The 5 biggest mistakes in bread baking
Peter Kapp is Germany's best baker, and he does it with passion. The self-proclaimed Artisan Boulanger not only bakes breads, he creates masterpieces. Who else should you ask for advice when your own bread has gone to pot again? Here he exclusively reveals his baking secrets and how you can avoid the 5 biggest mistakes when baking bread.
1. short dough time
Like everything else these days, bread is supposed to be quick, even though it is one of those things that take time. If dough pieces do not have the opportunity to mature for a long time, a few steps in outdated basic rules have to be adapted: In the past it was said that 1 cube of fresh yeast was needed for 1 kg of flour. Peter Kapp says: that's wrong! That is too much yeast, which cannot rise at all in the short time available. In his recipes, he uses 7-10 g of yeast per 1 kg of flour. With this amount, the yeast can rise in a shorter time and the bread becomes fluffy and does not have an unpleasant yeast taste.
2. the right amount of water
A perfect loaf should still be nice and soft and fluffy on the inside, not too firm. Here, two parameters play an important role in the preparation: the amount of water and the kneading time. On the subject of water, we also have an outdated basic rule here that says you should use 500 g of warm water for 1 kg of flour. Kapp corrects this statement with two direct errors: First of all, you should use cold water, because the long kneading in the machine already generates heat and the dough will otherwise end up above the optimal processing temperature of 24°C. In addition, you should not use 500 g of water but 650 g of water. This is related to the kneading time.
3. the optimum kneading time
The kneading time should not be underestimated. It has an influence on the consistency, temperature, firmness, taste ... actually everything that makes a good dough. According to Kapp's rule of thumb, to get the dough perfect, it should be kneaded slowly in the machine for at least 10 minutes and then quickly for a maximum of 6 minutes. During this time, the dough can develop optimally, the yeast can rise and the individual components can combine perfectly. A slow dough development is crucial for the taste, because this also develops only after a certain time. And who wants to eat tasteless bread?
4. the right shape
5. you have to be strict when baking!
Peter Kapp has already tried out, created and tinkered with a lot in his bakery. And his most important tip is: "You have to be strict when baking! That means you should always stick to the instructions. No matter whether it's the baking time, the quantities or the kneading time. Everything has an influence on the perfect bread! And of course, the quality of the ingredients used plays a big role in how your bread tastes in the end.
Are you ready to bake your own breads?
Learn even more tips and tricks and how you can easily prepare Peter Kapp's breads at home in your Meisterklasse "The Art of Bread Baking".