BREAD 101 -- basic white bread: shaping and baking the loaf

Summary by Krater

This video demonstrates how to shape and bake a basic white bread loaf, including tests for dough readiness, shaping techniques, placing in a loaf pan, and baking instructions.

From the video

Answers: How do I shape and bake basic white bread?

• dough readiness test
• shaping a bread loaf
• bread rising
• baking bread in a loaf pan
• cooling and slicing baked bread

Ingredients

• all-purpose flour

What it concludes

• Dough is ready to shape when it is marshmallowy, puffy, doubled in size, and leaves air bubbles when poked.
• Pressing the shaped dough down into the loaf pan distributes it evenly so it rises with a smooth shape.
• Bread should never rise more than an inch above the loaf pan, or it will be over-risen and flatten out in the oven.
• Bake the bread in the center rack of the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes.
• A baked loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom and should cool for about 30 minutes before slicing to avoid compressing the crumb.