baking how to

Ever wanted to know the tricks to scoring and shaping bread dough? Here they are.

How to score and shape bread dough

bread dough

To score bread dough, use a small, sharp knife, razor blade, or bread lame to slash a proofed and shaped bread. Scoring will help the bread expand where you want it to, instead of bursting at the seams. Bake scored bread straight after scoring.

To shape bread dough, you have many options. Knead before using the edges of your hands to form the dough into a ball. Then fold the dough into itself and form into a long loaf shape for a loaf pan. Cover and let rise before scoring, if desired, and baking.

Shaping wheat stalks is easy. Shape long baguettes, then use scissors to cut angular sections. Push them alternately left and right to make the wheat stalk effect and bake right away. Enjoy!

Yeast is a fungus that is responsible for turning sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. In baking, it is responsible for providing leavening to dough by filling up and expanding the gluten structure of dough with gas. 

Yeast becomes active when it is combined with liquid and has the opportunity to feed on sugar. For this reason, the easiest way to know if your yeast is still alive is to first “proof” it by combining it with warm water and a pinch of sugar, then leaving it covered for approximately 10 minutes. If the liquid starts to foam and bubble, the yeast is active.

Basic yeast dough

yeast

sugar

water

eggs

flour

butter

salt

A basic yeast dough consists of yeast, sugar, water, eggs, flour, butter, and salt. These elements are combined to form a dough, which then needs to be kneaded to develop the gluten structure and left to rise and ferment in a warm place until about double in size. Depending on the dough you are making, it is possible that it will need to rise more than once for the desired effect.

The process of fermentation is what ultimately develops flavor and structure in the dough. And though it is a scientific process, it is rather straightforward to execute—all you need is a bit of patience!

https://player.vimeo.com/external/85739286.m3u8?s=849c1604564ee5196215a36ad1310ed2b32da924&oauth2_token_id=1198999172

For cakes, cupcakes, sandwich cookies, and more, buttercream is often the finishing—and perfecting—touch. This recipe is its most basic form, though it’s easily adaptable to a variety of flavors. It makes enough buttercream to frost a 25-cm/10-inch layer cake.

Basic Vanilla Buttercream

tbsp butter,

confectioner's sugar

milk

tsp vanilla extract

Beat the sugar and butter on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, salt, and milk and mix for another minute or two. If the buttercream is too stiff, add a little milk; if it’s too loose, add a little more sugar.

Making rich, creamy butter at home is so much easier than you think! Once you know how to make butter, you’ll find yourself making it every week and flavoring it in a hundred different ways.

Homemade Butter

heavy cream

Pour the cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. Once the cream starts to thicken, increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating.

After about 5 minutes, the cream will start to separate. Continue beating until the butter and the buttermilk have fully separated. You may want to drape a tea towel over the mixer to keep the buttermilk from splashing onto you during the last couple of minutes.

Using a fine mesh sieve, strain off the liquid.

Place the butter in a clean bowl and cover with cold water. Use a spatula or your hands to knead the butter, pressing out any remaining buttermilk. Repeat this process until the water is clear.

Place the butter on a plate and, if desired, stir in the salt.

In a stand mixer:

Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl. Using your electric hand mixer, beat at medium-high speed until cream starts to separate, about 10 minutes

Continue beating until the butter and the buttermilk have fully separated. You may want to drape a tea towel over the top of your hands and the edges of the bowl to keep the buttermilk from splashing onto you during the last couple of minutes.

Using an electric hand mixer:

Pour the cream into the bowl of a food processor. Process on high speed until the butter and buttermilk separate, about 5 minutes.

In a food processor:

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How to score and shape bread dough

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Top 4 baking how to recipes from across the web

The most viewed baking how to recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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How to score and shape bread dough

Basic yeast dough

Basic Vanilla Buttercream

Homemade Butter

The most viewed baking how to recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine