Enriched Breads from Around the World! BBC4

    Today I will be discussing enriched breads from all around the world. Enriched breads are breads that have a higher percentage of fat, eggs, milk and sweeteners than traditional yeast breads. The fats and sweeteners in these breads interfere with the development of gluten resulting in breads, rolls, and pastries with a soft crust and tender crumb. They are softer and stickier so they are handled differently than traditional yeast breads. In this post,I will be discussing enriched breads from France, Mexico, Israel, Italy, and Germany.

    First is Brioche, from France. It is a rich, tender bread made with a generous amount of eggs and butter. It is mixed using the two-stage method. First flour, water, yeast, and eggs are kneaded into a soft dough. Then the softened butter is added. So, the protein structure is formed before the fat can interfere. Once kneaded, the dough is fermented overnight, proofed and baked. Proofing overnight, or retarded, gives it additional flavor as well as makes it easier to handle.

    Next is Pane de Muerto (Mexican Bread of the Dead) bread from Mexico. This bread is made for the November 2 celebration of Dia de los Muerto (Day of the Dead) in Mexico. It can be molded into different shapes. This bread is made by heating milk, orange blossom water, and butter and adding it to a mixture of sugar, salt, anise seeds, and yeast. Then eggs and part of the flour are added. The remaining flour is added little by little until the dough comes together. The dough is kneaded until it is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky. It is allowed to proof. It is then shaped and allowed to rise more. It is then baked with and egg wash brushed on top. Halfway through baking the egg wash is brushed on again, and sugar is lightly sprinkled on. Then it is baked  until done.

     Next is Challah bread, a celebration bread of Israel. It is rich with eggs and flavored with honey. Time-honored tradition dictates it be braided or shaped into a turban style loaf. When prepared properly, challah has a thin golden crust and tender crumb.  The straight dough method is used to mix challah bread. To make it, yeast, milk, vanilla extract, sugar, salt, eggs and egg yolks are mixed until  smooth. Almost all of the flour is mixed in until a soft dough is formed. Oil is mixed in and additional flour if it's too sticky. It is allowed to proof until it is doubled in size. Then it is divided into equal portions and then braided. It can be braided in various and sometimes elaborate ways.

     Next is Panettone from Italy. Panetonne is a fluffy sweet bread, cylindrical in shape with a domed top. It is studded with candied fruit and raisins. Its quality is judged by its flavor and featherweight texture. It is enjoyed throughout Italy especially at Christmas time. It is fermented in the sponge method. The flour, water and yeast are combined and fermented until doubled in size. This is the sponge. After it is fermented more water, yeast and egg yolks are added.Then more flour, sugar, salt, lemon and orange zest and vanilla are added. This is mixed until a soft dough is formed. Then butter is added until the dough is smooth. Raisins and candied orange peel is added in.  This is allowed to ferment until double in size.  The dough is baked in panetonne molds.

Lastly, we will talk about Stollen bread of Germany. It is more of a fruit cake, filled with raisins or candied fruit and topped with powdered sugar. It is traditionally served at Christmas. This enriched dough also starts with a sponge made of flour, water and yeast. the sponge is allowed to ferment for two hours. Then more flour,water, yeast, sugar,salt, egg, egg yolk, milk powder, and vanilla are added and mixed until the dough is fully developed. Butter is added until it is smooth. Nuts, raisins and fruit is added in. This is allowed to proof until doubled. The dough is portioned into equal pieces, shaped into ovals and folded over onto itself. These are proofed then baked. After they are baked they are brushed with melted butter and dusted with powdered sugar.

    Enriched breads are all made with a good amount of sugar and fat, although not all are sweet. They are often enjoyed as breakfast breads or pastries. Some are traditionally enjoyed as celebration breads. They all contain some of the same basic ingredients, with the mixing methods as well as other ingredients, or amounts of them, varying. I have enjoyed learning about, baking, and sampling these enriched breads!

Sour Dough Starter 101!  BBC3

 

Recently our Chef assigned to us the job of making our own sourdough 

starter. At first, I was a little nervous because the only experience

I had with sour dough bread was eating it!

We learned that a sourdough starter was a living thing that had to be 

fed in order for it grow and stay alive. Kind of like people! I was worried

I might kill it,but turns out, it wasn't so difficult. I just had to be attentive 

to its needs!

On the first day we mixed rye flour and pineapple juice together to

form a ball. We left this out at room temperature for 24 hours.

On day 2 we added bread flour and more pineapple juice. On day 3,

it had risen a little but not much. We were to discard, or share half of 

the starter and add more flour and some water. On day 4, my starter had

grown a lot! I let it sit for another 12 hours or so, and added still more

flour and water. After sitting for another day or so, it became very soft

sponge-like. Now it was ready to become a Barm.

So, I used a cup of the starter and added 31/2 cups of bread flour and 2 cups

of water. It was a wet, sticky sponge. I put this is a large bowl big enough to

allow my barm to grow to twice its size. The barm was then ready to use or be

refreshed, or fed, every three days. It had to fed more flour and water to stay

alive and active. I could not believe how much it grew!

When we were ready to use our barm to make sour dough bread, I took it back to 

class. I had been feeding and allowing it to breathe at home, so on the way to school

I felt like I needed to strap it in a baby car seat!

We were able to take a portion of our barm and add more flour and a couple of other 

ingredients to make sour dough bread in class! Mine turned out great! I was a bit

worried how it would turn out, hoping I had taken proper care of my starter and barm,

but, it the bread was amazing! The smell that filled our lab at school, with everyone's 

bread baking, was heavenly!

This was such a satisfying experience for me, seeing the bread start from a small starter 

to delicious freshly baked products!

 

 

Yeast Breads!

Bread making is an art that dates back to ancient times. Over the centuries, bakers have learned to manipulate the basic ingredients - flour, water, salt, and leavening - to produce a vast variety of breads. From crusty baguettes, to tender rolls or chewy bagels, they all begin with the same key ingredients. 

Yeast breads are made from dough prepared with yeast, which over time, leavens the dough, causing it to rise and become less dense.

There are ten stages in the production of yeast breads. I will describe each stage for a better understanding of how yeast breads are produced.

Stage 1: Scaling the Ingredients

 

As with any other bakery product, the ingredients for yeast breads must be measured out accurately. Liquids such as milk, eggs, or water must be weighed to ensure accuracy in a formula. The amount of flour can vary depending on the type of flour used, the humidity level, and the storage conditions of the flour. 

Stage 2: Mixing and Kneading the Dough

The way ingredients are combined affects the outcome of the bread. Yeast dough must be mixed and kneaded properly in order to combine the ingredients uniformly, distribute the yeast, and develop the gluten. Mixing is done in two stages. In the first stage (pick-up stage), the ingredients are combined on low speed. At this point, the baker makes any needed adjustments to the formula. 

Once the ingredients are combined, the dough must be kneaded. Kneading achieves certain  key results. It develops the gluten and hydrates the proteins giving the bread its shape and texture. This stage takes 10-15 minutes. Bakers can check to see if the bread dough is properly kneaded by performing what is known as the windowpane test. To do this, a small piece of dough is gently stretched using both hands. If it stretches without tearing and becomes nearly translucent it has reached its optimum development.

Step 3: Fermenting the Dough

Fermentation is the natural process by which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation begins the moment the dough is finished mixing and continues until the dough is baked and reaches a temperature high enough to kill the yeast. This is divided into two stages; bulk fermentation and proofing. Bulk fermentation refers to the rise given to the entire mass of yeast before it is shaped, and proofing is the rise given to the shaped dough just before baking. Fermentation is complete when the dough is doubled in size and no longer springs back when gently pressed with two fingers.

Step 4: Punching Down the Dough

After fermentation, the dough is gently folded down to expel and redistribute the gas pockets with a technique known as punching down. The procedure reactivates the yeast cells, encouraging more yeast activity.

Step 5: Portioning the Dough

The dough is now ready to divide into portions. Weighing the cut dough will ensure even portions.

Step 6: Rounding the Portions

The portions of dough must be shaped into smooth, round balls in a technique known as rounding. Rounding stretches the outside layer of gluten into a smooth coating. This helps hold in gases and makes it easier to shape the dough.

Step 7: Make-Up or Shaping the Dough

Dough can be shaped into a variety of forms; loaves, baguettes, boule's, etc. In fact, there are a vast array of shapes that can be formed from the yeast dough.

Step 8: Proofing the Products

Now that the dough is shaped into the desired shapes, it is time to proof. This is the final rise of the shaped or panned yeast products before baking. For most bread, the temperature should be between 80 and 115 degrees. Some humidity is also desirable to prevent the dough from drying out. Temperature and humidity can be controlled in a special cabinet known as a proof box. Most products are proofed when they are doubled in  size and springs back slowly when touched.

Step 9: Baking the Product

Finally, it is time to bake! As yeast breads bake, a variety of chemical and physical changes turn the dough into an edible product. As the dough's temperatures rise, the yeast dies, the gluten fibers become firm, the starches gelantize, the moisture evaporates and the crust forms and turns brown due to the caramelization of the sugars.

Stage 10: Cooling and Storing the Finished Product

It is important that the yeast products are cooled and stored properly. They should be cooled on racks at room temperature away from drafts. Once cool, the yeast bread should be stored at room temperature or frozen for longer storage. Refrigerating them will cause staling.

From French bread, to pizza crust, or bagels.... yeast breads, if produced properly following these ten stages of production, will be a delicious treat that you will be proud of!  Happy Baking!