One of the most important parts of the bread making is the leavening process. This reaction is an important part of giving bread its quality, in texture and flavour.

1. THE BREAD LEAVENING
PROCESS
ALL ABOUT BAKING BREAD
THE BASICS
By Christopher Flatt
www.becomingachef.co.uk

2. The Bread Leavening Process
A Very Important Area Is The Leavening Process
This Reaction Gives Bread Its Quality, In Texture And
Flavour
It Is Important To Understand How This Process
Works
The Same Technique Is Generally Used In Most
Cultures
In Some Places Such As The Middle East
Unleavened Bread
To Follow Are Some Steps To Help You Appreciate
The Importance Of Yeast And Tips On How To Begin
Using Yeast

3. On Bread Leavening Without Yeast
Leavening Means To Put Gas Into The Dough During
Or Before The Baking Process To Achieve A More
Eatable, Lighter Bread
Most Bread Eaten In The UK Is Leavened, However
Unleavened Breads Are Out There
Leavening Is A Basic Technique That Uses The Gas
Producing Chemicals

4. Ways To Leaven Bread Without Yeast
The Two Most Common Methods Are:
1. The Method Of Using Baking Powder Or A Self-
raising Flour
2. This Method Involves Adding An Acidic Ingredient
Such As Baking Soda With Buttermilk
The Reaction Of The Baking Soda And The Acid Will
Create The Gas
This Type Of Leavening Is Used When Making Soda
Breads And For A Fast Bake Bread
This Method Is Used More In The Making Of Sweet
Breads Or Muffins

5. On Bread Leavening With Yeast
Yeast Is Used In The Leavening Of A Range Of Breads
And The Yeast Is A Single Cell Fungus. The Species Of
Yeast Used In Bread Leavening Is Called
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, This Is The Same Type As
Used In The Brewing Of Alcohol. In The Reaction The
Yeast Will Ferment Carbohydrates In The Flour And
Any Sugar. This Will Create The Carbon Dioxide.

6. More on Yeast
The Sourdough And The Baker’s Yeast Method Of
Making Bread Follow A Similar Process
The Baking Liquid, Such As Water Is Combined With
The Salt, Flour And The Leavening Ingredient
Other Ingredients Like Fruits, Nuts And Seeds Are
Not Essential To Bake Bread, However These Add
Flavour And Texture
Once The Dough Has Been Mixed It Is Allowed To
Rise At Least Once
Bakers Will Often Knock The Dough Back Once
Risen And Let It Rise Again

7. The Dough Is Formed Into Loaves In The Required
Style And Baked In The Oven
 Another Process Of Making Breads Is Using The
Straight Dough Or The Direct Dough Method
In This Case All Of The Ingredients Will Be Added In
A Single Step And Allowed To Rise And Then Baked
In The Oven
The Starter Method For Making Dough Is Another
Option
This Is When The Water, Flour And Raising Agent
Are Mixed At Least One Day Before Baking
This Allows The Dough To Ferment. All The Other
Ingredients Will Then Be Added And The Rest Of
This Method Is Similar To The Straight Dough
Process

8. Steam Leavening
 Bread Can Also Be Leavened By Steam Expanding Very
Quickly Within The Bread
 This Is A Basic Method, However It Can Be Unpredictable
 One Type Of Bread That Uses This Method Is The Popover
 Steam Leavening Can Be Done Using Most Leavening
Agents Including: Sourdough, Egg Snow, And Baking Soda
 This Method Is Unpredictable Due To The Steam Only Being
Created Once The Bread Is Baked

9. Bread - Sourdough and Leavening
All Agents Have Their Own Properties
Results In Different Characteristics Of The Product
The Taste In Sour Dough Is Not Produced By The
Yeast It Is The Lactobacillus ( A Non–spore Forming
Bacteria) The Yeast Lives In Association With The
Lactobacillus
The Lactobacillus Feeds On The Left Over Products
Of Yeast Fermentation
This Makes The Part That Turns Sour By The
Excretion Of Lactic Acid. Also This Will Protect
Everything From Spoiling

10. The Baker’s Yeast That Is Used In The Baking Of
Bread, Is A Specific Strain Of Yeast. This Is Not
Naturally Sour Because Of The Absence Of The
Lactobacillus And Needs To Go Through The Process
To Form A Sourdough Starter. All Breads Were
Sourdough Up To The 19th Century, Until The Process
Of Rising Through Microbes Was Fully Understood. As
Soon As This Development Was Made By Scientist’s
Yeast Was Taken On By Bakers All Over The World.

11. Sourdough Bread Essentials
Made Using A Sourdough Starter
A Sourdough Starter Can Be Managed Continuously
Starters Can Be Kept For Long Periods Of Time
 A Traditional Method For The Culture Of Sourdough
In Bread Making Families
Is To Have The Sourdough Prepared And Keeping A
Piece Back To Use For The Following Week

12. Salt Risen Bread - Bacteria
Salt Risen Bread Uses A Leavening Method That Does
Not Use Yeast. This Process Is Not As Accurate As
Using Yeast As A Leavening Agent And Needs Close
Attention. This Style Of Bread Making Will Produce A
Cheese-like Flavour And A Smooth Texture.

13. Fats and Preparation
There Are A Broad Range Of Bread Preparation
Methods
The Finished Product Will Change Depending On
The Preparation Methods Used
Also The Body, Crust And The Texture Will Vary With
Each Different Method Or Ingredient Used
And Some Bakers Will Have Their Own Methods Of
Producing Original Types Of Bread
 The Gluten Development Within The Bread Can
Change Depending On The Fats Used
By Using Too Much Fat In A Bread Dough Recipe
Then The Proteins Structures May Separate

14. CHRISTOPHER FLATT
www.becomingachef.co.uk
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