Bread Making Methods
There are four main operations, or methods, of preparing bread dough for baking:

1. The Sponge, or Long Method ~ The yeast "works' with moisture, flour and a few other ingredients, usually overnight, before being mixed with the rest of the dough. Kneading and rising follow.
   
2. The Straight Dough Method ~ All the ingredients are mixed, step-by-step, before kneading and rising periods.
   
3. The Batter Dough Method ~ One mixing operation, with all ingredients, with no need for kneading and shaping (as liquids usually "out proportion" flour), and often only one rising period, after which dough is spread in pans or is spooned into tins.
   
4. The No-Knead Method ~ A thorough mixing operation, with no kneading, one rising period, and the dough is usually dropped or spooned into baking containers.

The basic ingredients for yeast breads are wheat flour, yeast, liquid-usually water or milk- salt, sugar and fat-lard, butter margarine, salad oil or shortening. More flour is used than any other ingredient. The magic in flour is gluten, a protein. When you mix flour with liquid and manipulate the mixture by beating, stirring and kneading, the gluten develops in long elastic strands that stretch and trap the bubbles of carbon dioxide gas which yeast gives off as it grows. It's these bubbles that cause dough to rise and bread to become light. Gluten forms the framework of bread, enabling the loaf to hold its shape when baked.
Hard Wheat contains more gluten than soft wheats. Some supermarkets carry bags of flour labeled "high protein" and "for bread making," but most flour marketed today is all-purpose, a blend of hard and soft wheats. It contains enough gluten for bread making and not too much for cake making.
Yeast consists of living plants, which feed upon sugar and flour as they multiply. They give off carbon dioxide gas, which makes dough rise.

*Basic Bread Making Method

1. In mixer bowl combine flour and yeast according to recipe directions. In saucepan heat together liquid butter, margarine or shortening with sugar and salt just till warm (115 to120 0). Pour over flour and yeast mixture. Add egg. Beat thoroughly (beat at low speed of an electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Then beat at high speed 3 minutes.)
2. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon. Measure the remaining amount of flour before starting to add it to the dough. This way you won't lose count. (Do not try to use your electric mixer for this step unless it is specially equipped to handle heavy doughs).
   
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly flour surface-a pastry cloth is ideal. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough the stiffness described in the recipe. You may not need all the flour you've measured. To knead, fold the dough over and push down with the heels of your hands. Give the dough a quarter turn, then fold over and push down again.
   
4. Place the ball of dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease surface to prevent drying. Let the dough rise in a warm place till it doubles in size. Times suggested in the recipe are guidelines; the actual time needed may be a bit more or less. Dough is ready to shape when you can lightly press two fingers 1/2 inch into the dough and the indentation remains.

Source: 'Baking Ideas' 1980/81 from Better Homes and Gardens.
"There are many cooking books on the market but I have found that the 'absolute best' all around cookbook is the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook with the red and white checkers on it. I am always on the lookout for them at garage sales, book stores, supermarket bookshelves etc. It is the one gift that 'saved' my marriage in early years and I have never forgotten it. I give them as birthday and Christmas gifts to teens who are almost ready to step out on their own, to married couples as a wedding gift etc. Why? They are easily understood and the recipes are practical and taste great! "
Sally v Smith, mother of 5 grandmother of 14, homemaker, working wife.

Methods/Tips

Mixing: A thorough mixing is a must for the even distribution of the yeast and other ingredients. Sifting of the flour and scalding of the milk is done before mixing the ingredients. For many parts of the world, proofing the yeast in water (to make sure it is still alive) is also necessary. In the USA the active yeast in the supermarkets is often ready to go right in the flour. However, if it has been too long in the refrigerator, it is wise to proof it by letting it sit in water with a little sugar added. If it is not bubbly after 10 to 15 minutes, it is not working and you need some fresh.

How much Flour to add: Add enough flour at mixing or kneading time to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands-keep it as soft as you can handle it. If you add flour after the dough has risen, it may make dark streaks and coarsen texture.

Kneading: Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Flatten it with the palms of your hands. Then pick up the farthest edge and fold it over to the edge nearest you. Curve our hands over the dough and push gently, but firmly three or four times. Turn the dough a quarter of the way around, fold it over on itself again and push. Repeat this folding, turning and pushing until the dough is smooth and elastic. You will see small bubbles under the dough's skin. Let it rest for a few seconds. Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, turn over once (or oil top of dough) and cover with clean cloth.

Rising: Allow the yeast to act, for good texture and flavor, in a draftless spot at 83 to 99 degrees F - never too cool or too warm. Cover with a clean cloth, damp or dry, waxed paper or a glass bowl; place the bowl of dough in the oven over a pan of hot water. Sometimes, it is enough just to place it inside the oven door, especially in the summer. You want it warm not hot, so don't put it in a heated oven.

Shaping or Molding: After the dough has risen for the last time, cut it into equal portions and roll them into balls. Well-worked dough may be molded into whatever shape you desire. If flattening the dough into a rectangle (by hand or rolling pin), pressing out the bubbles. Fold first one long side over to the center, then the other so that they overlap. Roll the dough into a loaf, sealing and tucking under the inner edge. Place in a greased pan with the seam side at the bottom. For a softer crust, brush the tops of the loaves with shortening (oil or butter) after baking. For a glazy-crispy crust, brush the tops of the loaves with a mix of egg white and water before baking. Some people add cheese or onion slivers to the top either before baking or the last 5 minutes.

Baking: Baking stops the rising process, induces a wonder fragrance, sets the conditioned gluten and makes bread. Thoroughly baked breads are golden brown, pull away slightly from the pan sides, and sounds hollow when you thump it (knowing what hollow sounds like in bread takes practice).
Cool loaves completely before putting them in a breadbox, plastic bags, or foil.

Tips: What went wrong?

The dough will not rise.................
This is probably the worst thing that will happen, and your best bet is to start all over again. Some of the reasons for dough not rising are:

1. The yeast was too old. (Always check the expiration date on the dry yeast packages. With fresh yeast, make sure that it is not dried and brown.) Yeast can be 'proofed" - checked for viability by putting it in 1/4 cup warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar-if it bubbles on top in 15 minutes it is probably fine.
   
2. Your liquid was too warm. The ideal temperature for the liquid in which you dissolve or proof the package, granulated yeast is from 105 to 115 degrees, and for the fresh (compressed) yeast, 95 degrees.
   
3. The flour was too cold. If you keep your flour in a cold place, make sure to take it out in time to reach room temperature before you start to bake.
   
4. You put the dough in a place that was too cold or too drafty for it to rise.
   
5. Maybe you worked it too long.

The finished bread is too hard..............
This is a common occurrence among new bakers, but is nothing to worry about. With more practice your bread will improve. You can still enjoy the hard bread. Just slice it very thinly and spread with lots of butter. Or, use the thin bread slices as base for stuffing and dressing, or even better, spread with herb butter, dry it in a low heat oven and make croutons.

• Too much flour in the dough is the usual reason for hard bread.
  
• Too much sugar could also be the cause, or perhaps you did not let the bread rise long enough after it was shaped.

The bread seems too heavy.........
The reasons might be:

1. Your oven was not hot enough
   
2. You may have put too much sugar into the dough.
   
3. It didn't rise long enough after you shaped it.

The bread has cracks on top of the crust......
Not a very serious problem.

• You did not mix the dough enough.
  
• The bread contains too much flour.
  
• You didn't let the bread rise long enough after it was shaped.

The bread rises over the brim of the baking pan......

• Your baking pan is too small.
  
• You used too much leavening.
  
• The over was not hot enough.