Old & New Breadmaking Methods

[Shamrock1121]

Options, options, options......... :D Not all bread is created equal. -Karen

1. Straight or direct method is a commonly used breadmaking method and a relatively modern method. There are variations within this category (as in all breadmaking methods). Bakers’ yeast is used, all the ingredients are mixed, dough kneaded, allowed to rise, punched down, shaped, allowed to rise again, and baked. This creates an even-textured bread. This is the quick method for making bread. Using this method you have the option of proofing the yeast (in water/sweetener) or adding the yeast directly to the flour mixture.

2. Sponge method. This method is an older method, takes more time, but you’ll develop more flavor from the longer fermentation. Because it takes more time, it's not as commonly used these days. In this method bakers’ yeast is used, all the liquid, the yeast, and part of the flour are beaten together. The mixture is very wet and it’s allowed to sit and ferment for a period of time from 30 minutes to 24 hours. The rest of the ingredients are added, kneaded, allowed to rise, punched down, shaped, allowed to rise again, and baked. Along with improved taste, you’ll get a different texture than the straight method. You’ll also use less yeast using this method. This method will render the lightest loaves of bread made with 100% whole wheat flour.

Research indicates the ideal standing time is 2-1/2 hours. Even as little as 30 minutes of standing will help to provide a more open texture.

3. Sourdough or Starter method [aka naturally leavened]. There are many types and variations of starters and as many methods of using them. A naturally-occurring yeast derived from food sources as well as in the air fosters in the medium. The yeast is mainly from the grain source, rather than the commonly thought “air”. Other interesting sources for this yeast are the gray film you see on grape skins or cabbage leaves. There are even recipes that use peach leaves as the source for the yeast. You will get a larger colony of yeast in your starter if you use a wholegrain flour source to get it started due to the large amount of yeast on the outside of the grain.

Using a sourdough method, you’ll have less available yeast and the dough requires MUCH longer to rise. Since yeast eat sugars, there are less yeast competing for the available sugars. The (good) bacteria grow and produce their full-of-flavor acidic by-products. This gives the bread the characteristic sour taste to breads. Not all sourdough breads are “sour”. Mild-flavored sourdough is also possible. [Hint: If you would like to speed-up naturally-leavened breads, add 1/8-teaspoon SAF-Instant Yeast.]

4. You can use a combination of bakers’ yeast AND starter. The yeast will help the bread to rise faster and the starter will create the flavor.

5. No-Knead methods. In the mid-1940's Pillsbury developed a breadmaking method that helped speed the process. This no-knead method required a strong arm for mixing and eliminated the kneading. The gluten development took place while the dough was in the bowl with a hefty amount of vigorous mixing. Fast-acting yeast products are used and the dough is much wetter than traditional bread methods.

New No-Knead methods -

New York Times No-Knead Bread
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day - by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois
Video: http://www.startribune.com/video/11967361.html

6. Bread Machine. A labor-saving device that will get you a loaf of bread from start to finish in one-hour (using the quick-cycle). It's also a great tool for kneading the dough. I use the bread machine for the first 4 types of breadmaking.

[Lake_Lady]

Karen, I am amazed at the extent of your knowledge and very much appreciate your willingness to share it.

Since I began reading ALL your posts I have purchased a grain mill, a bread machine and a few of the books you have recommended to others. I now need to find a wheat source in the Nashville area but I am looking into the local co-ops ... once again thanks to your suggestion.

What would I do without you ;D

[Shamrock1121]

Karen, *I am amazed at the extent of your knowledge and very much appreciate your willingness to share it. *

Since I began reading ALL your posts I *have purchased a grain mill, a bread machine and a few of the books you have recommended to others. *I now need to find a wheat source in the Nashville area but I am looking into the local co-ops ... once again thanks to your suggestion.

What would I do without you *;D

(LOL) - I've got the books and I know how to use them! Pecking away at a keyboard with a pile of 4-5 books at my side is simpler than interacting with humans and teaching a class.

When my adult daughter comes home for visits she'll start looking through the refrigerator and comments she hasn't a clue as to what half these things are, nor how to use them...

Good luck on the wheat source. Clean wheat for home use is getting harder to find...(at a fair price). Try some religious groups like: Seventh Day Adventist, Mormons, Amish or Mennonites. They may be a source. Many of these fine folks co-op large grain deliveries from Wheat Montana. Health food stores can generally have large quantities of nearly anything you want ordered and delivered, but also may charge extra.

-Karen

[dvcrsn]

Thanks for the info--and you are right about it being easier to deal with people on the internet

[madmac]

Thanks for the info Karen. I was just getting ready to ask about using a bread machine and thought, Maybe I will dig through some post first. Wouldn't I know I would find this. It's off to the store for a bread machine.

[susiejean60]

I'm hoping someone can help me with a bread recipe, very simple one, that my grandmother used. She added the yeast to warm water and let it ferment. Then added it to the dry ingredients.

My problem is the measurements. This is where I need advise...anyone?

Susie in MN

[goodwifefarm]

6. Bread Machine. A labor-saving device that will get you a loaf of bread from start to finish in one-hour (using the quick-cycle). It's also a great tool for kneading the dough. I use the bread machine for the first 4 types of breadmaking.


Whew, I'm really glad to read this post cause I've been feeling reeeaaaly guilty about "cheating" by using a bread machine! I don't bake the bread in it, but I sure do use it for the kneading and the first rise!

Thanks for all the great info! :)

sarah

[susiejean60]

I forgot to mention, my grandmother never used milk, always water. It's really hard to find a bread recipe that doesn't use milk.

Susie

[Shamrock1121]

I forgot to mention, my grandmother never used milk, always water. *It's really hard to find a bread recipe that doesn't use milk.

Susie

Susie -

How old is, or would, your grandmother be; and where does/did she live? That would help me pick a recipe from her era and perhaps one common to her area. I have a large selection of cookbooks on the subject.

Was the bread formed into loaves in pans, or free-form? Were there other enriching ingredients like oil, butter or eggs in the recipe?

In most enriched dough recipes (generally used for panned breads), you can easily substitute the milk with water or potato water. Lean breads (Italian and French breads) never have milk or other enriching ingredients - just flour, water, sweetener, yeast, and salt.

FYI - when you put the yeast in water and sweetener mixture, that's called proofing the yeast.

-Karen

[susiejean60]

Susie -

How old is, or would, your grandmother be; and where does/did she live? *That would help me pick a recipe from her era and perhaps one common to her area. *I have a large selection of cookbooks on the subject.

Was the bread formed into loaves in pans, or free-form? *Were there other enriching ingredients like oil, butter or eggs in the recipe?

In most enriched dough recipes (generally used for panned breads), you can easily substitute the milk with water or potato water. *Lean breads (Italian and French breads) never have milk or other enriching ingredients - just flour, water, sweetener, yeast, and salt.

FYI - when you put the yeast in water and sweetener mixture, that's called proofing the yeast.

-Karen


Thank you Karen. My grandmother was from Hungry. I don't know if this was a traditional bread or if she made it to feed 6 hungry men, or if they were in the depression era. She would make the bread either in large loaf pans or in a bowl.

I used to make it myself but it's been so long ago and the recipe was never written down. My grandmother used her hands as measure (cupped hand = 1/2 cup).

I sure would like to bake bread her way, it tasted so much better.

Susie

[AlyBlu]

In most enriched dough recipes (generally used for panned breads), you can easily substitute the milk with water or potato water.


-Karen


Karen - what is potato water?

[Shamrock1121]

Karen - what is potato water?


Potato water is the water you normally toss down the drain after you boil potatoes (cooled to the appropriate temperature for adding to bread dough). *You can also take water and add a bit of instant mashed potato flakes or potato flour or potato starch to make "potato water". *

Potato water doesn't keep very long in the refrigerator, so freeze it if you don't plan on making bread for a day or two.

You'll also find recipes for potato bread where you boil a potato and mash the potato in the boiling water.

The famous Betty Crocker Potato Refrigerator Dough Recipe: *http://www.fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=26353

You can make this dough ahead of time and use from it for several days and for a wide variety of breads and rolls.

The purpose of the mashed potatoes (or instant mashed potatoes) in a refrigerator bread is to keep the dough moist. *A refrigerator is a dry climate and the dough keeps better with potatoes in it. *You'll also notice how moist the finished bread is with the enriching ingredients of potato water or potatoes.

-Karen

[AlyBlu]

Thank you - I have a sourdough starter - but it called for potato water - which left me wondering what that was!

[fancyfowl]

I make a lot of bread in the winter, nuthin else to do. I am using a saved starter begun with bread yeast. I have some different packets of wine yeast left over and have been wondering about using that for a bread starter? Any ideas on that.

[Shamrock1121]

*I make a lot of bread in the winter, nuthin else to do. *I am using a saved starter begun with bread yeast. I have some different *packets of wine yeast left over and have been wondering about using that for a bread starter? Any ideas on that.

I've never used wine yeast, so if you try it, let us know if it works. -Karen

[8kids4me]

Options, options, options......... :D *Not all bread is created equal. *-Karen


2. *Sponge method. * *In this method bakers’ yeast is used, all the liquid, the yeast, and part of the flour are beaten together. ...*You’ll also use less yeast using this method. *This method will render the lightest loaves of bread made with 100% whole wheat flour. *

Research indicates the ideal standing time is 2-1/2 hours. *Even as little as 30 minutes of standing will help to provide a more open texture.


I have a question about this method. I have a recipe that I like a lot, I use in my bread machine. It calls for whole wheat flour, white flour, milk powder, flaxseed, water, oil, honey, salt, yeast. *The yeast requirement is 1 tablespoon. To try the sponge method, would I put in the water, oil, honey, and *some flour(like all of the wheat) and yeast? And how much could I drop the yeast to...cut it say, by half?

Thanks in advance!

[8kids4me]

Whew, I'm really glad to read this post cause I've been feeling reeeaaaly guilty about "cheating" by using a bread machine! *I don't bake the bread in it, but I sure do use it for the kneading and the first rise! *

Thanks for all the great info! *:)

sarah


LOL, I don't feel a bit guilty about using my bread machine(which I do on a daily basis). I made 6 loaves of bread at a time 3-4 times a week when my oldest six kids were still at home, I figure I earned a break!

[Klapton]

I have a question about this method. I have a recipe that I like a lot, I use in my bread machine. It calls for whole wheat flour, white flour, milk powder, flaxseed, water, oil, honey, salt, yeast. *The yeast requirement is 1 tablespoon. To try the sponge method, would I put in the water, oil, honey, and *some flour(like all of the wheat) and yeast? And how much could I drop the yeast to...cut it say, by half?

Thanks in advance!


When I do my sponge, I use half of the yeast. I use a water to flour ratio of 1:1. Two cups water = two cups flour. I add the rest of the yeast when I start mixing in all the other stuff after the sponge has soaked.

[8kids4me]

When I do my sponge, I use half of the yeast. *I use a water to flour ratio of 1:1. *Two cups water = two cups flour. *I add the rest of the yeast when I start mixing in all the other stuff after the sponge has soaked.

So, I shouldn't add the oil and honey at the start? I should wait and add them with the rest of the ingredients? And use the full "dose" of yeast?

[Klapton]

So, I shouldn't add the oil and honey at the start? I should wait and add them with the rest of the ingredients? And use the full "dose" of yeast?

I do all the water and sugar (honey, agave nectar, whatever form of sugar) in the sponge. *Add half the yeast. *Let that stew while I grind the flour for the sponge. *Mix, cover, wait.

I add all the other "wet stuff" when I start the final mixing. (Butter, eggs, milk, chia seed gel, whatever).

[harvester]

THATS what my grandmother was doing! OMG! she was doing the sponge method with her bread recipe! Ya know i never really thought much of it when i watched her as a kid. I always thought she just got the bread started and went and hung out laundry and started supper then finally got back to the bread. I didnt know she was doing it on purpose!
I used her recipe for years and its wonderful bread but i never let it set that first time. I wonder if that is what causes me to get heartburn when i eat her bread? Im leaving that part out.
Im going to try it again with this method and see if it works a little better.
Her bread always had a wonderful taste but it was very holey and airy and i want more substance with my bread.