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Better bread from pre-hydrated flour 
Research on a method of combining flour and water without the input of mechanical energy has highlighted the importance of hydration in dough production and demonstrated potential savings in energy. The process of dough mixing is fundamental to the production of high quality bread and is widely recognised as a stage where careful control is required. However, there have been few studies on the initial hydration of flour as a separate step. In these studies pre-hydration of flour using powdered ice facilitated hydration without the need for mechanical agitation. Following overnight hydration, yeast and salt were added and, together with controls, doughs were processed using a standard method based on the Chorleywood Bread Process. Shorter mixing times resulted in control loaves with generally poor quality and low loaf volume. However, the bread produced from dough that had been hydrated prior to mechanical mixing showed better volume from shorter mixing times, albeit with a more open crumb structure. Further work is now anticipated on more practical methods of dough pre-hydration. Contact: Sam Millar |