Our Favorite Bread Making Tips

Do you like to make homemade bread? I have been an adult for a ridiculously long time and yet, I am relatively new to the bread making game. I mean, I could just go to the store to buy a loaf of bread, why do I need to make it, right? Oh, my goodness, how very wrong I was. I have since changed my ways and I will never go back to my bread buying ways! Okay, I may still grab a loaf here and there, but overall, I will be making bread for my family from scratch for several reasons that I will list here below:

• It tastes better. Seriously, there is nothing quite like homemade bread. The store bought stuff tastes like cardboard after you have had a good homemade loaf of bread.
• It is better for you. Have you ever read the ingredient list on a store bought loaf of bread? I bet you can’t even read some of the ingredients listed out. No thank you! I would rather know exactly what I am feeding my family.
• It’s cheaper. Plenty of websites have ran comparisons on the costs of homemade vs. store bought bread and the general consensus is that it costs roughly half the price to make a loaf of bread homemade than it does to buy it in store.

If you are a newbie at making bread, or if you just want to amp up your bread baking game, check out some of our top tips for making homemade bread:

• Be patient. I know we live in a world where everything is rushed, but the reality is, the breadmaking process is a long one and it takes time, but I promise it will be worth it. That said, make sure you have the time to do it. While the hands-on portion of the process takes less than a half an hour, the entire process for creating a great loaf of bread takes about hours.
• Let your bread rise at lower temperatures. Bread does best and has the best flavor when it rises at a lower temperatures, specifically near the 70f mark.
• Add dough conditioner. When making your dough, add a tablespoon of cider vinegar or a teaspoon of diastolic malt to use as dough conditioner which will make your dough much lighter.
• Double the rise time. You will find that if you double the rise time of your bread it will turn out much better.
• Cut the amount of yeast you use. Cut the amount of the yeast you use in half to find the best balance, but take note that if you do this, you will have to increase your rise time.
• Add salt. Many people skip the salt in an effort to cut back on sodium, this is not something you should do with your bread. The salt helps the flavoring, and also helps the crust form.
• Use the right bakeware. Here at sassafrass we have some amazing bakeware that is perfect for making exceptional homemade bread. Here are some of my favorites
  • superstone® la cloche®: Description - the late james beard wrote, "the bread i have been baking in it is nothing short of sensational." truly, this product is a bread-lovers dream as it duplicates a professional brick-lined oven, creating a light crumb and crusty exterior. no need to soak the la cloche™.
  • superstone® bread dome: Description - the "incredible" superstone® bread dome is an amazing product for baking breads and chicken, vegetable or meat dishes. the stoneware material replicates a professional brick-lined oven to create a dry, even heat and spectacular bread. the domed shape allows air to evenly-circulate around the baker for a uniformly browned crust on your bread while the unglazed lid helps create the perfect environment for baking crackly breads and juicy chickens and roasts.
  • superstone® covered baker: Description - the superstore covered baker produces a spectacular italian, or oblong, loaf of bread! it’s unglazed interior pulls moisture from the dough, replicating the effects of a brick-lined oven to give you a light crumb and crusty exterior loaf. try roasting potatoes in the baker for crispy skins and a fluffy interior. if you’re a bread baker and enjoy baking different types and shapes of bread, this baker is terrific!
• Use a baking stone. I know that you likely use a baking stone for your pizzas, but have you ever used one for your homemade bread? Using a baking stone helps to create bread that has a tasty, crispy crust.
• Don’t give up. The more bread you bake at home, the better you will become at it and the easier it will become to do. The better you become at it, the better your homemade bread will taste. Just keep on baking, my friends.

As the years go on and I create more and more stuff from scratch, I am finding that I genuinely love creating. I also really love creating and making meals from scratch for guests that come to visit! We have a dinner party planned for later this month and I definitely plan to put some of my favorite bread baking tips to good use.