Bread Recipes - Yeast, French, White & More | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

Does adding more yeast make bread fluffier? ›

Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.

Longer fermentation gives bread stronger flavors. “A yeasty aroma and acidic flavors start to develop, adding more flavor to the finished bread,” Blakeslee said. Some bakers choose to do the extra step of making a sponge in order to add a slight sour and tangy flavor to the bread.

Spices: Adding spices like cumin, coriander, or fennel seeds can give bread a unique and delicious taste. Cheese: Grated cheese, such as cheddar, can be added to the dough to make cheese bread. Seeds: Adding seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds can add a nice crunch and flavor to bread.

Too much flour can make your dough stiff and dry. And we all know what happens if there's not enough liquid for the yeast to use: It doesn't work how it should. So, be mindful of your measurements and how much flour your dough picks up in the kneading process.

Lubricate With Oil. One of the easiest ways our bakers follow to make bread soft and fluffy is by using 1-2 tablespoons of lubricant/fats such as vegetable oil to wet the ingredients. This will prevent the formation of excess gluten, as excess gluten makes bread chewy.

Well it's simple, bread flour has an increased amount of protein or more gluten which results in a lighter, fluffier dough which produces a less dense finished product. All-purpose flour can be used for bread but bread flour is always better if your goal is a “fluffier” bread.

Your bland bread could be the result of rushing the process. Try a slow overnight rise in the refrigerator. Plan ahead to proof your loaf overnight. This hands-off time in the icebox will slow the fermentation process in your dough and result in a complex-flavored loaf.

Problem: Your bread has a fermented, alcoholic smell or taste to it. Causes: Too much yeast. Over-proofed.

If you add baking soda to a quick bread, the gas bubbles it releases into the batter lifts your bread. When the combination of baking soda and acid combines with heat, proteins in the batter (like eggs) turn rigid. The rigid structure traps the gas and results in a light, fluffy texture.

If you're looking to ramp up the taste of your favorite bread recipe, we recommend adding a bit of fat. A fat like butter, olive oil or coconut oil in small quantities will help your bread achieve a higher rise and it will also boost its flavor by tenfold.

Why does bakery bread taste so good? ›

The secret to the wonderful taste and aroma of freshly baked bread is the Maillard reaction. It's a chemical reaction between proteins, certain carbohydrates and some of the fatty acids that occur when bread is baked in the oven, which gives it a delicious flavour and fine colour.

You can also put hot water in a heat-safe dish and place it on the floor of a cold oven (or on a lower shelf). The steam and heat from the water will help the temperature rise just enough that the yeast is active. The steam will also assist in keeping the surface of the dough moist so it will stretch as it rises.

Ultimately, if you've waited for a bit and your dough isn't rising and you think your yeast is dead, don't blame the salt: Yeast can lose its effectiveness if it's improperly stored, or if it's combined with water that's too hot (over 139°F).

As it turns out, each color means the bread was baked on a particular day of the week: And you are correct: It does skip Wednesday and Sunday, in order to give bakers two days off each week.

Depending on the recipe and rising time, you may use as little as 1 teaspoon, or up to 2 1/4 teaspoons (sometimes more) of instant yeast per pound (about 4 cups) of flour.

I've found adding 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast per cup of flour in your recipe will produce dough that doubles in size within an hour or two in the bowl, and within about an hour once the loaf is shaped. Use less yeast, and that timeline lengthens — all the while building the bread's flavor.

If you want bread to rise really high then I would suggest a slightly higher sugar content (adding sugar to be consumed by the yeast) and a longer rising time.

It carries out the process of fermentation which converts sugar and starch into carbon dioxide and alcohol. So, when yeast is added to the dough, it rises because it turns the dough into carbon dioxide and alcohol and the alcohol which is formed is evaporated during the baking process.