As the weather gets colder and colder, there is something so comforting about the smell of fresh baked bread wafting through the house.  As an added bonus, kneading bread is like a trip to the gym, so you’re practically doing yourself a favor by making it, or at least, that’s what I’m telling myself. ;)Here’s a few tips to make sure your loaf isn’t better off used as a paper weight:

1. Make sure your yeast isn’t old.  Old yeast just doesn’t rise as well.  Storing your yeast in the freezer, though, gives it an almost infinite shelf life.
2. Bread can be fickle–the humidity and temperature in the room can affect how the bread turns out {which is why I am sure we have all experienced the EXACT recipe turning out differently}.  You may have to learn to compensate through trial and error {i.e. place your bread to rise in a warmer part of the house if your kitchen is colder in the winter}.
3. Add salt after you have mixed your dough and let it rest for 10 minutes, it will decrease your overall kneading time.
4. Place a try of hot water in your oven while it is warming up.  Steam is the key to a soft chewy inside and crusty outside.  Allowing steam to build up in your oven before you bake the bread will exponentially increase the texture.
5. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar to your recipe to help keep the bread soft.
6. Rub your hands with oil before kneading, it will keep the dough from sticking.
7. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.  I know it’s super tempting to dig right into the warm loaf, but it will tear the loaf to bits.
8. For the lightest fluffiest loaf, measure out flour into your measuring cup with a spoon, instead of scooping it up with the measuring cup.  Don’t tap the measuring cup to settle the flour, just use the back side of a knife to level it off.
9. If you bake with whole grain flours, store it in the fridge or freezer.  They tend to go rancid very easily, and will affect the overall flavor of the bread.
10. When adding liquid to yeast, make sure it is warm.  If it is too cold, it will slow/stop the rising action of the yeast.  If it is too hot, it will destroy the power of the yeast all together.
11. Lightly toasting nuts and seeds before adding them to bread brings out the richness of their flavor.
12. To test if you have kneaded enough, break off a piece of dough and stretch it.  It should stretch easily like a piece of bubble gum.
13. If you are baking multiple loaves, make sure to place the pans several inches apart and ALL on the center rack to ensure consistent baking.
14. Make sure all ingredients are room temperature before mixing.
15. If you cover your bread with a damp cloth while rising, make sure not to use a cloth that has been washed with a strong scented detergent or bleach–the taste and smell can transfer to your loaf.

I know some of my readers are artisan bread makers, so I would love it if you would leave your tried and true tips in the comments!

~Mavis

Need a recipe to get you started?  Try my simple No-Knead Crusty Dutch Oven Bread recipe.

The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day gets rave reviews on Amazon, and pretty much every serious bread baker I know swears it is the best bread book out there!