BY KAURRWAKI KOTECHA
Baking has always been my passion. Be it cakes, puffs, pizzas, or anything else really, that involves using an oven, has had me excited, no matter how many times I’ve done it before. I recently found a perfect focaccia recipe, which I made with a combination of recipes I read online; but before I could bake the perfect bread, I made a few attempts and listed tips and tricks I learnt, that helped me bake the perfect bread. Here, I’ve answered a few questions that I’ve recently been asked. Hope they help y’all bake your perfect bread!
Part 1-One Day Bread Hacks
1]How do I get the dough to rise faster?
-Moisture and heat are two things that increase the activation of yeast.
- Instead of covering the dough with cling film, cover it with a wet, breathable fabric, such as muslin.
- In case you own a microwave, keep the dough in its light, which provides heat that is enough to increase the speed of the process. If not, heat your oven at 200’C for about 5-7 minutes, switch it off and place the cloth covered dough on the oven tray.
-Salt decreases the activation speed of yeast. I learnt this trick from a recipe book, where I use only half the amount of salt required for the dough while kneading it and add the rest just before baking.
2]How do I knead it to the perfect consistency?
-After mixing your ingredients, knead your dough on a large counter dusted with all-purpose flour to prevent it from sticking and use oil (olive oil preferably, for flavour- on the dough too) on your hands. Time yourself and knead for ten minutes, which gives the perfect consistency – which is when the dough holds together but slightly sticks to your fingers. At this stage, use oil on the counter too, tuck the dough; transfer it to an oiled baking tray, and leave it to rest.
3]How long should I let the dough rest to rise?
- If you’re using dry active yeast, the minimum time required for it to rise before baking is 1 hour, but it is highly recommended that it be kept for at least a few hours, if not overnight. The longer it is left to rise, the softer and airier the bread is after being baked.
4] How do I know if my yeast is activated?
- If you are using water, the yeast, given a quick stir, settles to the bottom of the pitcher before it rises and forms bubbles on the surface of the liquid. In case of milk, the yeast bubbles instantly.
*In case this doesn’t happen, it means that the yeast is old, in which case starting with a new batch is highly recommended.
5]What do I do if my bread comes out too salty?
-This is a problem I experienced quite a few times, but ultimately found the perfect solution. If the baked bread comes out too salty, all you need to fix it is white (unsalted) butter, oregano and thyme (other herbs if you have), sugar and garlic.
- Melt lots of white butter in a pan, and add sugar (depending on how salty the bread is). The sugar reduces the harshness of the salt.
- Add your herbs and garlic followed by chunks of the bread and coat it properly in the herbs and butter.
- Serve with cheese sauce/tomato ketchup/jalapeño sauce or chipotle.