The bread industry in Saudi Arabia is a multi-billion-dollar sector, but it is not without its weak spots. Bread pieces are perishable, so there is a higher risk of waste if the ingredients are not baked adequately. One of the strategies to consume healthy food is to prepare meals at home. However, despite the obstacles bread bakers encounter being great, they are feasible to handle, therefore allowing young Saudis to become self-sufficient. The first procedure is generally connected to scaling, also known as “Mise en Place” (Baking Industry Research Trust, n.d., para 4). In scaling, immediately before beginning the bread-making process, it is crucial to collect all the ingredients and measure them precisely. In this scenario, weighing ingredients by weight is a considerably more exact technique to measure and is the recommended approach for bread manufacturing. According to Baking Industry Research Trust (n.d.), there are two primary purposes of combining components: distributing the different ingredients evenly and permitting the creation of a protein (gluten) structure to offer the finest bread possible (para. 4). Therefore, the process of cycle bread preparation comprises seven connected stages: mixing ingredients, rising (fermentation), kneading, second rising, baking, cooling, and eating.
The second phase in the bread-making procedure at home is the “first rise,” also known as bulk fermentation. After the dough is mixed, it is allowed to rest and ferment. Fermentation happens when the yeast starts to feed on the carbohydrates and sugar contained in the dough. As the yeast feeds, carbon dioxide is created, which causes the dough to rise and produce the bread’s texture and taste. According to Tabibian et al. (2017), dough fermentation is influenced by temperature (p. 325). On the other hand, spiking vitamin levels may fluctuate at various temperatures. After the preparation procedure on the dough pieces is completed, the obtained findings suggest that temperature change has no significant influence on the performance of the method (Tabibian et al., 2017, p. 325). When these cells inflate with gaseous molecules, the dough swells and expands in proportion to its size.
Kneading is the third stage following the initial fermentation of bread making components. For instance, according to Hoffman (2020, para. 7), when the components for the bread dough are mixed, the dough is kneaded. Dough may be kneaded in a stand mixer employing a dough hook, or by hand. The dough is kneaded until it is silky and flexible. The amount of time dough is kneaded depends on what sort of bread one is creating. Dough without any fat (lean dough) will be kneaded longer, whereas bread dough that includes fat (enriched dough) will be kneaded for a shorter amount of time. Kneading requires spreading and crumpling the dough in a syncopated way that develops the gluten in the wheat and releases excess gas (Baking Industry Research Trust, n.d., para 7). By kneading, any large gaseous holes that may have collected during the rising process are ejected, resulting in a more equal dispersal of both gas bubbles and temperature throughout the dough mixture. The dough is then left to rise for a period of time determined by the requirements of the final product.
The fourth phase is called “second rising” and includes second fermentation. This precedes a sub-step of bread molding, when the bread is formed into rolls, loaves, and specialty forms, including braids. According to Hoffman (2020, this procedure might also be referred to as “proofing” or “proving” (Para. 11). The phrase “proofing,” sometimes termed “proving,” refers to the rise that occurs after the dough is formed and kneaded. The same fermentation process occurs during this phase as it does in step two, but here is when the molded and kneaded dough gets the majority of its size. Typically, formed bread dough should rise until it is twice the size. According to Baking Industry Research Trust (n.d.), during the final rising, the dough begins to fill with more air pockets (para. 8). Upon second fermentation, the dough is delivered to the oven for cooking.
The fifth stage that precedes the second fermentation is the bread baking procedure. As to Hoffman (2020, para. 12), when the bread has proofed enough, it should be baked. If the baker takes too long to bake the bread dough after it has proofed, it might overproof, which will create a sour flavor and holes in the final product. Thus, in the final rising, the dough is once again filled with extra bubbles of gas, and after this has progressed far enough, the dough is placed in the oven to bake. Gluten strands form a lattice pattern after two hours of rising and when the dough has reached the proper size. According to Busby (2020), it is extremely vital to mature the dough (para. 70. In bread, alcohol increases odor, taste and maintains quality during fermentation. In this step, the inherent enzymes included in the dough expire at ambient temperature during baking. One crucial enzyme, alpha-amylase, the natural activator which splits starch into sugars, maintains the execution of breaking starch into simple sugars until the dough achieves roughly 75°C (Busby, 2020, para. 86). In this procedure, most of the ethanol evaporates, although remnants might remain. Therefore, if a baker’s bread smells like alcohol, it is definitely over-proofed.
The second last phase in the bread baking technique is cooling. Bread is cooled fast in bakeries once it comes out of the oven. Because the crust is above 200°C and the crumb is at 98°C, there is a lot of vapor in the bread that has to be allowed to dissipate (Baking Industry Research Trust, n.d., para. 15).. The whole loaf is cooled to a temperature of roughly 35°C before cutting and packing (Baking Industry Research Trust, n.d., para. 15). As the surface water of bread evaporates, it reduces the temperature. There are two factors that affect how quickly bread absorbs moisture: temperature and circulation of cold air. Before the bread is sliced and packaged, it must be thoroughly chilled in a bakery’s special cooling chambers.
In conclusion, once the bread has cooled to a temperature that can be handled, it is ready for eating. In this situation, eating is considered the last phase of bread making. During dining, bread may be provided with any beverage or main cuisine of one’s choosing. Therefore, the key phases of bread making are: combining materials, first rising of the dough, kneading, and second fermentation, followed by baking, cooling, and finally eating. Well-baked bread that is produced by any method should have a dough that is flexible enough to allow it to settle and grow while it is in the process of being formed. The dough, which is now a flexible material, should have the capacity to hold gases that are produced throughout the rising process. It should also simultaneously be solid enough to maintain its shape and cellular composition. With this procedure, the young Saudis may be assured of self-sufficiency since they will not rely on others for bread preparation at home.
References
Baking Industry Research Trust. (n.d.) Science of bread making. Web.
Busby, G. (2020). The bread fermentation process – How yeast makes bread rise. Busby’s Bakery. Web.
Hoffman, K. (2020). Intro to bread making: The basic process. Baker Bettie. Web.
Tabibian, M., Torbati, M., Mogaddam, M. R. A., Mirlohi, M., Sadeghi, M., & Mohtadinia, J. (2017). Evaluation of vitamin D3 and D2 stability in fortified flat bread samples during dough fermentation, baking and storage.Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 7(2), 323-328. Web.