Chapter 5:

Baking Bread

CHAPTER

5

Introduction• Baking Bread: critical step in the baking

process

• Considerations:

– Type and quantity of bread

– Type of oven

– Rate of physical and chemical reactions in dough

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking• Evaluation of the Final Proof

• Three techniques:– Elapsed time after shaping

– Visual appearance

– Feel of the dough

• Three stages:– Under proofed

– Properly Proofed

– Over proofed

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking• Evaluation of the Final Proof, cont

• Considerations:

– Gas retention vs. dough temperature

– Traditional Process vs. Retarded breads

– Larger loaves

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking• Scoring

• Act of making an incision on the surface of the loaf

• Cuts open during baking, volume increases.

• Aesthetics of scoring

• Technical considerations

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking:Scoring

• Technique

• Scoring bread requires precision, dexterity, flexibility, regularity, lightness, and experience.

• Strength and degree of fermentation of the dough:

– Under proofed dough will require deeper scoring

– Over proofed doughs must be scored very lightly to avoid deflating the loaf

– Before Baking:Scoring

• Cuts for Elongated Shapes– Classic Cut

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking:Scoring

• Cuts for Elongated Shapes

- Batard scoring techniques

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking:Scoring

• Scoring Techniques for Boules

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking:Scoring

• Cuts for Other Loaf Shapes

– Only limited by imagination

– Type of score will affect ovenspring

– Cut with scissors as for “Épi”

• Which Technique to Use

– Type of dough

– Type of bread

– Desired final appearance

CHAPTER

5

Before Baking:Scoring

• When to Score

• Most dough: just before baking

• Some dough: after shaping

– Weaker gluten structure

– Rye doughs

– Multigrain breads

CHAPTER

5

Before BakingOven Loading

• Manual or automated process

• Care must be taken: proofed dough is fragile

• Spacing of loaves to promote even baking

• Clean baking surface to prevent a “dirty” bottom

CHAPTER

5

During Baking:Steaming

• Steaming has major roll in bread development, crust crispness and color

• Condensation forms on loaf, allowing larger bread volume and delayed crust formation

• If possible, steam before and after loading

• Quantity of steam varies by oven and bread

CHAPTER

5

During Baking• Carbon dioxide production until 120° to 130° F

• Carbon dioxide expansion (ovenspring)

• Starch begins to gelatinize (130° F)

• Enzymes inactivated (158° F)

• Gluten coagulates (160° F)

• Starch gelatinization ends (185° F)

CHAPTER

5

During Baking• Water evaporates from the surface of the

dough (212° F)

– Formation of the crust

• Crust coloration

– Sugar caramelization

– Maillard reaction

• Chemical reaction that provide a black substance and some aromas

CHAPTER

5

During Baking• How to Know When Bread is Baked

• Bakers rely on:

– Time

– Crust color

– Sound (“hollow”)

– Crust crispness

CHAPTER

5

During Baking• Oven Temperature

• Variables:

– Oven (gas, electric, deck, rack)

– Product composition (size, hydration, type of flour used, presence of sugar)

• Smaller items, faster bake etc.

• Baguette test (.350 kg for 20 -23 min. at 480°F deck oven)

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Cooling Bread

• Heat equalizes– Breads cool down, bakery warms up

• Moisture is released and condenses– Loss of weight

• Pressure equalizes– Expanded gas moves out, air moves in

• Crust contracts and cracks

• Aromas distribution (some will escape)– Stabilization of the flavor

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Cooling Bread

• Good air circulation necessary

– Dissipate the heat

– Disperse evaporating water

• Sufficient time before packaging the bread

– Allow the bread to completely cool down

• Minimize negative changes in crust characteristics

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Staling Bread

• As soon as the bread cools down, a process of degradation of its structure starts

• Several bread characteristics will be modified

– The crumb

– The crust

– The flavor

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Staling Bread

• Crumb degradation mostly due to a migration of water

• During starch gelatinization, the water surrounding the particle of starch will move from the outside of the particle to the inside.

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Staling Bread

• Temperature at which starch granule begins to absorb water and swell

• 135-165°F (57-74°C) for most cereals

• Granule then becomes permeable

– Continued temperature increases cause more swelling

– Amylose leaches out of starch granule

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Staling Bread

• When the bread cools, these chains retract to reorganize into their initial structure

– The crumb will then become more dense and loose its softness

• This process is more active when the bread is kept at temperature around 40ºF

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Staling Bread

• Several crust properties will be penalized

– Loss of crispiness

• Crust gets tougher and more leathery

– Changes from glossy to dull

• Changes are mainly caused by

– Migration of water from crumb from the crumb to the crust

– Migration of water from the air to the crust

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Staling Bread

• Aromas are very volatile compounds

• When the bread starts to cool down, some aromas evaporate

– Contributes to a pleasant smell in the bakery

• Modification of the structure of the bread affect the flavor of the bread

– Less pleasant and less attractive to the customer

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Delaying Staling

• Proper storage of the products after baking

– Avoid cooler temperature

– Avoid important drafts

• Packaging

– Paper bags versus plastic bags

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Delaying Staling

• Baking process can make a difference

– Hydration of the dough

• Higher hydration will improve shelf life

– Fermentation time

• Longer fermentation time is beneficial

– Avoid excessive volume of the final products

• Limit loss of moisture

– Appropriate baking time and temperature

• Limit the drying of the crust

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Delaying Staling

• Freezing baked bread can delay the staling

• After long storage in the freezer, the crust of bread can start to peel away

• Short shaped bread or bread with fat can last longer in a frozen state

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Delaying Staling

• Precautions when freezing bread:

– Freeze only fresh bread

– Use of flash freezer advised

– Place the bread on screen to speed up the freezing process

– When frozen, put the bread in plastic bag to limit drying from freezer burns

CHAPTER

5

After Baking:Delaying Staling

• Defrost of the bread must happen in good conditions

• Fast defrosting to avoid long stay of the product at critical temperature where staling is optimum (around 40ºF)

CHAPTER

5

Baking BreadConclusion

• Considerations for baking bread:

– Evaluation of final proof

– Scoring

– Amount of steam

– Type of oven

– Baking time and temperature

– Cooling and storage of bread