4 quick ideas for puff pastry
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Masterclass: better bread baking
From crusty rolls to sourdough, customers love that freshly baked bread smell, so get your flour flying this World Baking Day (19th May).
Louise Wagstaffe is a Senior Culinary Adviser at flour specialists McDougalls and has three decades of experience in the food industry.
Why bother making bread?
The smell and taste of homemade bread can bring more guests to your venue. Taking the time and effort to make your own loaves, rolls or flatbreads makes customers feel extra special when they visit. Louise grew up surrounded by the sweet and savoury scents of baking, as her father was a pastry chef. It’s a passion she says could be easily shared with café and restaurant owners.
“There’s nothing like sitting down for a meal and being served homemade crusty rolls and butter. The warm, melt-in-your-mouth feeling creates a bond,” she says. “With breadmaking, confidence is key and once you perfect it, the possibilities are endless.”
Troubleshooting tips
Baking is where art meets science. So by understanding your flour, the role of yeast, warm water, and their quantities, you’re guaranteed better results. Old yeast won’t get the rise you need during the proving process and the water needs to be ‘baby bath elbow’ warm to activate it. If your dough isn’t kneaded until it’s silky smooth, you’ll end up with a soggy, dense loaf. Too much flour or not enough water will make your loaf dry or burnt. Using a pre-mix like McDougalls’ Hovis Best of Both takes away the guesswork by ensuring the right proportions. Preparing in advance before service? Use cold water and pop the mix in the fridge to prolong the rise until you’re ready to shape and bake.
The flour family
Wholewheat
Its distinctive nutty taste and dense, textured finish can also be blended with white flour. The husk and heavier dough means the yeast has to work harder and takes longer to prove.
Rye
A healthy continental flour with less gluten is best used in an open sandwich. A malty, earthy bread, it doesn’t need to be served in large portions. Pair with quality charcuterie items.
Gluten-free
This should look more like a cake batter. Don’t expect a silky dough because this flour absorbs more liquid. Add xanthan gum to prevent crumbling and always trust the recipe.
Sourdough
Naturally leavened with a crisp golden crust and light crumb, it doesn’t need yeast to rise but relies on an easily made starter culture. Its tangy flavour sets off strong cheese, hummus or avocado.
Feel the knead
Kneading helps to work the gluten in the
dough to create even gluten strands. Under or overdoing it means your bread won’t rise properly and create a dry, crumbly and dense loaf. To knead correctly, push the heel of your hand into the ball of dough, stretching, rolling and folding it to ensure micro bubbles created by the yeast inflate during proofing and baking.
Use a scale to split your dough evenly. This will ensure your rolls or loaves bake at the same speed. Shaping creates a smooth outer surface on the dough. Hide any creases at the bottom by folding the dough downwards and tucking it underneath. Once your dough is shaped, add your own flourish with seeds, egg glaze, melted butter or even honey. You could even use a sharp knife to score in some finishing touches.
Take your time
Give yourself space to experiment and try new things, especially when you’re starting out. Consider a signature bread for your venue. Perhaps add beer, seeds, sundried tomatoes, cheese, olive oil or even salt and rosemary for focaccia.
Apply the science and art to move on to naans, where yogurt replaces water, and yeast-free flatbreads, which don’t want to rise and can be grilled. Baguettes apply the same principles as any breadmaking using French flour. Ciabatta has a long, slow rise and a high hydration thanks to added olive oil.
Go here for our Bread Sticks with Chorizo & Cream Cheese recipe
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