FAQ for alt.bread.recipes

Vocabulary

all purpose flour

All purpose flour (United States designation) is white wheat flour that may be bleached or unbleached and that has 9.5 to 11.5 percent protein content.

altus

Altus is a mash made of trimmed, stale sour rye bread. The sliced and crustless bread is soaked in water for several hours or overnight under refrigeration. To use, the mash is squeezed dry and small amounts are added to the new bread dough. Altus intensifies the flavor of pumpernickel and rye bread and helps them retain moisture.

ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

An effective bread improver, when used in very small concentrations, that confers baking tolerance by improving dough stablily and bread volume. See Additions in the Ingredients in depth section.

autolyse

Autolyse (AUTO-leez) is a short rest period after mixing of flour and water together and before adding the rest of the ingredients. It allows the flour to fully absorb the water, and it gives the gluten strands time to form and begin to orient themselves into the sheets necessary to give bread its structure. This reduces the amount of kneading time and improves the structure of the bread.

baguette

A long, thin loaf, typically 18 in. (45 cm) long and 2 in. (5 cm) in diameter.

baker's percentage

A method of expressing the ratios of ingredients to each other in a formula as the percent of each ingredient relative to the total flour. See Analyzing a recipe.

barm

Sourdough starter.

batard

A hearth bread (see below), oval with tapered, slightly pointed ends.

batter bread

Bread made from a batter—that is, a flour–liquid–yeast mixture that is too soft to be kneaded. Batters are easy to mix, and they rise quickly. Many do not have to be shaped; like cake, batter bread takes its shapes from the baking container. Also called casserole bread.

beer

The Yin to bread's Yang. Beer is wetter; but beer and bread share key ingredients, chemistry, and history. The ancient Egyptians produced both in a shared facility. The yeast that the bakers commonly used today was derived from ale yeast, which ferments more robustly than lager yeast (Saccharomyces uvarum).

biga

A sponge made of water, flour, and yeast at a hydration close to the hydration of the finished dough, typically between 60 and 65%. Bigas can be stored in the refrigerator and used at a later date or frozen for some time.

bleached flour

White wheat flour bleached with a chemical agent to age it artificially and whiten the color. In the US, some bread flours are bleached, pastry flour is not bleached, and cake flour is always bleached. See Flour in the Ingredients in depth section.

boule

A large round hearth bread. See hearth bread, below.

bread flour

Wheat flour, bleached or unbleached, with a protein content over 11.5%. Usually made from hard red spring wheat.

break-and-shred

The lighter-colored dough exposed where the top of a loaf is slashed, or the side of a pan bread above the edge of the pan and below the mushroom-shaped crown, where the oven spring causes rapid stretching of the dough surface, resulting in a thinner, lighter-colored, softer section of the crust. The appearance of the break-and-shred is a factor in judging the quality of bread. It should be uniform and not broken by splits or cracks.

bucky dough

Dough with overly developed, very tough (rather than extensible) gluten, making it hard to handle.

cake flour

A low-protein, bleached white wheat flour, made from soft wheat, not suitable for bread making.

casserole bread

See batter bread, above.

chef

A portion of dough held out of a batch and used as a foundation for the next batch of dough. Sourdough starter is sometimes called a chef, too.

clear flour

The remainder of the flour after the patent portion has been removed. Clears are darker than but higher in ash and gluten components than patents or straights. See Flour in the Ingredients in depth section.

crumb

The interior of a loaf or bun, everything but the crust.

crust

The outer layer of a loaf or bun, the portion that changes color during baking.

diastatic malt

Enzyme-active malt, used to promote the activity of yeast. See malt.

dock

Cut the surface of a proofed loaf just prior to baking, in order to produce a pattern on the surface of the baked loaf and to control the way the loaf changes shape during oven spring.

docking knife

A sharp knife used to dock bread. In a docking knife the blade is held perpendicular or at an oblique angle to the surface of the dough, parallel to the handle. See lame.

enriched bread

A regulated phrase in the US describing a bread made with enriched flour.

enriched dough

A phrase used by some authors to distinguish doughs made with fat or oil, sugar, or milk from those made with only flour, water, salt, and some type of starter, such as yeast, called lean doughs.

enriched flour

Flour to which certain vitamins and minerals have been added, in accordance with US regulations. Enrichment was introduced in the first third of the twentieth century to help combat malnutrition among urban children. Most brands of all purpose flour and white bread flour sold in the US are enriched. Smaller and more specialized mills make unenriched flours. Labeling identifies which is which.

egg dough

Dough made with the addition of eggs, which impart color to the bread, soften its texture, improve its keeping qualities, and generally make the dough much easier to handle. Egg doughs usually also contain oil or fat and often contain milk.

extensibility

The degree to which a dough can be stretched without breaking or tearing and without contracting back in the direction of its original shape.

fermentation

Digestion of starches by yeast, yielding alcohol, carbon dioxide, and heat. The carbon dioxide is trapped in the gluten matrix, causing bread dough to rise.

The first rise after the dough is mixed is called the fermentation.

formula

The ingredients in a recipe.

gluten

The main protein complex in dough, formed when flour is mixed with water and further developed into elastic sheets and strands as the dough is mixed and kneaded. See Flour in the Ingredients in depth section for more information.

gluten cloak

The surface tension developed on a dough by repeatedly drawing the dough down toward the bottom of the loaf and pinching it closed. A fully-developed gluten cloak allows a free-standing dough to resist spreading out during proof.

graham flour

See whole wheat flour, below and Flour in the Ingredients in depth section.

green flour

Baker's argot for flour that is still "hot" from recent milling and therefore produces a sticky dough and a poorly structured loaf.

hearth bread

Bread baked directly on a hot flat surface rather than in a pan placed on that surface. Hearth breads have curved sides rather than straight vertical sides. Commercial ovens have a flat floor or shelf on which the bread can be placed directly. In the home oven a tile or stone can be substituted, or bread can be baked on a metal sheet.

hydration

The ratio of water or other water-based liquids (such as milk) to the flour in a bread dough, based on weight, not volume. You can calculate hydration by dividing the total weight of the liquids by the total weight of the flour.

kneading

The process of manipulating a dough by hand or by machine to develop and stretch the gluten. See Kneading in the Technique section.

Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis

Species of bacteria that interact symbiotically with the wild yeast Candida milleri in sourdoughs.

lame

A sharp blade used to dock bread. In a lame the blade is held nearly parallel to the surface of the dough, perpendicular to the handle. See docking knife.

lean dough

A dough made without the addition of fats, sugars, oils, or milk products.

levain

1. Any agent that causes bread to rise.

2. A sourdough starter, one made without commercial yeast.

Maillard reaction

The browning reaction that is the basis of the brown crust of baked bread and the reason over-proofed dough does not brown the same as properly proofed dough. See Chemistry section for a more complete discussion.

malt

Malting is the process of sprouting grain (always barley unless otherwise noted), then oven-drying it and grinding it, producing a sweet flour, or further processing it to produce a syrup. Malted milk shakes and several kinds of candy are flavored with malt (this has nothing to do with bread, but it should give you an idea of what the malt flavor is). Malt is also a key ingredient in beer, which is brewed from barley malt, not from barley grain.

Malt may be liquid or dry, diastatic or non-diastatic. Diastatic malt is labeled as such.

method

The procedure selected to apply to the ingredients in a formula in order to produce finished dough.

milk bread

When the entire liquid component of the dough is milk, a bread can be called a milk bread (under US labeling regulations), although the term is seldom seen anymore. See Dairy in the Ingredients in depth section.

molding or moulding

The steps taken to shape a piece of dough in order to produce a finished product (pan loaf, hearth loaf, roll, sweet bun, etc.) with a particular shape, texture, appearance, and interior structure.

non-diastatic malt

A sweetener, usually supplied as a syrup, used for flavoring some breads but having little or no enzymatic activity with respect to yeast.

old dough

Dough saved from a previous batch and added to improve flavor or other characteristics of a bread.

oven spring

The increase in the volume of a bread during the first few minutes of baking. This is caused by the increased activity of the yeast as the temperature of the dough rises and by the heating of the pockets of trapped gas. Most oven spring ceases when the temperature of the bread reaches about 140F and the yeast dies.

pan bread

Bread baked in a bread pan, in contrast to hearth bread.

pâté fermentée

A portion of dough that has been either specially made or reserved from the previous batch of dough. It has all the ingredients of the main batch of dough and is used to impart a deeper, richer flavor to bread. Also called old dough.

patent flour

Flour from which all the clears have been removed. It is the most refined flour. See flour discussion.

peel

A large, flat, paddle-shaped tool used to move doughs and breads into and out of an oven.

phosphatase

A class of enzymes found in raw milk or milk pasteurized at low temperatures. Phosphatase inhibits the activity of yeast, resulting in sticky dough that does not rise or bake well. Scalding of milk denatures phosphatase enzymes.

poolish

A wet sponge, usually made at hydrations of over 90%. Poolishes contain water, flour, and yeast.

pre-ferment

Any smaller mixture or portion of dough that is made in advance of the main dough. Pre-ferments are used to give yeast a head start and impart better flavor to the finished bread.

proof (dough)

The final rise of a dough before baking. A loaf is said to have full proof when a dimple made in the side of the loaf with the tip of your little finger remains indented rather than beginning to spring back. If the loaf collapses when you poke it in this manner, it is over-proofed. Intermediate proof is the resting stage after dough is rounded up and before it is made up into loaves or other shapes.

proof (yeast)

Dissolving the yeast in water with the addition of a small amount of sugar or honey and allowing the mixture to stand until it foams, an obsolete practice. See Yeast, in the Ingredients in depth section.

protein content

In the United States wheat flour is classified partly by the amount of gluten-forming protein it contains (see gluten, above). Wheat flour varies in the amount of protein it contains depending upon the type of wheat used to make the flour. Wheat may be hard wheat or soft wheat, red wheat or white wheat, winter wheat or spring wheat. See Flour in the Ingredients in depth section.

Pullman

A Pullman pan, originally developed for the Pullman dining car, is a loaf pan with a nearly square cross-section and a tight-fitting lid. It is used to produce a Pullman loaf, sometimes called a sandwich loaf, popular in diners and restaurants because a square slice of toast cut diagonally is attractive on the plate. Pullman loaves are also used in the production of finger sandwiches, because the square shape reduces trimming waste.

pumpernickel

Rye meal (coarsely ground whole rye). Literally "fart devil" in German. Also any dark-colored commercial rye bread, whether or not it contains a substantial amount of rye meal (buyer beware); or a bread made with rye meal, whether or not it is colored.

quart basis

A way to express the relationship between quantities of ingredients in a formula by listing the quantity of each ingredient in relation to a quart of water. See Analyzing a recipe.

retard

Refrigerate dough to slow fermentation. Dough is retarded both for the convenience of the baker and to allow a better flavor to develop.

rich dough

A dough made with eggs and more than 12% oil or fat (baker's percentage method) or more than 8 oz. oil or fat per qt. (quart basis method). A rich dough requires more yeast than lean doughs because the oils and fats slow the activity of the yeast. Compare egg dough, lean dough, roll dough, sweet dough, and standard bread dough. Rich doughs are usually, but not always, made with milk, as well.

rich sweet dough

A dough that meets the criteria for rich dough and sweet dough. Rich sweet dough is used for pastries like sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes, and sweet buns.

rise(first rise)

also called fermentation is the initial rise of the dough after mixing and kneading.

rise(second rise)

also called proof is the rise of the shaped dough loaves

roll dough

A dough made with eggs and 6–12% oil or fat (baker's percentage method) or 4–8 oz. oil or fat per qt. (quart basis method) as well as similar amounts of sugar. A roll dough requires more yeast than lean doughs because the fat and sugar slow the activity of the yeast. Compare egg dough, lean dough, rich dough, sweet dough, and standard bread dough. Roll doughs are usually, but not always, made with milk, as well.

rope

An infection of bread dough that results in a ropy texture of the crumb a few days after baking. Modern formulas and methods ensure sufficient acidity in the bread to prevent this, and it is not seen any more in commercial bakeries. It is unlikely to become established in the home environment.

rye

A grain related to wheat but not yielding the same type of stretchy, gas-trapping gluten as wheat. Rye is milled, like wheat, into several grades of flour, typically patent (white rye), medium rye (finely ground whole rye), and pumpernickel (whole meal). For most types of rye bread, the rye flour is pre-fermented in a sour. See Flour in the Ingredients in depth section.

salt

Sodium chloride. Used in bread to control the activity of the yeast, to tighten gluten, and to give bread flavor. See the Ingredients section for more information.

salt-rising bread

Traditional name for a dough leavened by wild-captured pathogenic bacteria Clostridium perfringens rather than yeast or sourdough starter.

scald

Heat milk to over 160F in order to denature certain proteins that would otherwise depress bread volume. See Dairy in the Ingredients in depth section for a discussion of whether and under what conditions this is necessary.

sour

A special type of sourdough starter made of white patent rye flour and water, used to make sour rye bread.

sourdough

Bread leavened by a starter that is maintained over time by saving a portion of the starter and replenishing it. The leavening action is produced by a symbiotic community of Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis bacteria and Candida milleri yeast (a wild strain present in flour). See Dough methods.

sponge dough

Dough for which a small batch of a mixture of flour, water, and yeast (the sponge) is prepared in advance of the main dough. Its purpose is to give the yeast a head start, to spread the yeast more evenly throughout the dough and to enhance the wetting of the flour by the liquids. Biga and poolish are sponges.

standard bread dough

The basic American white bread, as distinct from lean dough, which is used for basic European white breads. Standard bread dough contains approximately 2–5% fat or oil and 2–5% sugar (baker's percentage) or 1–3 oz. fat or oil and 1-3 oz. sugar per quart (quart basis) and less milk than milk bread. The low end of the range is represented by the stuffing bread sold at Thanksgiving time and other cheap supermarket brands. The high end of the range is represented by premium brands of white bread. All are richer than lean dough and leaner than roll dough. Compare milk bread, enriched dough, egg dough, milk bread, rich dough, sweet dough.

stone ground

A description applied to flour (usually whole wheat) produced by grinding grain with stones rather than steel rollers, regardless of grain type, fineness of grind, or grinding speed. See Flour in the Ingredients in depth section.

straight dough

A dough made and baked in one continuous process—mixing, kneading, fermentation, shaping, proofing, and baking. Contrast with sponge dough. A straight dough may include an autolyse.

stretch-and-fold

A method of developing gluten in high-hydration (wet) doughs that are impractical to knead. The dough is placed on a heavily-floured work surface. It is gently stretched out in four directions and then gently folded over itself, envelope-fashion.

sweet dough

A dough that includes more than 12% sugar (baker's percentage method) or more than 8 oz. sugar per qt. (quart basis method). The sugar may be of any type (granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, corn syrup, invert syrup, malt syrup, maple syrup, etc.).

wash

Any liquid painted on the moulded dough during makeup, after proofing, or after baking. Different washes produce different effects, ranging from softening the crust to adhering toppings, to enhancing the flavor or appearance of the finished product.

whole wheat flour

Flour that contains all parts of the wheat berry—the germ, endosperm, and bran. See Flour in the Ingredients in depth section.

yeast

A single-celled organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae used in bread baking to leaven bread. See Yeast in the Ingredients in depth section. The Latin species name is a cognate of cerveza, the Spanish word for beer.