Essential tools to make better baguettes
As far as baking bread, I feel that baking baguettes can be one of the most challenging loaves to master. It requires extreme baguette specific technique and the need for preci...
The Baking Journal
Simple steps to make your good bread to great!
You are a wonderful baker and already make good bread. It's flavorful, crispy, and brings a wonderful aroma that fills your kitchen. However, if you want to take it to the next...
The superior choice of French flax linen couche over an all cotton couche
A couche is a piece of fabric used to proof bread dough, also known as a proofing cloth. A French linen couche is a traditional cloth used in French bread-making, and it has a ...
How long does my homemade bread last?
The shelf life of homemade bread can vary depending on the type of bread, the recipe used, and the storage conditions. Generally, homemade bread can last for 2-3 days at room t...
How to get your bread crust to be thin and crispy
There are many reasons to love home baked bread such as freshness and sense of satisfaction that comes from baking bread from scratch. For many people like myself, there is not...
All Purpose Flour vs Bread Flour: Which is better for making my bread?
A common question that is often asked by beginner bread enthusiasts is "Can I use all purpose flour for baking my bread instead of using bread flour? What is even the difference...
Should I buy or make my own sourdough starter?
I personally love sourdough bread over traditional bread for several reasons such as the unique tangy flavor, the longer shelf life, and healthier benefit of including more vit...
Scoring dough with a knife instead of a bread lame?
Occasionally we have readers who ask us this simple question, "Can I simply use a knife to score my dough instead of a bread lame to save myself from buying another kitchen too...
Why should I use a bread lame when baking bread?
(pronounced LAHM, meaning “blade” in French) is a small, handheld tool with a sharp blade, is often used to score the top of bread dough just before it goes into the oven. Scori...
Sourdough vs Regular: Which is healthier?
Are you looking for a healthier option for your bread obsession? Are you wondering if regular bread or sourdough bread is the best option for your diet? Look no further! We have...
What Banneton Size Should You Use?
Banneton baskets are simply proofing baskets that give support, structure and shape to the dough during its final rise. They come in different shapes and sizes — can be round, o...
How to Knead Dough by Hand
Using a stand mixer is a convenient way to knead dough. However, if one is not available or if you want to develop your forearm muscles before you eat a hot crispy bread, this...
How to Have Beautiful Spiral Patterns on Your Bread
For the last rise of the dough, you may transfer it to a banneton or brotform: a shallow, woven proofing basket. As the dough rises inside the banneton, it will push itself agai...
How the Amount of Sugar can Affect Activity of Yeast
Yeast feeds on sugar so by adding a tablespoon or two provides yeast a readily available food. This increases yeast’s activity and speeds up fermentation as well. However, add...
How to Tell if Your Dough is Properly Kneaded
Kneading requires a rhythmic gentle motion to provide opportunity for gluten to develop. It also incorporates air and distributes ingredients evenly You can knead by hand or us...
When to Add Salt to Your Dough
Salt enriches flavor of your dough. It also strengthens gluten structure needed to hold carbon dioxide bubbles inside the dough. You can use fine grain salt in your bread recipe...
What is Gluten
When the dough is hydrated, glutenin and gliadin, two naturally occurring proteins in flour become flexible and start to interact with each other. They stick together and form b...
How to Have Big, Irregular Holes in Your Bread
At 80% hydration level, the water in the dough turns to steam creating hollow pockets as moisture evaporates, thus the big holes in bread such as ciabatta. At 60% hydration leve...
Best Flour for Your Bread
You can choose flour with high protein content to produce bread with crispy crust and chewy crumbs. If you want to bake quick bread and dinner roll, you can use a moderate pro...
What is Hydration Level
The amount of water (or other liquid such as milk) added in a given amount of flour is called hydration.
What is Yeast
Yeast is a single celled microorganism that belongs to fungus kingdom. It’s everywhere – on plants and animals, in soil, in the air. It is used as catalyst for fermentation, th...
How to Shape a Baguette Loaf
Shaping baguette loaf requires technique for proper proofing and achieving a beautiful looking loaf. Ask different bakers and you may be presented with different techniques! O...
Best Yeast Type to Use
The best yeast to use for home baking is the dry yeast. It’s stable and can be stored in the refrigerator to extend its shelf-life. It comes in two types: active dry yeast and ...
How to Achieve Consistency in Baking
Correct measurement of the ingredients at the start of mixing process is important for successful baking. Flour to water ratio is crucial since it greatly impacts the end prod...