Bread-Bakers v109.n035.3

Hi Reggie,

If I need to bake yeast bread loaves and rolls in advance, I try to 
make it no more than 1 day ahead of an event for best freshness. If 
that's not possible, cool the loaf completely, wrap it in foil, place 
in a freezer bag, let it thaw at room temp on the day of your event, 
pop it in the
oven for just a few minutes to warm it if necessary. Here are a few 
things I do to promote an extra edge:

1. I substitute a 1/4 cup of potato flour or 1 TBSP of potato starch 
in the flour I use. The potato will aid in moisture retention and 
shelf life. Also, choose recipes that at least have some milk, 
butter, or oil because this will give a tender crumb and slow down 
the staling process.

2. I will bake the product till nearly done instead of a complete 
bake. A standard 1 - 1 1/2 pound white loaf bakes an average of 30-35 
minutes at 350F so I may pull it out in 27 minutes. I'll tap the 
bottom and observe the sides of the loaf to ensure there is just 
enough firmness to keep it from collapsing when it stands.

3. I weigh my flour instead of scooping so loaf #1 is as close in 
size and density to loaf #20. On average, a cup of bread flour weighs 
approx. 4.5 oz. Make sure the scale can hold at least 10 pounds of weight.

4. I brush them with butter/margarine immediately after the loaves 
come out of the oven to soften the crusts. To store them, wrap them 
as tight as possible without crushing them. Use good quality bakery 
plastic bread bags and remove as much air as possible before you seal 
the bag tightly with a twist tie.

5. For crusty artisan breads like ciabatta and baguettes, bake them 
the day of the event because there usually is nothing in them to 
prevent the staling process. To store them, use loose fitting paper 
bags with room to breath. If you seal these loaves tightly in 
plastic, the crispy crust will soften and loose the classic artisan crunch.

Tag my site at www.fearlessbread.com

Reginald Beck