The Essential Guide To Baking

temperature, use an oven thermometer to make sure the setting is correct.

Season all your new baking pans by applying a very thin coat of vegetable oil and baking them

empty for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool completely, wipe dry and LIGHTLY grease them

with all−purpose shortening before using.

When you use a spray release agent on your pans, make sure that for breads, the release agent

does NOT contain flour.

A very thin coating of all−purpose shortening (hydrogenated) will cause breads to release.

Heavy steel pans are best for baking breads, light weight pans may cause the crust to brown

before the middle is done.

Breads that contain sugar and milk will brown quickly, sometimes before they are done. Place a

piece of brown paper on their tops about half−way through the baking time.

Bread will bake fine at 350 to 410 degrees. Make sure your oven temperature setting is correct.

Cut hearth type breads like French bread and rolls before they completely rise to size. If you

wait, they may fall. Make your cuts about one forth of an inch deep to insure good expansion in

the oven and a pretty loaf.

Brush on a wash of a fresh whole egg, mixed with a pinch of salt to make the crust shine. Brush

this mixture on all crusty type breads before you cut them. Do not let this wash get on your

baking pan. Egg wash will cause bread to stick to the pan.

Brush on a wash of oil or water to pan breads. Use water when you wish to sprinkle on a

topping. Use oil to make the top crust tender. Brush on before the bread rises. Do not let the

wash get on your baking pan.

Do not let bread rise in a draft. The dough will form a crust that will split and may cause

small loaves. Let all bread rise to about 2/3 its desired finished size. Cover the bowl with a

wet cloth or a damp paper towel.

Use a hand spray bottle filled with water and spray a mist into the oven just before putting in

the loaves. Crusty type breads like French bread should be sprayed as soon as you place them in

the oven and again about 10 minutes later. They will have better expansion and a crispy golden

crust.

Bread should be kept at a room temperature of about 80 degrees while rising. Cooler temperature

will make the dough take longer to rise. Warmer temperature will cause the dough to rise too

quickly. A few degrees one way or the other won't matter.

Bake rolls at a higher temperature than loaves, even when you are using the same dough for

each. The smaller unit needs the higher temperature to avoid being dry.

When your bread dough rises too much −− don't dismay, just reform the dough again and let it

rise to the correct size.

When the dough feels real warm, place it, pan and all, covered in the refrigerator for about

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