Everybody has bread at home but not everyone knows the proper way to handle bread and making bread. Here are some tips on bread that are rather useful for everyone.

Bread Tips

• How to store bread: To allow bread to last longer, it is best to use a breadbox which is made of clay to store it as it will ensure that the crust stay firm and the interior is soft.
• How long do stored bread last: Wheat can last up to 3-4 days, whereas rye bread can last longer about 5-7 days.
• Freezing bread: To ensure that the bread is cool and dry, place the bread inside a well-sealed plastic bag or use heavy freezer bags as it works best. The bread can last for up to 2 weeks if done properly.
• Thawing frozen bread: Leave the frozen bread inside the sealed plastic bag in room temperature which will take up to 1 or 2 hrs. Microwaving is not recommended.
• Refreshing or reheating bread: Sprinkle a little water on the bread and place the bread inside a preheated oven of 400° Fahrenheit (204° Celsius). Heat the bread for about 6-8 minutes or till it turns crusty.

Dough Tips

• The dough does not rise: The yeast may be too old or stiff. The water was too cool to activate the yeast or so hot that it killed the yeast. It might also be that the dough is too stiff or the rising place is too cool.
• Bread does not turn brown on the sides: Pans are too bright and therefore reflect the heat away or overcrowding of pans in the oven.
• Bread has excessive break on the side: There are 3 possibilities: the oven might be too hot, insufficient rising period or the bread might not be shaped properly.
• Top of the bread loaf is cracked: The dough is cooled too quickly, the dough is too stiff or it is not mixed well.
• Loaf crumbles easily: The dough is not mixed well and too much flour is added or the rising period is too long or the oven temperature is too low.
• Crust that are too thick: The reason why this would happen is due to the fact that there was too much flour used.
• Bread is wet inside: The period of rising was insufficient thus causing the internal of the bread to be wet.
• Bread has holes in it : The air was not completely pressed out when the dough was shape, try to make sure that there is no air present in the dough before baking.
• Bread has a sour taste : The environment for the rising is too warm which caused the dough to rise too quickly or the time left for rising was too long.

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