Just made my first loaf of bread

[IHateMyJob2004]

Just made my first ever loaf of bread. 3 actually.

For those that are interested, it was raisin bread following this recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cinnamon-Raisin-Bread-I/Detail.aspx

It is delicious! No joking, I think it is the best bread I have ever ate.

But now i have a question about storage. When making home made brad, what is the best storage technique? I just bagged the loaves and threw them in the fridge. Is this a good idea? how long will they keep?

 

[Locut0s]

How to do a "baked my first loaf of bread" thread properly!

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2080608

BTW congrats though, it's fun and delicious!

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Sorry, no pics.

Sounds like wrapped in Saran Wrap is the way to go with refrigeration.

I have also read that you can leave it on a cutting board, cut end down if it is a hard crusted bread.

Using honey instead of sugar (or in part replacing sugar) will increase shelf life.

Home made breads will mold after about a week, even in the fridge.

Sounds like things can go stale in a few days which sucks. I was already giving my mom a loaf, she is leaving tomorrow. But I think loaf number 2 is getting sliced in half and passed out to family.

Anyway, regarding stale bread. It sounds like I'll just have to learn over time via trial and error.

 

[fatpat268]

How to do a "baked my first loaf of bread" thread properly!

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2080608

BTW congrats though, it's fun and delicious!

Nice bread there, but if you're going to go half half on whole wheat flour and white flour, you need to increase the amount of liquid you put into the dough. Judging by your picture in that thread, your bread was a bit dense, and that's a sign of low hydration. Put more water (or milk) in it, and it'll be a lot lighter and fluffier.

Sorry, no pics.

Sounds like wrapped in Saran Wrap is the way to go with refrigeration.

I have also read that you can leave it on a cutting board, cut end down if it is a hard crusted bread.

Using honey instead of sugar (or in part replacing sugar) will increase shelf life.

Home made breads will mold after about a week, even in the fridge.

Sounds like things can go stale in a few days which sucks. I was already giving my mom a loaf, she is leaving tomorrow. But I think loaf number 2 is getting sliced in half and passed out to family.

Anyway, regarding stale bread. It sounds like I'll just have to learn over time via trial and error.

Ugh... refigerated bread. :\

If you're not going to eat all the loaves right away, keep one out and freeze the rest. Bread thaws pretty quickly when taken out of the freezer, and still tastes reasonably fresh.

As for storage, use large ziplock bags, or better yet, plastic bread bags. I get these at the grocery store, and all they are is a large plastic bag (similar to what commercial breads are packed in) to fit the bread. Important though: don't bag the bread until it is COMPLETELY cooled off. Otherwise, you'll have soggy bread.

Don't throw out stale bread though. Throw it in the toaster, or better yet, make french toast.

 

[sandorski]

Freezer or Counter. No in between the 2.

 

[Schfifty Five]

How much was a loaf of Brad in 1975?

 

[Skitzer]

So ... you pinched a loaf?

 

[xSauronx]

mmmm bread

i love baking

 

[HydroSqueegee]

so... im decent at making hard crusty bread with a delicious center, but how do you make a nice soft sandwich bread?

 

[fatpat268]

so... im decent at making hard crusty bread with a delicious center, but how do you make a nice soft sandwich bread?

Higher sugar content seems to do the trick in keeping the bread soft.

I may be wrong about that though, all of the sandwich bread recipes I've used always used more sugar.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Never put bread in a refrigerator, it ruins it...

http://www.wikihow.com/Store-Bread

Don't put bread in the refrigerator. Scientific studies have shown that this draws out the moisture and the bread becomes stale faster. This happens from a process known as "retrogradation", which simply means that the starch molecules crystallize

 

[bfdd]

Pliablemoose, really? I haven't noticed that. Thanks for the update though.

 

[TraumaRN]

Am currently making bread...it's almost done with it's final rise and I will post pictures when it's done...

 

[guyver01]

Put it in an airtight storage container.

 

[sandorski]

so... im decent at making hard crusty bread with a delicious center, but how do you make a nice soft sandwich bread?

The crust should soften after putting it into a bag. Try adding a table spoon of Lemon Juice into the dough, this helps to make the bread fluffier/softer.

 

[Locut0s]

Put it in an airtight storage container.

Wouldn't you have to vacuum seal it to prevent mold? Air tight here just means nothing in and nothing out right? But the air that's already in there probably contains some mold spores.

 

[fatpat268]

Wouldn't you have to vacuum seal it to prevent mold? Air tight here just means nothing in and nothing out right? But the air that's already in there probably contains some mold spores.

vacuum sealing would just crush the bread.

 

[Howard]

vacuum sealing would just crush the bread.

Not in a rigid container (but it would have to be quite strong).

 

[Locut0s]

vacuum sealing would just crush the bread.

<homer>MMmmmm crushed bread</homer>