Bread is a global favorite food that can be prepared in a variety of ways, but making bread at home is often considered a complex and time-consuming task. If you master simple techniques and steps, you can easily make fluffy and delicious bread even in a home kitchen. This article focuses on the easiest way to make bread at home.
Preparation of materials
The first step in making simple home-cooked bread is to prepare the ingredients, and here's a list of the most basic ingredients:
Cake flour:400 grams.
Warm water:240 ml.
Dry yeast:5 grams.
Sugar:20 grams (can be increased or decreased according to taste).
Salt:5 grams.
Vegetable oil:20 grams.
These materials are available in ordinary supermarkets, and the cost is not high, making them ideal for home production.
Dough making
Yeast Activation:First, dry yeast is added to warm water, and a temperature of about 35 is optimal. Add sugar to help the yeast activate and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is completely dissolved and foams slightly.
Flour Handling:Sift the cake flour into a large mixing bowl to make the flour fluffier and help with the dough.
And noodles:Pour the activated yeast water into the flour and use a stirring spoon or hand to start stirring so that the flour gradually absorbs the water to form a dough. Add salt and vegetable oil to the dough and continue kneading for about 10-15 minutes until the surface of the dough is smooth and elastic to the touch.
One Fermentation:Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and place in a warm, windless place to allow the dough to rise once. The dough expands to about twice its size, which usually takes about 1 hour, depending on room temperature.
Segmentation and shaping
Exhaust:Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and press gently to expel the gases from it.
Split:Divide the dough into small portions as needed, depending on the size of the loaf you want to make.
Shaping :Take a portion of dough, flatten it with the palm of your hand and roll it up, or make it into a variety of shapes such as round, long, etc., depending on your preference.
Secondary Fermentation:Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet, cover it with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and place it again in a warm place for secondary fermentation, which usually takes about 30 minutes until the dough rises again.
Roasting
Preheat the oven:While the dough is fermenting for the second time, preheat the oven to 180.
Surface Treatment:The leavened dough can be brushed with a layer of egg wash or water to make the bread more golden and attractive.
RoastingPut the dough in the preheated oven, and the general baking time is 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the bread and the actual situation of the oven.
Take out and cool:When the bread is baked, remove it from the oven and place it on a grill to cool and wait for the temperature to cool down before slicing.
Precautions
Water temperature control:The temperature of the water should not be too high or too low when activating the yeast, around 35 is the best, too hot or too cold will affect the activity of the yeast.
Dough fermentation:The fermentation environment is best warm and moist, and a cup of hot water can be placed in the microwave to create a good fermentation environment.
Kneading of the dough:Do not add too much flour during the kneading process, so as not to make the dough too compact and affect the taste of the finished product.
Baking temperature and time:Adjust the baking time according to the size and shape of the bread to avoid burnt or underbaked.
Making bread may seem complicated, but with the right methods and steps, you can easily enjoy the joy of baking and the delicious taste of freshly baked bread, even in a home kitchen.
The home-cooked bread recipes described above are simple and easy to use, requiring no complicated tools and skills, making it easy for even novice bakers to get started. Through this process, you can not only enjoy the deliciousness of bread, but also experience the sense of accomplishment of making your own food.