Breads

Appears in
The New Vegetarian

By Colin Spencer

Published 1986

  • About
The smell of homemade bread is one of the most inviting aromas in the world. Even if you have an excellent bakery near where you live, it is still far more fulfilling to make your own: you know exactly what goes into your own bread and it is cheaper on the pocket.
Baking bread at home is now a somewhat easier task as there is a new type of yeast available which does not have to be activated in warm water first. It can be mixed with the dry ingredients and only becomes active when warm water is added. It is known as micronized yeast in the UK, and active dry yeast in the US, and may be bought under several different brand names. Bread made with this yeast needs only one rising, though there are respected authorities who maintain that bread is infinitely better if it is allowed to rise twice. It is very much up to personal taste. Try both methods and decide. Micronized/active dry yeast can be purchased in small sachets, usually sufficient for a 450 g/1 lb loaf, from good shops and supermarkets.