I have been making homemade bread since I was around 13 years old. If you haven’t had the chance to taste homemade bread, you’re really missing out. Homemade bread is not only easy to make, but it’s better for you. Homemade bread isn’t filled with preservatives, because you control the ingredients that go into it. Being able to control the ingredients also means that you control the quality of the ingredients. In this article, you will find tips to help you prepare wonderful homemade bread.
Tips for Making Homemade Bread: Hardware
When making homemade bread, there are a few pieces of equipment you will need. How much equipment you need will depend on how you plan on making your homemade bread.
Pizza Stone: A pizza stone is a great piece of equipment to have if you plan on baking bread in your oven. The stone will get the bottom of the bread nice and crisp, while the inside stays nice and chewy. If you do decide to purchase a pizza stone, you will also need a peel to help you get your homemade bread in and out of the oven.
Load Pan: Another piece of equipment you will need is a loaf pan. Many homemade bread recipes are baked inside of a loaf pan. You can buy loaf pans in various sizes, so you may want to check your recipe before making your purchase.
Stand Mixer: A powerful stand mixer will take the work out of kneading homemade bread. Also the job will be completed much faster. The best stand mixer for bread dough is a KitchenAid stand mixer. These mixers are powerful enough to withstand the work required to knead bread dough. They also come with a dough hook that will not bend or break when making bread dough.
Bread Maker: The easiest way to make homemade bread is to use a bread maker. A bread maker will handle everything from the kneading to the baking. But, you will still have the option to remove the dough and bake it in your oven. This is a great gadget to have if you plan on making cinnamon rolls or even pizza dough.
Tips for Making Homemade Bread: Ingredients
When making homemade bread, you need several special ingredients to achieve the perfect crumb texture. A bag of bread flour and yeast is essential for any type of homemade bread, but there are other ingredients you will need when making homemade bread in a bread maker. Many recipes for a bread maker require dry milk. This isn’t an ingredient that most people keep on hand. Certain recipes may also ask for a certain type of yeast. Before making homemade bread, make sure you have all the ingredients you need on hand.
Tips for Making Homemade Bread: Additional Bread Maker Tips
Before throwing your ingredients into a bread maker, be sure to read the instructions that came with your machine. Different models will require you to add the ingredients in a different order. Some may ask for the wet ingredients to be added first. Others may require you to add additional flour after a dough ball has formed. One last tip is to always dry off the pan when you get done making your homemade bread. If you skip this step, your pan may rust.
