For those who are still scared to make their own homemade bread, this is your sign: you are missing out.
It is a beautifully ceremoneous process: kneading, rising, baking and, of course, the aromas that flood the house. Your loaf is guaranteed to turn out great as long as you follow the 12 commandments of bread baking.

The Secrets To The Perfect Bread Loaf

  1. Abundant, undisturbed rest for the dough. It is crucial to all breadmaking processes.
  2. Let the dough proof properly, so that its gluten lattice can form and the final product becomes fluffy rather than dense. Patience will reward you in the end.
  3. All ingredients used must be at room temperature (ideally 24-25°C). Don’t try to rush the process with artificial heat.
  4. When a recipe calls for hot water it shouldn’t exceed 30-35°C, as it will damage the starter.
  5. “Feed” your starter with malt, carob flour, sugar, molasses or honey. The sweetness not only helps with yeast activation, but also in achieving the perfect color, aroma and balanced flavor profile.
  6. The more you knead, the quicker the dough will rise. If you just combine the ingredients, rising can take up to 3,5 hours.
  7. To check if your dough has proofed enough, press it with your finger. If the dent remains, it is ready for kneading.
  8. To ensure proper kneading, pull on a small part of the dough. If it is stretchy and doesn’t rip off, it is ready.
  9. Score the surface of your loaf with a sharp knife or a razor blade before baking for an even rise in the oven.
  10. Your oven needs to be well preheated. Adding moisture through water sprays or a baking sheet with ice cubes on the lowest rack can help create a crispy bread crust.
  11. To check if your bread baked well, hit its base. If it sounds hollow, it was baked correctly.
  12. Leave the freshly baked loaf to rest on a wire rack or kitchen towell for 15 minutes so that the inside properly dries.

Proofing Tip

Slow proofing in a cool environment or the fridge lends better aromas and flavors to the bread. You can leave the dough covered in the fridge overnight and knead it the next day after it has reached room temperature.