Showing posts with label tip of the day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tip of the day. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Slicing Bread & Round 3 Whole Wheat Bread

So here goes, this is how I've figured out to slice my whole wheat sandwich bread so it comes out just like store bought bread slices.

First have a decent bread knife, doesn't have to be amazing or expensive, it's all about your wrist! I do quick little slices back and forth, gently pressure, just like I'm an electric knife. I picture what those bread slicers do in the store and try do it with my knife on just one slice. I know I'm a dork. But I like to see things in my head, it's how my brain works. So just keep doing that till you reach the bottom and you did it!

Second you have to hold the slice upright so that it doesn't fall over and crack in half since this is really nice soft bread and you want it perfectly thin. Just like the picture above. Also the longer the loaf rises the fluffier it will be and the harder it is to slice and the more important it is for you to support the slice while cutting it.

Third, you can flip the bread over and slice it upside down. It squashes the top a little but it bounces back, just don't push too hard!


So this is my round 3 loaf, one of them, and as you can see they do come out different every time. So why does it look so different this time? Well hubbie helped out. I had to go to the store so he brushed the tops with half and half instead of milk and also they hadn't risen quite to where I wanted them when he put them in the oven. I also told him to leave off the oat sprinkle from the top because all it does is make a mess. Don't get me wrong, I think it looks pretty and all but this was just more practical.

So you can see the pretty bouncy muffin top is gone, it's a little denser too. It also did not "deflate" like the last couple batches. Not a bad thing but the other loaves you can see how wrinkled they were on top from the "deflating". I also like to wrap them up in plastic as they come out of the oven to maintain the moisture and so the crust gets soft because I personally dislike crunchy crust on my sandwich bread.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Wonderful Whole Wheat Bread - round 2

This is a follow up to my original post here for my favorite perfect whole wheat sandwich bread.



The dough will be stiff and feel dryer than a white bread dough - that's ok.








For the second rise I cover it with plastic wrap loosely that's been sprayed with oil because I have a cold kitchen. I also drape it with a towel and set it near the oven that is usually on.







Once completely risen to the height you would like your bread to be (it doesn't rise much in the oven) gently paint the tops with milk and sprinkle oats on it.






Oh I love the smell of the warm bread. We eat one right away and I freeze the other one as we tend to go through 2 loaves each week.






Ok so here's my tip of the day for getting perfect store bought slices out of your loaf! Turn it upside down and if you aren't using an electric knife (I don't have one) cut like you are using an electric knife. Also, if you like thin slices hold the slice up so it doesn't break in half. You'll see what I mean when you try it. Kinda hard to explain. I'll try get a picture next time.