The journey into baking with freshly milled flour begins with adjusting your expectations, especially if you’re accustomed to the soft loaves found in supermarkets. Learning the nuances takes time, but starting with the fresh milled bread method sets a solid foundation for mastering the art of baking.

You just finished baking your bread, but you must let it cool before you do. WHY? I really want to eat that hot, delicious smelling loaf of goodness. And after cooling, we need to talk about storing our bread.

Baking bread is not just a science; it’s a delightful journey of understanding how ingredients transform into a warm, fragrant loaf right in your own kitchen. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, mastering the art of baking with freshly milled flour can read more…

This is actually the SAME thing as fermentation, but they call the 2nd rise proofing so you can differentiate between the two steps. This is where shaped bread is allowed to rise in a warm place before baking. It’s done rising when the dough slowly read more…

Punching down the dough and scaling are both done after fermentation. Why? Well, we need to relax the gluten, remove the air from the inside, and balance out the dough temperature. Bubbles need to be released from the dough at this point because they will become giant holes in your bread once it’s done baking

Shaping bread dough correctly is important for a controlled rise, and to avoid unexpected holes in your crumb.

After passing the windowpane test, next up is fermentation. This is also called the “first rise”, where the yeast feed on sugars and starches in the dough. Carbon dioxide is produced, which gives our bread loft and holes. The warmer the environment, the faster the fermentation. read more…

Combining ingredients to form dough is known as mixing, while kneading develops the gluten matrix, essential for texture and structure.