Making home made bread

Bread making is about as old as history itself. There is a science to it. You sort of have to know that certain things are catalysts and other things are just plain important.

Make sure your yeast is fresh. Avoid a disaster by checking the back of the yeast packet. There is an expiration date plainly printed on it.
Yeast is what makes a yeast bread rise. It is combined with warm water and that causes the yeast to grow and multiply rapidly. Another thing that helps it grow is sugar. Yeast loves sugar. The biproduct of yeast fermentation is carbon dioxide which gets caught in the bread substance and makes bubbles that rise upward causing your dough to rise.

When you add water to flour you get the proteins glutanin and gliadin which combine to form gluten, a protein that makes a sort of web through the dough and catches the air bubbles from fermenting yeasts.

Depending on what type of flour you use, your bread will have different texture, color, and flavors. If you use a whole grain flour, remember to also add all purpose flour, as that is where the gluten is that makes the web to trap the CO2 bubbles that makes the bread rise.

Water gives the bread a crispier crust. Milk will give it a finer texture. Oil, butter, and other fats added to the bread give it flavor and moistness. Eggs can be added to breads to give it a delicious flavor.

Salt is added to a yeast bread recipe because yeast can and will become over zealous, and the dough will over rise. It also adds flavor to bread.

If you are planning to add seeds to the top of your bread, you have to have something to stick it to the crust. And egg yolk glaze works well. It gives the bread a shiny and golden crust as well.

The important thing is to know why you use the basics that go into a loaf of bread. Otherwise, you may court disaster.

Kneading the dough is one of the most important parts of breadmaking.
Kneading does three crucial things for bread: it distributes the yeast and other ingredients evenly and thoroughly, it develops the gluten in the dough, and it introduces air. The gluten, or wheat protein, is what enables the dough to stretch instead of collapsing when the yeast grows inside it. If the gluten isn't developed, the dough won't rise well and will produce a heavy loaf - rather like a brick. (So THAT'S why we had our doorstop in Texas.. yeah.. )

Now, don't you feel smart?!