Be A Bread Baking Expert

From kneading, to rising, to baking, here are some tips that will help make bread baking easy.
Bread! Rolls! Baguettes! Stork wants you to bake your own bread this Homemade Bread Day
because everyone loves the smell of freshly baked bread. From kneading, to rising, to baking,
here are some tips that will help make bread baking easy.

KNEADING BREAD DOUGH

Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. Once
the bread dough is smooth and elastic, your kneading is complete. To test it, lightly slap the
dough. If your hand comes away clean, it’s ready to rise.

FIRST RISING

Dough will rise best in a warm place that is free from drafts. Make sure you place it in a greased
bowl that’s large enough to allow it to double in size. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Once
doubled in size and when it no longer springs back when pressed, lightly pound on the dough
and let it rest for 10 minutes.

PREPARING YOUR PAN

Use Stork Bake to grease the pan.

SECOND RISING

Once your dough is ready placed in the pan to rise again. Set it aside and let it rise until it
doubles in size. If the dough over rises, it may collapse in the oven whilst baking. By allowing
the to dough rise twice, it helps improve the flavour and texture even more.

BAKING

Unless the recipe says otherwise, always bake your bread on the lower rack. If you’re baking
more than one loaf, be sure they’re not touching each other or the sides of the oven. You want the air to circulate between them so they cook evenly. If your crust is becoming too brown, too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

Start with a simple recipe like our delicious Mielie Bread and work your way up to a more
complex one.