Homemade bread

[Fire Me Boy!]

I know there are some bread bakers here. The wife and I have started making our own, usually once a week for a couple loaves that will last all week. One goes in the freezer until we're done with the other.

I can't remember who, but there are a few accomplished bread bakers here. What are your top 5 tips for baking better bread?

[Rain Man]

I love baking my own bread, but I'm not accomplished at it at all. I have a breadmaker and I just follow the recipes in the book that came with it.

There are few pleasures in life greater than pulling that bread out, all hot and aromatic, and grabbing a cold stick of butter out of the fridge for the first slice.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I love baking my own bread, but I'm not accomplished at it at all. I have a breadmaker and I just follow the recipes in the book that came with it.

There are few pleasures in life greater than pulling that bread out, all hot and aromatic, and grabbing a cold stick of butter out of the fridge for the first slice.

Speaking of butter... do you just use sweet cream butter, or have you tried any of the cultured butters (like Plugra, Kerrygold, etc.)? I bought a bunch of Plugra on sale a couple weeks ago and froze some... that stuff is da bomb.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Speaking of butter... do you just use sweet cream butter, or have you tried any of the cultured butters (like Plugra, Kerrygold, etc.)? I bought a bunch of Plugra on sale a couple weeks ago and froze some... that stuff is da bomb.

I just use regular butter. On a fresh hot loaf of bread, I like the firmness of butter that's not mixed with anything since it usually seems like flavored butters are softer and melt faster. (I don't know what cultured butter is, so maybe it's different.) I'm a little different than most folks, I've found, in that I like my butter to be hard and cold as opposed to melted.

[TimBone]

My Aunt makes homemade bread. It's wonderful. I'd love to learn.

That's all I can add to the thread. Sorry.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I just use regular butter. On a fresh hot loaf of bread, I like the firmness of butter that's not mixed with anything since it usually seems like flavored butters are softer and melt faster. (I don't know what cultured butter is, so maybe it's different.) I'm a little different than most folks, I've found, in that I like my butter to be hard and cold as opposed to melted.

Cultured butter just means some of the natural bacteria has been allowed to work its magic (ferment) on the cream before it's churned. Cultured butter (most European butters) have kind of a tang to them. Try some sometime - you can find Plugra or Kerrygold at most grocery stores other than Walmart (even my little Winn Dixie in my town of 6,000 has Kerrygold).

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Cultured butter just means some of the natural bacteria has been allowed to work its magic (ferment) on the cream before it's churned. Cultured butter (most European butters) have kind of a tang to them. Try some sometime - you can find Plugra or Kerrygold at most grocery stores other than Walmart (even my little Winn Dixie in my town of 6,000 has Kerrygold).

I'll look for it. I'm wary, though, because regular butter is pretty much the Nadia Comaneci of flavor. There's not really any way to improve it.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'll look for it. I'm wary, though, because regular butter is pretty much the Nadia Comaneci of flavor. There's not really any way to improve it.

If you really like sweet cream butter (eg. Land o' Lakes), I'll be surprised if you don't like cultured butter better. I like Plugra better than Kerrygold.

[TimBone]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm a little different than most folks, I've found, in that I like my butter to be hard and cold as opposed to melted.

Naw man, you're not alone. I'm right there with you. That cold butter on a fresh slice of bread is wonderful.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Flybone McTimmerson

Naw man, you're not alone. I'm right there with you. That cold butter on a fresh slice of bread is wonderful.

It's the temperature differential that's so appealing. Like hot fudge on ice cream.

I just wish cold butter spread easier.

[TimBone]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

It's the temperature differential that's so appealing. Like hot fudge on ice cream.

I just wish cold butter spread easier.

That makes absolute sense. Also agree about the spread ability of cold butter. You'd figure somebody would have invented something for that by now.

[Rain Man]

I'm fine with low spreadability. I like having a big chunk of butter on there. And yeah, cold butter on hot bread does spark something magical.

[TimBone]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

It's the temperature differential that's so appealing. Like hot fudge on ice cream.

I just wish cold butter spread easier.

I do think there's a little more to it than that though. I may be out of my league discussing this with you, but to me solid butter tastes creamier. When it's melted it takes on a more salty taste.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Flybone McTimmerson

I do think there's a little more to it than that though. I may be out of my league discussing this with you, but to me solid butter tastes creamier. When it's melted it takes on a more salty taste.

Not sure about the saltiness (I exclusively use unsalted butter), but the creaminess makes sense. When it's melted, the oil separates from the milk solids, so it's more oil than creamy butter.

[buddha]

I use unsalted butter every time. Makes a big difference.

Bread flour is important to use. Fresh yeast. The recipe you use will tell you how much rise time you need, and how many rises. There is no short cut in this...plenty of rising is key.