There are many steps and techniques to making bread. But although formulas may vary, if you understand 9 basic steps to baking bread, it can be used as a guideline for making any yeast-raised product.
The first step is scaling the ingredients. If your ingredients have not been scaled properly, a great product will result. The proper use of a baker's scale can ensure that amounts of ingredients conform to your given formula.
The second step is the mixing of the yeast- raised dough. You must accomplish two major objectives when mixing. You must make sure the ingredients are evenly and thoroughly distributed. You must allow maximum development of the given. Over mixing will give a let-down or complete breakdown, of the dough. The dough will be warm and sticky and will come apart easily.
The third step is bulk or floor fermentation. During the fermentation process, yeast cells act on sugary agents in the dough and produce carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. The gluten structure, formed by mixing, will contain the carbon dioxide gas produced by the yeast. The gluten is conditioned and mellowed and becomes more elastic as a result of the effect of the alcohol given off by the yeast and the lower acidity in the dough. The important factors for good fermentation are:.
Properly developed dough.
The fourth step is dividing the dough and punch down. When bulk fermentation has caused the dough to rise, it is tested for punch down - the fingers are inserted into the dough to the knuckles, and the dough is observed to see if the finger marks leave a slight indentation and then close very slowly - if so, the dough is ready for a punch down. Punch down is done by folding the sides of the dough in the middle and turning the dough over. Punching keeps the dough at an even temperature by turning the dough inside out; it also releases some of the carbon dioxide.
The fifth step is rounding or folding over.