour by its extraction rate, e.g., T45 (like plain flour), T55 (like bread flour), and T65 (high- end bread flour)


The extraction rate relates to the flour obtained from the milling process. Flour with a high number after the T means the flour has a high bran content (minerals) from the milling process.

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