Bread Techniques Guide

Last Modified: 2025-06-07

Enrichment Techniques

Tangzhong (Water Roux Method)

Origin: Asian baking tradition, popularized in Japanese and Chinese bread making

What it is: A flour and liquid mixture cooked to 65°C (149°F) to gelatinize the starches, then cooled and incorporated into bread dough.

Typical Ratio: 1:5 (flour to liquid by weight)

• Example: 50g flour + 250g liquid (water or milk)

Benefits:

• Softer texture: Creates incredibly soft, pillowy bread
• Extended shelf life: Bread stays fresh 2-3 days longer
• Higher hydration: Allows for higher water content without sticky dough
• Better structure: Helps maintain shape in enriched doughs

Best used for:

• Asian-style soft breads (shokupan, milk bread)
• Sandwich breads
• Enriched doughs with eggs and butter
• Burger buns and dinner rolls

Process:

1. Whisk flour and liquid in a saucepan
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 65°C
3. Mixture will thicken to a paste-like consistency
4. Cool completely before adding to main dough
5. Typically represents 5-10% of total flour weight

Yudane (Scalded Flour Method)

Origin: Japanese technique similar to tangzhong but using boiling water

What it is: Flour mixed with an equal weight of boiling water, creating a different texture than tangzhong.

Typical Ratio: 1:1 (flour to boiling water by weight)

Benefits:

• Even softer texture than tangzhong
• Excellent moisture retention
• Slightly different flavor profile

Pre-ferments

Biga (Italian Stiff Preferment)

• Hydration: 50-60%
• Fermentation: 12-16 hours at room temperature
• Characteristics: Stiff, dry texture; adds complex flavor and improves texture

Poolish (French Liquid Preferment)

• Hydration: 100% (equal weights flour and water)
• Fermentation: 12-15 hours at room temperature
• Characteristics: Liquid consistency; adds mild tang and improves crumb structure

Pâte Fermentée (Old Dough)

• What it is: A piece of previous day's dough saved and used as preferment
• Benefits: Adds flavor complexity and improves texture
• Usage: Typically 20-30% of total flour weight

Levain (Sourdough Build)

• What it is: A portion of sourdough starter built up specifically for a recipe
• Benefits: More predictable timing than using starter directly
• Typical build: 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 (starter:flour:water)

Inclusions

Seeds and Nuts

• Preparation: Often toasted for better flavor
• Hydration adjustment: May need extra water as they absorb moisture
• Timing: Usually added during final mixing or first fold
• Percentage: 10-25% of flour weight

Dried Fruits

• Preparation: May need soaking to prevent moisture absorption
• Considerations: High sugar content affects fermentation
• Timing: Added late in mixing to prevent breaking apart

Fresh Fruits

• Challenges: High moisture content requires recipe adjustments
• Solutions: Drain well, reduce liquid in recipe, or use freeze-dried alternatives

Leavening Agents

Yeast Conversions

• Fresh yeast to instant yeast: 3:1 ratio
• Active dry yeast to instant yeast: 1.25:1 ratio
• Temperature sensitivity: Fresh yeast most sensitive, instant yeast most stable

Sourdough Starters

• Maintenance: Regular feeding maintains wild yeast and bacteria culture
• Activity indicators: Doubling in size, pleasant aroma, passing float test
• Conversion: Can substitute for commercial yeast with timing adjustments

Chemical Leaveners

• Baking powder: Double-acting provides lift during mixing and baking
• Baking soda: Requires acid component, immediate reaction
• Usage: Primarily for quick breads, muffins, and some enriched doughs

Integration with MyBakeLab Platform

The MyBakeLab platform supports all these techniques through:

1. Automatic calculations: Hydration adjustments for enrichments and inclusions
2. Timing guidance: Fermentation schedules for different preferments
3. Conversion tools: Between different leavening agents and preferment types
4. Recipe scaling: Maintains proper ratios when scaling up or down
5. Cost tracking: Includes specialty ingredients in cost calculations
6. Technique library: Step-by-step guidance for each method

This comprehensive approach allows bakers to explore traditional techniques while maintaining the precision and convenience of modern recipe management.