Picture Perfect Bread

The secret-at least most of it-is in the rise. The most common mistake that we see in bread making is not letting the dough rise enough.

So how do we know when the bread has risen enough? The dough will double in size. It will be soft and look a bit airy. When you touch it with your finger, it will feel soft and an indention in the dough will remain. If it feels a bit springy and the dough bounces back from the indentation, it hasn't risen enough.

To help you tell when your bread has risen enough, most recipes tell you how long to let the bread rise at normal kitchen temperatures. (The stated time is a guideline but it's usually pretty accurate if you are using water at the recommended temperature. Set the timer and forget about the bread until you hear the timer.)

Can you let bread rise too much? Yes-but most of us are too impatient to let that happen often. If it does rise too much, it will be blistered, so soft it won't hold its form, and may even collapse. No problem. Just gently knead some of the air from the dough, reshape the loaves, and let it rise again. It will rise more quickly the second time.

Sometimes, the bread dough is too dry or too wet. That won't happen often if you carefully measure the water. Traditional bread dough will be soft and barely sticky but dry enough to handle with a little flour on your hands. Environmental conditions, such as humidity or water hardness, may affect the moisture in the dough. If you feel that your dough is too wet or dry, add another tablespoon or two of flour or dribble in a tablespoon of water.

One more thing-when you put your loaves into the oven, allow as much space as possible between the loaves and between the loaves and oven walls. If air can't circulate properly around the loaves, the loaves will be misshapen.

Baking bread is an art. With a little practice, anyone can have picture perfect bread. Even when it is not picture perfect, it is a treat to enjoy.

Dennis Weaver is the general manager at The Prepared Pantry (http://www.preparedpantry.com) with recipes, ideas, and the best selection of mixes and ingredients. Visit the free Bakers' Library for more articles like this, free baking guides, and tested recipes.

---

Google News Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:49:19 GMT Frerotte leads Vikings to Monday night victory - FOXSports.com Boston Globe Frerotte leads Vikings to Monday night victory FOXSports.com - 1 hour ago by Alex Marvez Alex Marvez is a Senior NFL Writer for FOXSports.com. He's covered the NFL for 14 seasons as a beat writer and is the president of the Pro Football Writers of America. Frerotte proves mettle against sloppy Saints SportingNews.com National Football League Game Capsules Sports Network Minneapolis Star Tribune - Boston Herald - Philadelphia Inquirer - Newsday all 1,172 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:39:53 GMT Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death - New York Times InjuryBoard.com Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death New York Times - 5 hours ago By TARA PARKER-POPE Sleeping in a room with a fan lowers a baby’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome by 72 percent, a new study has found. Study Suggests Fan Use Cuts SIDS Risk in Babies Wall Street Journal Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS San Jose Mercury News U.S. News & World Report - WebMD - USA Today - Medgadget.com all 424 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:22:40 GMT Red Sox roar into AL title series - Boston Globe Red Sox roar into AL title series Boston Globe - 1 hour ago By Dan Shaughnessy Bring on the Rays. Bring on the Dodgers or Phillies if you like. There is plenty of champagne left in New England and Mayor Menino has sent the duck boats to have their tires rotated. Red Sox not taking Rays lightly in next round of postseason MLB.com Red Sox squeeze past Angels, advance to ALCS Washington Post SI.com - ESPN - Boston Herald - FOXSports.com all 3,162 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:49:29 GMT Sri Lanka: international probe called into killing - International Herald Tribune ABC News Sri Lanka: international probe called into killing International Herald Tribune - 29 minutes ago AP COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka's top opposition party called Tuesday for an international investigation into a bomb attack the previous day that killed a popular former army general and 26 others. Video: Sri Lanka army closes in on Tamil Tigers - 07 Oct 08 AlJazeeraEnglish Former Tamil rebel fighter named as member of parliament Monsters and Critics.com guardian.co.uk - The Associated Press - ABC Online - Radio Australia all 1,419 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:19:30 GMT McCain, Obama introduce newly sharp tone amid major news events - Los Angeles Times Washington Post McCain, Obama introduce newly sharp tone amid major news events Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago McCain intensifies his attack on Obama's past and character, and Obama returns the favor. The tactics may not resonate with voters in a time of crisis. Video: AP Campaign Minute AssociatedPress McCain, Obama unleash another round of attacks Reuters New York Times - Chicago Tribune - Dallas Morning News - The Miami Herald all 4,436 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:01:25 GMT Turkey hits PKK targets in n. Iraq on Tuesday - International Herald Tribune Voice of America Turkey hits PKK targets in n. Iraq on Tuesday International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago ANKARA: Turkish warplanes pounded suspected Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq for a second straight day on Tuesday, stepping up a bombing campaign after the death of 17 Turkish soldiers in a cross-border ambush. Turkish warplanes bomb 21 PKK targets in N Iraq People's Daily Online Turkish airstrikes target Kurdish rebels CNN United Press International - Aljazeera.net - AFP - The Associated Press all 1,633 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:30:40 GMT Man with financial woes kills family, self - San Francisco Chronicle Sydney Morning Herald Man with financial woes kills family, self San Francisco Chronicle - 1 hour ago An unemployed financial adviser apparently despondent over his troubles shot and killed his wife, his mother-in-law and three children before taking his own life in a gated community, Los Angeles police said Monday. Video: 6 Die in Family Murder-suicide in Upscale Home AssociatedPress California: Six Bodies Found in Los Angeles Home New York Times CNN - Reuters - Los Angeles Daily News - FOXNews all 557 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:38:59 GMT RSS2Blog Add RSS Feeds to My Website

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Preparing Lobster Tails

Lobster, once the food of poor farmers, is now considered... Read More

Whats a Pan Dowdy?

Cobblers and dowdies, crisps and crumbles, buckles and betties-what are... Read More

Cool Summertime Cooking

Summertime--and the living is easy! But the kitchen is hot!!... Read More

Caring For Your Wooden Cutting Board

Researchers have found that bacteria have a tougher time surviving... Read More

All About Baking: Quick Breads

The Versatile Quick BreadIt's no wonder quick breads are so... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Beans

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More

How to Make Sandwich Rolls with Your Bread Machine

For that next picnic or family outing, consider making sandwich... Read More

The Perfect Omelet(te), How to Cook It

Omelet(te)sThey're easy to cook, right?We'll see.The first thing to remember... Read More

What is a Serving Size?

Have you ever wondered how much a serving really is.... Read More

10 Wide Open Tips For Food Safety In The Great Outdoors

Hiking, camping, and boating are good activities for active people... Read More

6 Steps to Grill the Perfect Steak

There's nothing better than a nicely grilled juicy steak.But how... Read More

Easy Herb Butters

Since herbs are plentiful this time of year, why not... Read More

Modifying Your Recipes, More or Less

You just found that great recipe that you have been... Read More

Why do We Need to Knead?

Bread dough needs to be elastic in order to capture... Read More

How to Peel Almost Anything

The great English cook Prue Leith once famously remarked "life's... Read More

Herbs and Spices - the Essence of Flavor

In any number of cookbooks and recipes you will find... Read More

How to Bake: Bread on the Grill

One of the slickest tricks we know is baking bread... Read More

Season Your Pans for Non Stick Cooking

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cook a delicious... Read More

The Almighty Beer-Can Chicken

A popular method of cooking chicken in recent years both... Read More

Microwave Ovens and the Healthfulness of Microwaved Food

Microwave ovens do have benefits. They are certainly convenient. They... Read More

10 Convenient Ways To Eliminate Food Poisoning With Your Microwave

Microwave ovens can play an important role at mealtime, but... Read More

10 Deadly Bacteria That Can Get In Your Food (And How To Stop Them From Getting There)

Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our... Read More

Gourmet Sauces, Rubs and Marinades - Give Your BBQ a Gourmet Kick

Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More

Cookware ? Whats In It?

Have you ever wanted to buy new cookware but didn't... Read More

Picnic Tips and Tricks

The most difficult task of a picnic is remembering everything.... Read More