Bagels are chewy because they are boiled before they are baked: possibly the only bread that is made in this way, aside from some varieties of bread Pretzels. Dough made with yeast is formed into rings and allowed to rise. When the dough has risen, the rings are dropped for a few seconds into boiling…
A baker’s blade (aka lame) is a sharp cutting implement used to make decorative slashes in bread dough without pressing the dough down and deflating it. The slashes also serve the function of directing steam out of the bread while baking.
Biscuits used to be rations for soldiers and sailors. The word literally comes from the French “bis” plus “cuit”: “bis” meaning twice, and “cuit” meaning cooked. The item was cooked, sliced and then cooked again, to remove as much moisture as possible to make it more spoilage resistant. You ended up with a hard, dry…
A bread bin (aka bread box) is a solid container in which fresh bread is stored at room temperature. They come in many different shapes, sizes and designs. Some people think they are old-fashioned; many people still swear by them.
Bread Crumbs can be made from any type of bread. There are two types of bread crumbs, fresh and dried. Which is used when depends on the effect that is wanted. See separate entries for fresh and dried bread crumbs, with appropriate substitutes and equivalents for each. Cooking Tips You should never have to buy…
Bread flours are mainly milled from hard wheat, which gives them a high protein content which produces a high level of gluten for raising bread. The best bread flour is ground from Canadian wheat. This bread flour will have an average protein content of 14%, while European flours weigh in far behind with an average…
Bread Improvers is a generic term for items that help improve the quality of a loaf of bread. Two of the best known ones are Ascorbic Acid (aka good old vitamin C), and Alpha Amylase (an enzyme which helps to break down starch.) Other items include gluten flour (aka Vital gluten), and in France, broad…
A bread knife is a long knife with a serrated (or “scalloped”) cutting edge. What a bread knife will do is enable you to slice bread without squishing it. Its large serrations allow it to grip the crumb and the crust of bread to cut it, without having to press down on the bread to…
Bread pans are pans primarily used for baking bread in. They are typically in a rectangular shape. They can also be used for quick breads such as banana breads, or for meatloaf.
Buns are small, hand-sized, sweetened bakery items usually made from a flour, often with a leavener, either yeast or a chemical leavener. They are usually dome-shaped, with a flat bottom, and may or may not be iced. They are usually round, though, they can be longish instead. The word “Bun” now has many definitions to…
Dutch Crunch Topping is a topping sprinkled on top of desserts or plain breads before baking. It comes out crunchy or crusty. For desserts, it is made from ingredients such as brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and oats. Dutch Crunch can be also used as a topping for loaves of bread. The resulting bread is also…
Flat Breads © Denzil Green Flat Breads are breads that are made with little or no yeast or leavener. Most of these breads are very old in origin, and most hail from the Middle East or South-East Asia. They also take advantage of the softer wheats, which can’t develop the same amount of yeast-bubble-trapping gluten…
Knead © Randal Oulton To Knead is to “work” and stretch a piece of dough. The purpose is to develop the gluten in the flour used in the dough. It causes the dough to get smoother and more elastic. It is done mostly with yeast-risen doughs. The resultant elasticity gas emitted by the yeast to…
A proof box is a sealed space that provides an environment in which you can control the humidity and temperature in which yeast-risen baked goods can rise more effectively. Humidity control Many people at first blush think the prime function of a proof box is to provide a higher temperature, but in fact, the most…
In food terms, Punch Down can mean two means. The first mean involves dough, or more precisely, forcing the air (technically, C02) out of risen dough. You don’t actually punch the dough — you might hurt your wrist against the work surface. You either press the dough down, or knead it gently several times. The…
Quick breads are breads that are made with chemical leaveners such as baking soda or baking powder instead of yeast. The chemical leaveners give a faster rise than yeast, thus the name “quick breads.” Quick breads have only been possible since the advent of chemical leaveners. Cooking Tips Quick breads should not be kneaded; the…
A roll is a small, baked, streamed or griddled unsweetened, leavened bread. The shape can be round, square or long.
Unleavened bread is bread that is made with nothing in it to make it rise: that is, no leavening, be it a chemical leavener, a yeast or a starter dough. Well-known examples are chapati, matzo and Mexican tortillas. Not all flat breads, however, are necessarily unleavened. In Church services, Western Christianity uses unleavened bread, whereas…
