The Secret to Smooth Doughs and Fluffy Bread Is Already at Hand (Published 2021) (2024)

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Just-boiled water has long played a role in making pie crusts, milk breads and more shine, across cultures and cuisines. But how does it work?

The Secret to Smooth Doughs and Fluffy Bread Is Already at Hand (Published 2021) (1)

By Rachel Wharton

If there’s a quintessential dish from the chef Nadiya Hussain — the “Great British Baking Show” winner who has since found huge success — it’s probably the samosa pie with the turmeric crust from the very first episode of her solo cooking show “Nadiya’s Family Favourites.”

Meant to be unmolded for maximum impact, the pie stands impossibly tall and doesn’t crumble, even when sliced. Ms. Hussain likes to wrap the whole golden thing in parchment paper and take it to picnics, passing out fat, perfect wedges to family and friends.

Luckily, the trick to it — an old-fashioned British pie crust Ms. Hussain makes with flour, shortening and water at a boil — is just as easy.

Ms. Hussain appreciates how simply you can roll out the still-warm dough. “I really love a hot water pastry crust,” she said. “It is one of my favorite doughs to work with.”

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Hot water might not seem like the most exciting ingredient, but understanding how and when to use it can transform the way we cook and bake. Found in baked goods across the world — tortillas, milk bread, cornbread and cream puffs, to name but four — hot water can speed mixing time; make it easier to fill and form doughs; yield softer, fluffier breads; and create stunning pie crusts like Ms. Hussain’s. Best of all, it’s readily available.

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The Secret to Smooth Doughs and Fluffy Bread Is Already at Hand (Published 2021) (2024)

FAQs

The Secret to Smooth Doughs and Fluffy Bread Is Already at Hand (Published 2021)? ›

This process is called gelatinization. It makes a dough easier to mix and roll out with very little rest time or kneading — in fact, the dough is almost immediately smooth and supple. The gelling helps the dough stay soft but strong and sturdy after it is cooked, too.

What is the secret for a fluffy bread? ›

Potato Flakes or Potato Water

Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you are boiling potatoes, you can use the unsalted water in place of the water in your bread recipe to help out the yeast.

What makes dough smooth? ›

Dough that has not been kneaded, or hasn't been kneaded long enough, appears lumpy, doesn't stretch very well, and tears easily. If your dough is like this, it needs more kneading. Keep kneading it until it's smooth, stretchy, and more pliable.

What is used to make bread soft and fluffy? ›

Final answer: Baking soda is used to make bread soft and spongy. Q. Baking soda is used in small amount in making bread and cake. It helps to make these soft and spongy.

How do you think bread gets so fluffy and full of air? ›

Carbon dioxide is responsible for all the bubbles that make holes in bread, making it lighter and fluffier. Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.

What makes bread dough fluffy? ›

Milk powder.

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

How to make bread soft and fluffy again? ›

If your bread is especially hard, brush the outside with water before wrapping it. Then, heat it on the center rack of your oven for about 30 minutes for a whole loaf; or 15 to 20 minutes for a partial loaf, or if you have a long, skinny loaf like a baguette.

What is the secret to smooth doughs and fluffy bread is already at hand? ›

This process is called gelatinization. It makes a dough easier to mix and roll out with very little rest time or kneading — in fact, the dough is almost immediately smooth and supple. The gelling helps the dough stay soft but strong and sturdy after it is cooked, too.

What ingredient keeps bread soft? ›

Hydrocolloids can retain moisture in the bread. This is important because moisture plays a crucial role in the freshness and softness of bread. By holding onto water, hydrocolloids help prevent the bread from drying out too quickly, thus maintaining its moistness for longer.

How do you keep bread soft and fluffy? ›

Plastic wrap helps. Freezing it for long-term storage helps. Keeping it at room temperature for short-term storage is better than refrigerating, which makes the starch crystals set and makes the bread feel dry and crumbly.

What is responsible for making bread soft and fluffy? ›

Final answer: Carbon dioxide gas given off during fermentation of sugar makes bread soft and fluffy.

Why is my bread gummy inside? ›

Under baking can produce a gummy interior. Try baking for longer. Is your pan big enough for your loaf? If the pan is too small and your loaf doesn't have the space it needs to grow as it bakes it will hinder the bake and prevent it from being fully baked inside.

What makes bread chewy? ›

Over-kneading has a tendency to result in chewy bread. Here's how to tell if you've kneaded enough. Another possibility—you used bread flour when all-purpose flour would do. If a recipe with bread flour turned out chewier than you like, try it with all-purpose and knead only as much as the recipe directs.

How do I make my bread light and fluffy? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

How does bread get its fluffiness? ›

Final answer: Carbon dioxide gas is given off during the fermentation of sugar and it makes the bread soft and fluffy.

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