Breadmaking 101

Lesson 2: Getting Started

The Matter of Mixing

If you learn nothing else from this course, the most important thing when it comes to quick loaves and muffins is not to over mix your batter. Most recipes will tell you to carefully measure all your dry ingredients (probably even sift them) in one large bowl and to mix your wet ingredients in a smaller bowl, then add wet to dry and stir until just incorporated.

I, on the other hand, am lazy. I don’t like to dirty an extra bowl, and I hate sifting. So my procedure is just to measure the dry ingredients and mix them in a big bowl, then add the wet ingredients one by one and stir only after they’ve all been added. I usually melt or soften my butter in a small cup in the microwave and then beat the eggs in that cup before adding them to the bowl.

It’s important to measure all your ingredients accurately. It’s also vital to mix your dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients, because as soon as the flour gets wet it starts to develop gluten, the long strands of protein that make yeast breads chewy. But we don’t want tough, chewy quick breads, so we want the flour to be wet for as short a time before baking as possible.

I’m sure that’s the theory behind mixing all the wet ingredients together before adding them to the dry, because if they are already incorporated you will have to stir less and thus will have less gluten and softer dough. But most of the time I just can’t be bothered with that step. This is baking in the real world, folks, and I haven’t noticed a difference in quality because I still make an effort not to over mix.

This is the place that makes or breaks your bread. Just stir gently, with a big spoon, until everything is incorporated and all the dry ingredients are just wet. “The Best Quick Breads” recommends never actually beating the dough unless directed to in the recipe. There are supposed to be lumps. If you work the dough until it’s smooth, your bread is going to be tough. This is the single biggest mistake beginners make. So please, don’t worry that your batter doesn’t look beautiful. It will all work out in the oven.

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