Baking bread is actually not rocket science, as the basic ingredients are just flour, yeast, water and a little salt. And yet fresh bread can be a challenge, because the art lies in the processing.
4 mistakes that everyone makes when baking bread
Mistake no. 1: The dough is not kneaded long enough and well enough
If you haven't baked bread that often before, you may wonder why kneading is actually so important. Roughly summarized: Gluten, or gluten protein, develops during kneading - if this is well formed, the bread will rise nicely later during baking. You can already see from the dough whether the gluten strands are well bonded together: The surface is nice and smooth and the dough rises like a balloon without tearing. To achieve this result, the dough must be kneaded long enough and well.
Mistake no. 2: The dough is kneaded too long - with a food processor
Yes, the trick here is in the processing, because the dough must not be kneaded too long or too short. It's tempting to process the dough with a food processor, because anyone who has ever baked bread knows that kneading is tiring. However, if you rely solely on the food processor, you will quickly miss the moment when it's enough. The result: the dough is over-kneaded, so to speak, and practically gone: The gluten molecules have been damaged and the bread becomes hard. If you knead the bread dough by hand, you simply have a better feel for the dough.
Mistake no. 3: The dough is too short
As a rule of thumb, you can say that the dough should double in size. To ensure that it rises properly, it must be covered and placed in a warm place without draughts. You can, for example, place it on the radiator or in the oven at very low temperatures - the dough must NOT be heated, otherwise the yeast will be destroyed before baking. You should give the dough 20 to 30 minutes to rise. Yeast bread is not for those in a hurry!
Mistake no. 4: Do not cut into the dough
Unfortunately, this is often forgotten! It is very important to cut the bread with a knife before it goes into the oven. To do this, cut a cross into the dough. The cuts ensure that the carbon dioxide produced in the yeast escapes when the bread is baked.