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Bread Guide

baking

Bread is flour, water, salt, and a leavening agent — but the ratios, timing, and technique shift dramatically between styles. Most bread failures come from one of three things: wrong hydration, under-developed gluten, or fermentation cut short. Understanding those three lets you diagnose almost any problem.

Bread Styles at a Glance

You're choosing a style first. Everything else — hydration, fat, leavening — follows from that choice.

Style	Flour	Hydration	Fat	Leavening	Key notes
Sandwich loaf	All-purpose or bread flour	65–70%	Butter or oil (soft crumb)	Commercial yeast	Bake at 350°F in loaf pan; brush butter immediately out of oven
Artisan / rustic	Bread flour	72–80%	None (lean dough)	Commercial yeast	Dutch oven with lid; long cold ferment for flavor; score before baking
Sourdough	Bread flour	75–82%	None (lean dough)	Active starter	Starter must float; long bulk ferment (4–12h or overnight cold); score decisively
Focaccia	All-purpose or bread flour	80%+	Generous olive oil	Commercial yeast	Stretch and fold; dimple aggressively before baking; bottom fries in oil
Pizza dough	00 or all-purpose	60–65%	Small amount of olive oil	Commercial yeast	24–72h cold ferment; room temp rest before stretching
Naan	All-purpose	60–65%	Yogurt + butter	Commercial yeast or baking powder	High heat (cast iron or broiler); yogurt adds tenderness
Brioche	All-purpose or bread flour	55–65%	High butter (cold, added slowly)	Commercial yeast	Long mix time; butter added piece by piece after gluten develops
Quick breads	All-purpose	Variable	Butter or oil	Baking soda / baking powder	Minimal mixing; no fermentation; mix until just combined

The Core Variables

Flour

Flour choice determines how much structure the bread can develop.

All-purpose (10–12% protein) → works for most breads but produces slightly less chew than bread flour.
Bread flour (12–14% protein) → higher protein means more gluten development, more chew, better structure for open crumb. Default for most yeast breads.
Whole wheat → bran cuts gluten strands, producing denser loaves. Usually blended with bread flour (25–50% whole wheat) rather than used alone.
00 flour → finely milled, low protein. Used for pizza and flatbreads — extensible rather than elastic.
Rye flour → very low gluten, dense. Adds flavor; usually mixed in small amounts.

Hydration

Hydration is the ratio of water to flour by weight. It's the biggest predictor of crumb texture.

60–65% → stiff dough, easy to handle, tight crumb. Sandwich bread range.
70–75% → soft, slightly sticky dough. Good balance of workability and open crumb.
75–85% → wet, slack dough. Requires stretch-and-fold technique rather than kneading. Produces open, irregular crumb — ciabatta, focaccia, high-hydration sourdough.
85%+ → very wet. Nearly pourable. Requires a pan or mold to hold shape.

Higher hydration = more open crumb and chewier texture, but harder to handle and shape.

Gluten development

Gluten is the protein network that traps gas and gives bread structure. Without it, bread is flat and dense.

Two ways to develop gluten:

Kneading — mechanical work aligns gluten proteins. 8–10 minutes by hand, 5–6 minutes in a stand mixer.
Time — gluten develops on its own during a long cold ferment, without any kneading (the no-knead method).

The windowpane test: stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing, gluten is developed. If it tears immediately, keep working.

Leavening

Commercial yeast (active dry or instant) → reliable, fast, predictable. Instant yeast can be added directly to dry ingredients; active dry should be dissolved in water first.
Sourdough starter → wild yeast + lactic acid bacteria. Slower fermentation, more complex flavor, more variables. Starter activity determines rise time.
Baking powder / baking soda → chemical leavening for quick breads. No fermentation, no gluten development required. Used in banana bread, cornbread, soda bread.

Salt

Salt does three things: flavor, gluten strengthening, and fermentation control. It tightens the gluten network and slows yeast activity, giving a more controlled rise. Never leave it out — the bread will be bland and over-proof quickly. Standard ratio is 2% of flour weight.

Don't mix salt directly with yeast before adding other ingredients — salt draws moisture out of yeast and can inhibit it.

Fat

Fat coats gluten strands and tenderizes the crumb.

No fat → lean dough. Chewy, rustic, better crust. Baguettes, sourdough, focaccia.
Butter or oil → enriched dough. Softer crumb, shorter shelf life, less chew. Sandwich bread, brioche, dinner rolls.
High fat (brioche) → very tender, almost cake-like texture. Requires slow addition of cold butter so the dough doesn't break.

Fermentation

This is where most bread recipes fail. Fermentation is not a fixed time — it depends on temperature, yeast health, and dough hydration. Go by look and feel, not the clock.

Bulk fermentation (first rise)

The dough should roughly double in size and feel airy when pressed. If you poke it and the indent springs back slowly, it's ready. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it collapses or the indent stays, it's over-proofed.

Warmer environment → faster rise (80°F is ideal for commercial yeast)
Cooler environment / fridge → slower rise, more flavor development

A cold overnight bulk ferment in the fridge (8–16 hours) produces noticeably better flavor than a fast room-temperature rise.

Proofing (second rise, after shaping)

After shaping, the dough needs to recover and rise again before baking. Same principle — go by feel, not time. The poke test works here too.

Over-proofed dough bakes flat with a dense, gummy crumb and may collapse in the oven. Under-proofed dough is tight, springs back aggressively, and may burst unexpectedly during baking ("oven spring blowout" at the sides).

Bread Types and Their Logic

Sandwich bread (pan loaf)

Enriched, soft, tight crumb. The goal is even texture and soft crust.

Medium hydration (65–70%)
Butter or oil for softness
Milk instead of water deepens color and softens crumb further
Baked in a loaf pan at 350°F — lower temp than lean breads
Crust should be thin and soft; brush with butter right out of the oven

Artisan / rustic loaf

Lean dough, chewy crumb, thick crust. The goal is flavor and texture from long fermentation.

Higher hydration (72–80%)
No fat
Long cold ferment (overnight or longer) for flavor
Baked in a Dutch oven — the lid traps steam in the first phase of baking, keeping the crust soft so the loaf can expand fully before the crust sets. Remove the lid for the last 15–20 minutes to brown and crisp.
Score the top before baking — controls where the bread opens and prevents blowouts

Sourdough

Same principles as artisan bread but using a wild yeast starter instead of commercial yeast.

Starter needs to be active and recently fed — a float test (drop a spoonful in water, it should float) confirms it's ready
Fermentation is slower and more variable; temperature matters more
Longer bulk ferment (4–12 hours at room temp, or overnight cold)
More complex, tangy flavor from lactic acid bacteria
Scoring is even more important — sourdough has a tighter crust that restricts expansion

Focaccia

High hydration, olive oil enriched, baked flat in a pan.

Very wet dough (80%+) — don't try to knead it like normal dough
Stretch and fold in the bowl every 30 minutes during bulk ferment
Generous olive oil in the pan — the bottom fries slightly and creates the characteristic crispy underside
Dimple the surface aggressively with fingers before baking — this is functional, not decorative; it prevents large air pockets from forming on top
Toppings (flaky salt, rosemary, olives) go on right before baking

Pizza dough

Low protein flour (00 or all-purpose), moderate hydration, rolled or stretched thin.

The goal is extensibility — dough that stretches without snapping back — rather than the strength needed for a tall loaf
Long cold fermentation (24–72 hours) produces better flavor and more extensible dough
Room temperature rest before stretching is essential — cold dough snaps back and won't stretch

Flatbreads (naan, pita, roti)

Quick, no long fermentation required.

Naan → yeast or baking powder leavened, yogurt for tenderness, cooked in very high heat (tandoor or cast iron)
Pita → pocket forms from steam; dough must be thin enough that the steam separates the layers
Roti / chapati → unleavened, whole wheat, no yeast. Cooked dry on a tawa, then directly on flame to puff

Brioche

Highly enriched — eggs and large amounts of butter. Closer to a pastry than a lean bread.

High egg content provides richness and a golden color
Butter is added cold and slowly, piece by piece, after gluten is fully developed. Adding it too fast breaks the dough.
Long mix time in a stand mixer — this dough can't be kneaded by hand effectively
Very soft and perishable — best eaten within 1–2 days

Quick breads (banana bread, cornbread, soda bread)

No yeast, no fermentation, no gluten development needed. The goal is tenderness.

Chemical leavening (baking soda/powder) creates lift immediately
Minimal mixing — develop as little gluten as possible; mix until just combined
Dense, tender crumb as opposed to chewy
Irish soda bread uses buttermilk + baking soda: the acid in buttermilk activates the soda

Failures and Fixes

Problem	Cause	Fix
Dense, heavy loaf	Under-proofed, dead yeast, too much flour, not enough gluten development	Check yeast activity before using; develop gluten fully (windowpane test); measure flour by weight
Flat loaf, doesn't rise	Yeast not active, salt touched yeast directly, over-proofed before baking	Proof yeast in warm water first; add salt separately; watch dough not the clock
Gummy interior	Under-baked, cut too soon after baking	Use a thermometer (200–210°F for lean, 190–200°F for enriched); cool at least 30–60 min before cutting
Burst on the side	Under-proofed, not scored, oven too hot	Proof until poke test passes; score decisively before baking; calibrate oven temp
Thick, hard crust on sandwich bread	Oven too hot, no steam, no butter after baking	Lower oven to 350°F; add steam (pan of water); brush with butter immediately out of the oven
Pale crust that won't brown	Oven too cold, no sugar in dough, too much steam	Increase oven temp; add a small amount of sugar or milk to the dough; remove steam source for last phase
Collapsed after baking	Over-proofed	Reduce proof time; bake when poke test indent springs back slowly, not when it collapses
Sour taste (unintentional)	Over-fermented, dough too warm during ferment	Shorten ferment time; ferment in a cooler spot or use the fridge

Notes

Internal temperature is the only reliable doneness check. Most lean breads are done at 200–210°F internal. Enriched breads (brioche, sandwich) at 190–200°F.
Let it cool before cutting. The crumb continues setting as it cools. Cutting hot bread releases steam and produces a gummy texture — wait at least 30–45 minutes for lean breads, 1 hour for sourdough.
Weigh everything. Cup measurements for flour are especially unreliable. A kitchen scale is the single biggest upgrade for bread baking.
Steam in the first phase of baking keeps the surface moist and extensible so the loaf can expand fully. Home ovens don't have steam injection — a Dutch oven achieves this with its lid. Alternatively, place a pan of boiling water on the bottom rack.

Added Sep 3, 2026 · Updated Sep 3, 2026