Do you ever make a loaf of bread and feel like the texture just isn't what you would like it to be?
Somewhere in the middle of the loaf (which is where your best sandwich slices would come from if things worked out properly) it's a little too crumbly or lacking in heft to stand up to slicing and spreading…whereas at the ends it's a little too low to make a good-sized sandwich at all?
Long ago I realized that I like my bread braided.
So usually that's how I make each loaf, whether free-formed on a baking sheet or in a loaf pan.
But at first, when I followed the directions I found in cookbooks, I usually ended up with something that was lopsided — too narrow at one end! Or too tightly braided on one end and too loose on the other!
So here is a little tutorial on how to achieve bread that has good texture and is evenly distributed.
You can use your favorite recipe. The ones that have some fat and eggs, like, obviously, challah, work especially well. But any dough that isn't super sticky will be fabulous. If you have been brewing beer recently, try my spent grain bread…
Let it rise at least once.
1. For each loaf's worth of dough, use your bench scraper to cut three strands of more or less equal size.
{Now listen. One of the most important things you can learn about improving your bread is to handle the dough carefully and gently. Kneading is an idea that has been…overworked!
If you let your dough rise slowly and don't treat it roughly, you will eliminate both an unpleasant yeasty aroma and a dense structure. We will talk about that more another time… but for now, just roll these ropes with the minimum force and extra flour necessary, trying to keep the integrity of those long strands of gluten that have been developing.
Hence, imperfectly formed strands are the lesser of two evils, the greater being overworked dough.}
2. Secret Alert!
Begin your braiding in the middle!
Don't do what you do with your daughter's hair: don't sort of pull and twist as you go, which is exactly what you would do if you started at one end. (It doesn't hurt to practice on her, though! You moms of boys need to borrow a niece.)
Instead, sort of flop the lightly floured strands on each other in braided position. (Flouring each strand is better than working a lot of flour into the strand to get it to cooperate.) Continue doing that flopping until you reach the end of that side.
3. Now start on the other end.
You kind of have to reverse your flopping direction, which means going under with that top rope in a counter-intuitive way.
It will be fatter in the middle. That's fine. It just can't be fatter at one end 😉
You can do it, it just takes a minute to wrap your mind around what you need to do.
When you get to the end, seal the ropes together and tuck under, giving a last little braid just like you do to hair to keep the ends in a bun.
As you seal and tuck, plump those ends together so that they increase in height to match the middle, which has a bigger mass of dough.
This loaf below was perfect, even though the top puffed out a bit. The two ends were even and the texture was sturdy yet tender. The picture, however, was not in focus, sorry!
Thanks to Ann Kroeker for the link! See what others are cooking up!
Also thanks to The Inspired Room! Share what makes your life beautiful!
Amy's Finer Things has lots of ideas today!
Decadent Housewife says
Beautiful breads. Good tips.
Yvette says
Oh my…where's the butter??
*Michigan Momma* says
I'm wondering….Kroger has just come out with new bread, claiming they have a "new" way of baking the bread – which includes TWISTING it before putting it in the pan. They claim it enhances the texture.I'm betting braiding the bread is the same effect, and MUCH prettier.Something I'm gonna try – thanks for the tutorial, I would have just braided it like normal~Lori
Pippajo says
Ah, bread baking…a lofty height to which I can only dream of rising (no pun intended–well, okay, maybe a little).Right now I can barely manage the laundry, dishes, and cooking. The idea of baking my own bread makes me laugh. Or cry. Depending on what kind of day it's been.I need a cuppa.
skoots1mom says
i'm going to practice this weekend!thanks!
Jane Anne says
Ok, I haven't made homemade bread in a long time! I am bookmarking your page so that I can come back. AND- I am going to go figure out what kind of bread I want to try out. (Your pictures… they just make me hungry!)
Suzy says
Great job on the tutorial. I love homemade bread just out of the oven, delish!
Amy @ Finer Things says
Beautiful bread braids. Thanks for sharing!
Erika says
Gorgeous. I bake our bread, but lately my "artistry" has been reduced to dumping it in the bread machine and pressing start. I can't wait to give this a try–I've never had a braided loaf turn out this nicely, but now I know the secret!!
goslyn says
Leila – Thank you so much for this tip! I made my last loaf of bread using the braid method, and although it didn't looks so pretty, the texture was fantastic. Smooth and chewy and not at all dry, as my sandwich bread is prone to turn after a day or two. I think I need to use a larger pan if I'm going to bake it in a pan for sandwiches. Anyhow, fabulous tip! Thanks so much.
Renae says
I knew I should've come here before I attempted to make challah. Mine does not look nearly so pretty and I forgot to add the eggs. I smooshed them in half way through rising. At this point I just hope the bread is edible. 😉
Anonymous says
Hey, I"ve been practicing my Challah making and I discovered how to braid a 6 strand. It's super easy. Right to left, over 2 under 1. Easy and looks BEAUTIFUL!
Lisa says
Just took mine out of the oven. Thank you so much for the tips! Yum. Yum.
Sara says
I decided to make some Italian sesame bread (do actual Italians eat this? it was omnipresent in the Shop Rites of my youth) to go with the minestrone we served after my husband’s garage schola practice on Saturday. Almost seven years later, this tip emerged from the recesses of my memory – the braided loaves turned out so lovely, and I felt so competent! Thank you, Auntie Leila!
Rochelle says
Lovely. So, basic bread recipe? I love your rosemary raisin bread and I’m about to make your stuffed bread of specialness, but what proportions do you generally start with for a basic, lovely, sandwich loaf? I’ve been searching archives and have yet to hit upon one you or your daughters share. 🙂