The method of making bread at home by oneself

Making bread at home requires preparing basic ingredients such as flour, yeast, water, salt, etc., through steps such as kneading, fermentation, shaping, and baking. The main production methods include direct method, medium seed method, soup seed method, refrigerated fermentation method, and rapid fermentation method.

1. Direct method

The direct method is the simplest way to make bread, which involves mixing all the ingredients at once and kneading them into a dough. The ratio of flour to water is about 5:3, and the amount of yeast used is 1% of the flour. After kneading the dough to the expansion stage, let it stand and ferment. When the dough volume doubles, exhaust and shape it. After a second fermentation, bake it. This method is suitable for making basic bread such as toast and meal buns, which takes less time but has a relatively firm texture.

2. Zhongzhong Method

Zhongzhong Method requires first making Zhongzhong dough, mixing some flour with all yeast for fermentation. After fermenting the dough into a honeycomb shape, add the remaining ingredients and knead it into the main dough. This method can enhance the flavor and moisture of bread, making it suitable for making milk bread and soft European bread. Middle aged dough usually accounts for 50-70% of the total flour and needs to be refrigerated and fermented for more than 12 hours.

3. Soup Seed Method

Soup Seed Method involves heating a portion of flour and water to make a gelatinized dough, which is then cooled and mixed with other ingredients. The ratio of flour to water is 1:5, and it is heated to 65 ℃ to form a paste. Soup type bread has a unique chewy texture that can delay aging, making it suitable for making Japanese style bread. The recommended addition amount is 10-20% of the total flour content in the dough.

4. Refrigerated fermentation method

Refrigerated fermentation method involves placing the kneaded dough in the refrigerator for low-temperature slow fermentation. The temperature is controlled at 4-7 ℃ and the fermentation time is 12-24 hours. Low temperature can inhibit yeast activity and produce more flavor compounds, making it suitable for making European style bread such as baguettes and country bread. After removal, it needs to be warmed up to above 16 ℃ before proceeding with subsequent operations.

5. Rapid fermentation method

Rapid fermentation method accelerates fermentation by increasing the amount of yeast and sugar, and yeast can reach 2% of flour. Fermentation can be completed within 1 hour with an ambient temperature of around 30 ℃. Suitable for making sweet bread, hamburger buns, and other products that require quick processing, but the flavor and quality are slightly inferior to slow fermented bread. When making bread, it is important to control the temperature of the ingredients below 28 ℃ to avoid premature fermentation of yeast. The dough should be sufficient to pull out the film, and the fermentation environment should be kept at 75% humidity. Before baking, you can brush egg mixture or spray water to improve the color, and the oven needs to be preheated in advance. The protein content of different types of flour affects gluten content. High gluten flour is suitable for making toast, while medium gluten flour is suitable for making soft bread. Homemade bread has no additives and is recommended to be consumed within 3 days. Frozen storage can be extended to 1 month. When trying different formulas, you can gradually adjust the sugar oil ratio to find the right taste.