Baking bread seems intimidating until you actually do it. Then you discover that the ingredients (flour, water, yeast, salt) are impossibly simple, the process is therapeutic and deeply satisfying, and the result — a warm loaf that fills your home with incredible aroma — is one of cooking's greatest rewards.
Understanding Yeast
Yeast is a living organism that eats sugars and produces CO2 gas, which inflates tiny pockets in your dough. That inflation is what makes bread light, airy, and chewy rather than dense and cracker-like.
Active dry yeast: Must be "proofed" in warm water (100-110°F) for 5-10 minutes before using. If it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead — start over.
Instant/rapid-rise yeast: Can be mixed directly into dry ingredients without proofing. More reliable, slightly faster.
Temperature is everything for yeast. Too cold (below 70°F): rises very slowly. Ideal (75-85°F): rises in 1-2 hours. Too hot (above 120°F): kills the yeast.
The Basic Bread Formula
Bakers measure in ratios relative to flour weight. A basic bread formula:
- 100% bread flour (e.g., 500g)
- 65-75% water (325-375g) — hydration level affects crust and crumb
- 2% salt (10g)
- 1% yeast (5g)
The No-Knead Method (Start Here)
Jim Lahey's no-knead bread changed home baking. You don't knead at all — just stir and wait. Time does the work:
- Mix flour, water, yeast, and salt in a bowl — just until combined, no kneading
- Cover and leave at room temperature 12-18 hours (overnight is perfect)
- Turn dough out, fold a few times, let rest 15 minutes
- Shape into a ball; second rise for 2 hours
- Bake in a preheated Dutch oven at 450°F — covered for 30 minutes, lid off for 15 minutes
The Dutch oven traps steam, which is what gives artisan bread that crackly crust. Professional bakeries use steam injection ovens for the same reason.
Kneading: What It Does and How to Know When to Stop
Kneading develops gluten — the elastic protein network that traps the CO2 bubbles from yeast and creates bread's chewy, stretchy texture. Knead until smooth and elastic, no longer sticking to your hands — about 8-10 minutes by hand, 5-6 minutes in a stand mixer with dough hook.
The windowpane test: Take a small piece of dough and stretch it gently. If you can stretch it thin enough to see light through without tearing, gluten is fully developed.
Common Bread Problems
- Dense, heavy bread: Yeast is dead; dough didn't rise enough; flour was too old; too much flour was added
- Bread doesn't rise: Water was too hot (killed yeast); environment too cold
- Gummy interior: Underbaked. Use a thermometer — interior should reach 200-205°F
- Too salty / not salty enough: Always weigh salt; different salts have very different densities
- Flat crust, no crackle: Not enough steam. Use a Dutch oven.
💡 Bread Baking Tips
- A kitchen scale is essential — bread is chemistry and requires precision
- Use a Dutch oven for home baking — it replicates professional steam injection ovens
- Let your bread cool completely before slicing — cutting hot bread releases steam and makes it gummy
- The temperature of your water matters — 105°F activates yeast without killing it
- Cold-ferment in the fridge overnight — develops more complex flavor