Carbs – the spice of life, am I right? And there is perhaps no carb the world collectively loves more than bread. So why not try your hand at it? While you may be scared to make homemade bread for the first time, it’s not nearly as hard as you might think and it’s incredibly satisfying.
Interested in learning a new baking skill? We’re here to help by walking you through the process of how to make and bake bread from scratch!
Want diet & nutrition content delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our exclusive diet & nutrition newsletter!
Types of Bread
There are two main types of bread:
Yeast-leavened bread is any type of bread that uses yeast as the leavening agent, which includes most bread found at a grocery store or bakery. The leavening agent is what causes the dough to rise and gives bread its volume and texture. Generally, yeast bread requires that you proof the yeast, make and knead the dough, let it rise and punch it down, at least once.
Quick bread is any bread leavened without agents other than yeast or eggs and commonly uses baking powder or baking soda as the leavening agent. Some of the most popular examples of quick breads are cakes, cookies, banana bread, muffins, and pancakes.
You likely already know how to make quick breads, so we’re going to focus on teaching you how to make yeast-leavened bread. The most commonly used yeast is active dry yeast, which you can buy at the grocery store in little pre-portioned packages or larger glass jars. Pro tip: store your yeast in the freezer to keep it from accidentally activating in the container. This is particularly helpful if you live in a house that isn’t air-conditioned during the warmer months.