September 3, 2007 - 1:26pm
dough conditioner ???
Good Afternoon! I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday.
So, here's my question. What do I need to add to my dough to make it last for more than one day?
I start off with a very nice sunflower, whole wheat, flax bread that is very nice and moist.
When I feel it the next day, it feels kind of dry and not as pliable. (stale?)
I would like to use it for sandwiches the next day, but too dry for me. Any thoughts?
(other than croutons) ha ha
Any help would be great.
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Do you want to know what to add to your dough to make your loaf last longer? How do you treat your loaf after it is baked? How do you cool it, store it? Sorry for all the questions. Oh, one more, do you use a soaker in the recipe? --Mini Oven
vmscook
Sorry to be so ignorant. I am not sure what a soaker is?
Yes, I want to know how to make the shelf life of my bread longer.
I can bake it and cool it great. It looks, taste and feels great.
But, the next day (I should tell you that I put it in the fridge in a plastic bag)
it is not as pliable and not so fresh feeling. (kind of like it is stale)
I am allergic to lecithin and soy anything so I really want something that does not contain those ing.
The fridge is a large part of the problem. Bread stales faster in the refrigerator than anywhere else.
A soaker or any kind of preferment will help, as will a small amount of fat in the bread.
Just what it implies, Some of the coarser grains and seeds are covered with boiling water and allowed to soak up to 4 hours before being incorporated into dough. Any left over water is then measured as part of the recipe water. This can lead to a moister bread that holds it's moisture longer.
Another suggestion: don't refrigerate the bread if you don't have to. Cold bread feels dryer. You can also steam it over your cup of coffee to warm it up. :) --Mini Oven
When I make bread, about 2/3 of the flour I use is high gluten flour. This gives the bread more fluff, which gives it a few more days of life without drying out.