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What kind of bread exists?
B read an everyday staple for tons of meals that have been recorded throughout history as a prominent part of every cuisine and one of the first human-made foods. Over time, bread has gone through massive change, but with the same basic process. It is made with different kinds of flour and water and uses the process of baking.
Homemade bread is simple; it just needs flour, water, salt, yeast, baking soda, fat, and other ingredients to enhance or add more flavors such as herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. However, commercial bread has additional ingredients that improve its taste, nutrition, color, texture, and shelf life.
There are lots of kinds of bread. Why? Because bread is an essential part of our lives.
Let's learn about the types of bread that exist and what makes them unique.
Arepa
A round and flat cornmeal patty baked, fried, or cooked on charcoal in Colombia and Venezuela. It is served with fillings like beans, ham, cheese, shredded beef, scrambled eggs, avocado, and chicken salad. To prepare arepa bread, you will need special corn flour, which is turned into a dough using a pinch of salt and water.
Baguette
A very popular French bread, a baguette is a long tube-like shaped bread with a soft interior and crunchy crust. Baguettes are used for preparing a variety of sandwiches.
Bagel
Originated in Poland, a bagel is now a famous bread in many parts of the world. This bread is first rolled, cooked in boiling water for a short time, and then baked. It comes in various flavors such as chocolate, raisin, cinnamon with added sugar, blueberry, onion, salmon, cheese, etc. They are a heart-healthy choice for a filling breakfast, a quick snack, or a delightful lunch.
Breadstick
Breadsticks are available in nearly every country in the world. A long and thin piece of bread baked for a long time makes a crispy breadstick. The baking time varies with the length of a breadstick.
Challah
Challah is a traditional Jewish bread. The dough is first braided and then baked, thus giving this bread a unique appearance. It is prepared with flour, yeast, honey, and eggs and has a sweet taste.
Chapati
Chapati is a famous bread in Asian regions such as India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. They are made with wheat flour and toasted over a griddle pan instead of being baked. Chapati can be eaten as it is or with cooked vegetables and meat dishes and lentil soups. Although chapati is made without oil, they are sometimes buttered, such as parathas.
Ciabatta
Ciabatta is an Italian bread, and its crust and texture vary slightly throughout the regions of Italy. However, the essential ingredients are the same, wheat flour, yeast, salt, and water. Ciabatta is used for paninis and Italian sandwiches.
Cornbread
Cornbread is prepared with ground corn, egg, and buttermilk. Ground corn or cornmeal gives this dense and crumbly bread a cake-like taste and texture.
Croissant
A crescent moon-shaped a French roll that is incredibly buttery, flaky, and very rich. They are traditionally a breakfast pastry and, therefore, commonly served with coffee in many European countries.
Crackers
Small segments of baked bread make crackers. They are baked by preparing a mixture of flour, salt, and water. The main difference between crackers and bread is that crackers have no leavening agent. They come in countless flavors today and serve as an appetizer or a snack with dip.
Crouton
When a very crunchy bread is divided into small pieces, the pieces are called croutons. To make croutons super crunchy, you need to bake the dough twice. But before the second one, cut it into small cubes and season with spices and herbs. They are used to garnish salads and soups.
Damper
A bush bread cooked over hot coals (can also be baked). It is made with the basic ingredients for bread, such as flour, salt, water, baking soda, and sometimes milk. It is a traditional bread in Australia and is served with cooked and dried meat dishes and stews.
English Muffins
A small and round yeast-leavened bread prepared by toasting dough on a griddle pan. It is usually sliced horizontally, toasted, and served during teatime. It can also be spread with butter and make excellent breakfast sandwiches.
Focaccia
It's a no-knead flatbread. But don't take focaccia entirely as a flatbread because yeast is present in its dough, which causes it to rise slightly. It is rich in flavor and retained a lot of moisture as the bread is brushed with lots of oil before baking. And, after baking, focaccia is often seasoned with salt, olives, or seasoning.
Fruit bread
This bread has fruit as one of its ingredients. For example, the most popular is banana bread. It can also be prepared with dried fruits and nuts. Due to its sweet taste, this bread is much like a cake.
Hot cross bun
A hot cross bun is a sweet and small round roll that comes with a cross shape on top of the dough. It is made with yeast and raisins and garnished with icing after baking. It is a traditional bun and is served on the Christian's Good Friday.
Naan
It is a Middle Eastern leavened bread, mostly found in the south, west, and central Asian countries. It is similar to pita bread but without a picket and baked in a clay oven. Naan is served with extra toppings such as cheese, butter, minced meat, or spiced vegetables.
Paratha
Paratha is a layered flatbread, made by combining whole wheat flour, salt, water, or milk, and then frying in oil, butter, or clarified butter. It is popular in India, Pakistan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Burma. Parathas are often stuffed with spiced vegetables like potatoes, onion, cabbage, and eggs.
Rye bread
It is made from rye flour and bread flour. That's why this bread comes in a different density, amount of fiber, and colors from light to dark. And due to rye's flavor, this bread has stronger flavors than traditional whole wheat bread.
Scone
Scone is a quick bread that is dense and dry and has a hard crust. It is prepared from flour, sugar, baking soda, butter, eggs, and milk. This bread is often flavored with fruits like berries or raisins and is eaten with honey, butter, and cream.
Soda bread
It is a traditional bread in Ireland made with flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk. It is often flavored with raisins or nuts and is soft, leavened, and sweet.
Tortilla
It is a soft and thin bread used in many Mexican dishes such as burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and wraps. Tortilla bread is segmented into small pieces seasoned with salt and spices, then deep-fried or baked in an oven and served as tortilla chips.
Whole-Wheat Bread
This bread is made from the flour of wheat grains with germ and bran. Hence, unlike white bread, this bead has more fiber and nutrients per slice. It is an excellent choice of sandwiches.
How is bread formed?
B read is made by baking a mixture of flour, salt, yeast, water, and other ingredients. The basic process is to form a dough or a stiff paste, followed by baking in an oven or griddle into a loaf.
The secret of making good bread is to ensure that dough made by any process is provided with enough space to relax and expand itself while it is rising. A sign of good dough is that when pulled, it stretches out. The dough must be elastic and have the strength to hold gases produced during fermentation and stable enough to retain its cell structure and shape.
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