Lesson 2: Getting Started
This lesson will discuss basic quick loaves, including how to measure, mix and bake, how to tell when they are done and what potential problems bakers may have.
Making Your Bread Quick
Now that we know the basic ingredients that go into quick breads and have our tools gathered, we’re ready to start thinking about actually making bread. So, what kind of bread do you want to make? Flip through “The Best Quick Breads” or any other books on bread you may have for some inspiration.
Just look at all the possibilities, from traditional cranberry-orange bread to exotic papaya-macadamia nut bread and savory black olive bread. It’s important to remember that incredible versatility, that you can likely find a quick bread for every occasion, every meal. For even more possibilities, you can hit the Web. There are tons of great Web sites sharing bread recipes, such as breadrecipe.com (part of allrecipes.com). If you’re looking for a specific kind of recipe, check out the message boards at recipelink.com.
Now that we’ve got a recipe, it’s time to start baking. Most quick breads are made in basically the same way, and it’s really simple. Assemble your ingredients, start your oven preheating and prepare your pan or pans. Usually I just spray them with some cooking spray, but you could also use butter and flour if you want, or line it with parchment, but that’s really not necessary.
While we’re on the subject of pans, you should always use the same pan or a pan of equivalent volume as is called for in the recipe. If you use a smaller pan, all your batter may not fit, and if you use a bigger pan it may not bake as quickly or rise as much. I made a really yummy zucchini bread that was supposed to be baked in a small pan and I used a larger one. It was still delicious but it didn’t puff up like I expected. So, at least in the beginning, try to stick with the pan called for and your results will be much more predictable.
