Breadmaking processes

Abstract

In the same way that different bread varieties have evolved with the passage of time so have different methods which allow the conversion of flour and other ingredients into bread. In many cases the relationship between product and process is so strong that it may be wrong to consider them as separate issues. Just as there is no 'ideal' product so there is no 'ideal' breadmaking process. In reality each baker uses a breadmaking process which is unique, in that the combinations of ingredient qualities, formulations, processing conditions and equipment reflect the qualities of the products he or she is seeking to achieve. In practice the variations in such breadmaking processes are very small and usually consist of minor variations about a central 'standard' process, so that we are able to group many of the variations into a small number of more generic processes in order to consider the changes which occur within them and their contribution to final product quality. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.