Ingredients

• Using fresh, high-quality ingredients makes a big difference in your final product. Old, dead yeast, expired baking powder or stale flour all contribute to a bread recipe gone bad. Flour should be fresh, and the yeast should be within the expiration date if in a sealed container. Large containers of yeast kept in the fridge do not last forever. If your jar of yeast has been open for six months or more, chances are it is no good.

  The types of ingredients used are important as well. Flour has quality, and some brands rank higher than others. Using bread flour, rather than all-purpose flour, is also an important factor. Bread flour contains more gluten, which allows the bread to rise fluffier and airier than does all-purpose flour. If you do not begin with quality, you will not end with quality.

Dough Enhancers

• Dough enhancers are crucial "secret ingredients" in whole-wheat or gluten-free baking. Dough enhancers, like bread flour, increase the gluten in bread. Bread made from whole-wheat flour has less gluten than bleached white flour because when the wheat bran is ground, it becomes sharp and punctures the gluten, causing the bread to be denser and heavier than light, white bread. Adding a dough enhancer such as Vital Wheat Gluten, vitamin C crystals or gelatin will increase elasticity and fluffiness.

Rising

• One of the most important stages in bread-making, and the one that takes the most time, is the rising. Patience is the secret ingredient in this step. Do not be too anxious, because if you do not wait for the bread to finish rising, it will be dense and hard. Give it time to double in size. To help speed the process, place it in a warm location, such as a slightly heated oven; near a heater, furnace or fireplace; or by a window with sun shining through. If the dough has to rise in a cooler location, it will take much longer.

Kneading

• The purpose of kneading bread is to activate the yeast. Without sufficient kneading, the bread will not rise properly. However, too much kneading can cause the bread to toughen. Knead the dough for the exact amount of time the recipe calls for. When it is elastic and can be rolled into a ball without cracks or cuts, it is generally ready for shaping.

Cooking Times

• Cooking times and temperatures can be deceiving because ovens heat and cook differently. Age and environment also play roles in a stove's performance. Temperatures and times found in recipes are guidelines; the true trick is knowing your oven and watching the bread's progress as it cooks, lowering or increasing the temperature as needed. Check the bread frequently so that it doesn't burn; it should darken to a light golden color.