Rona Y. wrote on 22 Apr 2005 in rec.food.baking

> I've been taking bread baking classes at a school in Japan. This
> is a school geared towards single women hoping for husbands and
> newly married women who can't cook. I'm neither, but I digress...
> I mention the typical clientele because I think it influences the
> bread-baking techniques used at the school (primarily the fast
> rises).
>
> I've been finding that my breads from this place must be eaten
> while hot or they end up hard and tough--even after just one
> night. Almost all the breads use some butter and many of them use
> egg, as well. For example, last night I made the Japanese version
> of challah. The recipe included
>
> 250g flour (about 12.6% protein)
> 2 T sugar
> 1.5 tsp yeast
> 1/2 tsp salt
> 40g butter
> 110cc water
> 52 g egg (about 1 medium)
>
> IME with American bread recipes, these recipes tend to use more
> yeast (in proportion to the amount of flour).
>
> The way the breads are made--a very soft dough is kneaded until it
> begins to take shape (form a ball), then kneaded again (in a
> different manner), then allowed to rise. At this school, because
> they require a high turnover of classes, they use proofing boxes
> set to 40C. For the Challah recipe, the dough was allowed to rise
> for about 30 minutes. After punching the dough down, it is
> allowed to rest--in this case 15 minutes, usually about 10
> minutes. Then the breads are shaped and placed in the proofing
> box--usually for 20-30 minutes, depending on the recipe. Finally
> baked--at the school I currently attend, we use small
> gas/convection ovens. The challah was baked in a braided ring
> shape, at 180C for 12 minutes.
>
> Is there anything about the recipe and/or technique that seems to
> point towards making tough breads? I would like to take these
> recipes but make them at home with slower rises--would that help?
> Also, I was thinking of reducing the amount of yeast, which would
> also help with slowing the rise, I would think (I'm not a very
> good bread baker, however, so feel free to correct me). Could we
> be over-kneading?
>
> I should also mention, that because of the high turnovers we
> generally pack up our goods to take home while they're still
> hot--we usually only get about 15 minutes cooling rack time. They
> provide us with plastic bags to do so. I'm thinking of bringing my
> own paper bags. Would that help, at all?
>
> (note: this may be reposted to e-Gullet in some form, just in
> case you also read that group)


Hope this is of some help.
Reinhart's Challah from crust and crumb:

3.5 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp (.22 oz) yeast
2 tbsp unsalted butter (about 1/2 of what you're using I guess)
2 large egg yolks, beaten plus 1 yolk for egg wash
1/4 cup milk, at room temp
1/2 cup water at room temp
poppy or seasame seeds for topping (optional)
veggie oil cooking spray


--
No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal.
Type 2 Diabetic Since Aug 2004
1AC- 7.2, 7.3, 5.5, 5.6 mmol
Weight from 265 down to 219 lbs. and dropping.
Continuing to be Manitoban