On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1013

practice,eachstepinvolveschoicesthataffect
thequalitiesofthefinishedloaf.Thereare
manywaystomakebasicbread!The
followingparagraphsexplainsomeofthe
moresignificantchoicesandtheireffects.
Breadsmadewithspecialingredientsor
methods—sourdoughs,sweetbreads,
flatbreads—aredescribedlater.
TheChoiceofIngredients

Breadmakingbeginswiththeingredients,
especiallytheflourandtheyeasts.Because
proportionsareimportant,andtheweightofa
givenvolumeofflourcanvarybyasmuchas
50%dependingonwhetherithasbeenfluffed
up(sifted)orpackeddown,it’sbesttoweigh
ingredientsratherthanmeasurethemincups.
Flour The texture and flavor of bread are
stronglyinfluencedbythekindofflourused.
“Bread flours” are milled from high-protein


wheats, require a long kneading period to
developtheirstronggluten,andproducewellraisedloaveswithadistinctive,slightlyeggy
flavorandchewytexture.Lower-protein“allpurpose” flours give breads with a lower
maximum volume, more neutral flavor, and
less chewy texture, while flours from soft
wheatswithweakglutenproteinsmakedenser
loaves with a tender, cake-like crumb. The
more of the outer aleurone, bran, and germ
that makes it into the flour, the darker and

denser the bread and the stronger the wholegrain flavor. The baker can mix different
flours to obtain a particular character. Many
artisan breadmakers prefer flours with a
moderate protein content, 11–12%, and an
extraction rate somewhere between standard
whiteandwholewheatflours.
WaterThechemicalcompositionofthewater
used to make the dough influences the
dough’s qualities. Distinctly acid water