Baking School

When preparing the dough, mix all the ingredients together. Then knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Start by dissolving the fresh yeast in the dough liquid. For faster rising, use lukewarm water; for a longer rising time—for so-called cold-risen bread—use cold water and, if desired, a smaller amount of yeast. Next, mix in all the other ingredients except for the salt. Salt is the basic seasoning in all bread, but it should be added to the dough just a few minutes before the end of the kneading process, since the dough forms gluten strands more easily without the salt. When the salt is added, it in turn helps to protect and preserve the gluten strands.

To give the bread height and volume, you can use a strong flour with a high gluten content. A dough made with wheat flour should be kneaded for at least 10–15 minutes. A rye dough should be kneaded slightly less, preferably more slowly if using a kitchen appliance. When adding the flour, don’t add it all at once. The bread can easily become too dry if you use too much flour in the dough. It may seem like you need more flour at the beginning of the kneading process, but once the dough has been kneaded for a while, the flour will work its magic, the gluten strands will form, and the dough will become elastic and smooth.

A good rule of thumb is that a softer (looser) dough produces a moister loaf. A firmer dough, however, produces a loaf with good volume, but with a drier texture. Kneading dough by hand is an art. For an inexperienced home baker, it can feel very unfamiliar and a bit tedious at first. But practice makes perfect, and after a few tries, it becomes second nature—and the process can even be seen as a form of peaceful therapy and a relaxing moment. Today, many people use a helper or a kitchen appliance, which simplifies the dough-working process considerably. Dough should be worked and kneaded for the specified amount of time to achieve good results and a nice volume in the bread.

To check if the dough is ready, take a small piece of it and stretch it to test its elasticity. If the dough forms a smooth strand and holds together, it’s been kneaded enough. If it breaks, roll the piece in your hand for a moment and try stretching it again. If it feels more elastic then, you know the dough in the bowl hasn’t been kneaded enough.