Breadmaking

• How do we produce bread from start to finish?

  Wheat is harvested and the wheat grains milled to make flour, which is a primary process.

  The secondary process is when flour is made into bread dough by adding yeast and water.

  Both processes can affect sensory and nutritional properties.

  Yeast, when mixed with water and flour produces carbon dioxide causing raw bread dough to rise i.e. before it is baked.

  During baking, the starch grains in the flour burst making them digestible.

  The surface of the bread browns.

  This is known as dextrinisation.
• What is 'milling'?

  Milling is the process by which cereal grains are ground into flour
• What is 'fortification'?

  Adding vitamins and minerals into food
• What is meant by 'primary processing'?

  The conversion of raw materals into the food commodities e.g milling of wheat grain into flour.
• By law, the nutrients:

  • calcium
  • iron
  • B vitamins

  must be added to flour
• What are the 4 key ingredients used in break making?

  • wheat flour
  • liquid
  • yeast
  • salt
• What is meant by 'dextrinisation'?

  When starch is exposed to dry heat, the colour changes to brown. Dextrin causes the characteristic brown crust of baked products and toast.
• What is meant by coagulation?

  The setting of protein in the presence of heat
• What is meant by gelatinisation?

  The thickening of a mixture, in the presence of heat due to the swelling of starch grains
• What is the function of the flour in bread?

  • bulk
  • taste - different flour types give different flavours
  • absorbs moisture - flour can absorb water to make a dough
  • nutrients - provides starchy carbohydrates, protein and is fortified with vitamins and minerals
• What is the function of water (liquid) in bread?

  • moisture - helps create the right conditions for the yeast to grow, also hydrates the flour which helps gluten formation
  • warmth - create right temperature for yeast to grow
  • steam - when dough is baked, water turns to steam and helps it to rise
  • structure - liquid binds everything together to make the dough
• What is the function of yeast in bread?

  • raising agent - yeast is a living micro-organism, when it has the ideal conditions for growth it respires and produces carbon dioxide
• What is the function of salt in bread making?

  structure - helps with gluten formation

  taste - a small amount improves flavour of bread

  however too much salt can prevent the yeast from fermenting
• What is different about the Chorleywood bread making process in comparison to bulk fermentation?

  • quicker
  • enables people to use lower protein wheat - bakeries can use UK grown wheat
  • Vitamin C is added as an improver
• Gluten gives bread its structure and prevents it from collapsing.
• What is unleavened bread?

  Bread without a raising agent