What is the secret to making light bread?

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer . As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

How do you make bread airy?

Simply put, you have to control the temperature of the bread . Allowing ample time for your bread dough to rise and the yeast to form will create the holes in the bread that give it a lighter texture. Letting your dough get puffy and grow before it goes into the oven is critical.

How do you make bread lighter and fluffier?

If you want a lighter fluffier bread loaf just add 2 Tbsp of dry milk to the flour per loaf of your bread. Vinegar has a very similar effect to the dough as the ascorbic acid. It helps hold the dough together and strengthens the bubbles so they won't pop.

What flour is best for light bread?

Bread flour has a higher percentage of gluten, usually between 11-14%, which makes the dough more elasticated and easier to work with when creating light-textured breads.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier?

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough .

Will more yeast make bread lighter?

Making Your Bread Lighter and Fluffier Gas is created with the growth of the yeast. The more the yeast grows, the more gas will be in the dough.

How do bakeries make bread so light?

There's something magical about the bread you get at your local bakeries - they're always sooo soft and fluffy. Many of these breads, especially packaged ones, are made with a ton of chemical additives such as calcium propionate, amylase, and chlorine dioxide which help keep them soft, light, and fluffy for days.

What enables bread to rise and become light?

A biological leavener is a substance called yeast that makes baked products lighter by helping them rise.

How come my homemade bread is so dense?

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry . It is also worth checking the flour you used.

Wreath Bread Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

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This wreath bread has a crispy crackly crust and super soft, spongy center. It will rival the taste and texture of your favorite fancy restaurant rolls.

We used our favorite Crusty French bread as the base (super easy with very little active time). Forming it into a Christmas Wreath Bread is beautiful and so special for the holidays. It not only looks amazing, but tastes like it came out of a high end French bakery – holiday worthy!

TIP: Serve it as an edible centerpiece on your holiday table and your guests will be so impressed.

P.S. It’s easy!! Watch the video tutorial and you will quickly realize YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Watch How to Make Wreath Bread:

Did you hear that crunch? This isn’t just a show-stopping “pretty” bread, but really tastes incredible!

Ingredients for Wreath Bread:

1 3/4 cups (14 oz) warm water (100˚F)
1/2 tsp molasses
2 1/2 cups (315 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, *measured correctly
2 1/3 cups (290 grams) unbleached bread flour* plus more for dusting
2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast (quick rise)

*To measure flour correctly, spoon into a dry ingredients measuring cup and level the top with the blunt edge of a knife.

*Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly

P.S. I have included Amazon affiliate links to our favorite tools below.

How to Make Wreath Bread:

1. In a large measuring cup, stir together 1 3/4 cups warm water (100˚F) and 1/2 tsp molasses and stir until dissolved.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/3 cups bread flour, 2 tsp salt, and1 1/4 tsp yeast, whisking until combined. Add water-molasses mixture and stir with a spatula until it comes together. Knead by hand 4 minutes. Dough should be soft and sticky to the touch but won’t stick to clean fingertips. If dough is too sticky, add flour 1 Tbsp at a time (I usually add 2-3 Tbsp extra flour while kneading).

3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp (69˚F – 75˚F) for 4 hours. Every hour, punch down dough with a wet hand and fold it over onto itself a few times.

Note: a wet hand will keep the dough from sticking to your hands without adding unnecessary flour.

4. After the 4 hours of rising time, punch down the dough one last time and pinch it in the center to divide into two even pieces. Generously dust 2 pieces of parchment paper with flour. Place each dough piece on it’s own sheet of parchment, turning it to coat in flour. Poke a hole in the center of the dough piece and stretch the dough into a ring about 5-6″ diameter in the center and 9-10″ diameter on the outside. Let the rings rest on parchment at room temperature 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, place an upside-down large baking sheet in the center of your oven with a cast iron or broiler pan on to one side of the bottom rack. With pans in place, preheat oven to 450˚F.

CAUTION: Do not use glass on the bottom rack – you will add ice cubes once the pan is fully preheated which can cause glass to shatter.

6. Sprinkle the top of dough ring with flour. Holding kitchen scissors at a 45˚ angle to the parchment paper, cut deep slits into the dough about 1 1/2″ apart, pulling the points away from the ring as you cut them. Rotate the parchment paper as you slice to maintain the correct cutting angle.

7. Transfer your bread (with the parchment paper) to the preheated oven onto the hot baking sheet and immediately pour 1 cup of ice cubes into the hot cast iron pan on the bottom rack (be careful not to drip on glass surfaces!). Bake at 450˚F for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Repeat step 7 with the second ring.

Print-Friendly Christmas Bread Wreath Recipe:

DIY Wreath Bread (VIDEO)

4.99 from 56 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

How to Make a Wreath Bread with DIY video! Wreath bread has a crisp crackly crust and super soft center. Surprisingly easy and impressive for Christmas!

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Ingredients

Servings: 12 Makes 2 wreaths

1 3/4 cups (14 oz) warm water (100˚F)
1/2 tsp molasses
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, measured correctly*
2 1/3 cups unbleached bread flour, measured correctly,* plus more for dusting
2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast, quick rise

Instructions

In a large measuring cup, combine 1 3/4 cups warm water (100˚F) and 1/2 tsp molasses and stir to dissolve.
In a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/3 cups bread flour, 2 tsp salt, and 1 1/4 tsp yeast, whisking until combined. Add water-molasses mixture and stir with spatula until it comes together. Knead by hand 4 min. Dough should be soft and sticky to the touch but won't stick to clean fingertips. If dough is too sticky, add flour 1 Tbsp at a time (I usually add 2-3 Tbsp extra flour while kneading).
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp (69˚F - 75˚F) 4 hours. Every hour, punch down dough with wet hand and fold it onto itself a few times.
After the 4 hours of rising time, punch down dough one last time and pinch it in the center to divide into two even pieces. Generously dust 2 pieces of parchment paper with flour. Place dough on parchment, turning it to coat in flour. Poke a hole in the center of each the dough piece and stretch dough into a ring 5-6" diameter in the center and 9-10" diameter on the outside. Let the rings rest on parchment at room temp 30 min.
Meanwhile, place an upside-down large baking sheet in the center of your oven with a cast iron or broiler pan** set to one side of the bottom rack. With pans in place, preheat oven to 450˚F.
Sprinkle the top of dough ring with flour. Holding scissors at a 45˚ angle to the parchment paper, cut deep slits into the dough about 1 1/2" apart, pulling the points away from the ring as you cut them. Rotate the parchment paper as you slice to maintain correct cutting angle.
Transfer 1 ring (with the parchment paper) to the preheated oven onto the hot baking sheet and immediately pour 1 cup ice cubes into the hot cast iron pan below (be careful not to drip on glass surfaces!). Bake at 450˚F for 20 min or until top is golden brown. Repeat step 7 with second ring.

Notes

*To measure flour correctly, spoon into a dry ingredients measuring cup and level the top with the blunt edge of a knife.
**CAUTION: Do not use glass or ceramic on the bottom rack - you will add ice cubes once the pan is fully preheated which can cause glass to shatter.

Nutrition Per Serving

184kcal Calories37g Carbs5g Protein390mg Sodium60mg Potassium1g Fiber9mg Calcium1.4mg Iron

Full Nutrition Label
Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

DIY Wreath Bread (VIDEO)

Amount per Serving

Calories

184

% Daily Value*

Sodium

390

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Wreath Bread Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

Watch How to Make Wreath Bread:

Ingredients for Wreath Bread:

How to Make Wreath Bread:

Print-Friendly Christmas Bread Wreath Recipe:

DIY Wreath Bread (VIDEO)

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition Per Serving

Natasha Kravchuk

FAQs

What is the secret to making light bread? ›

References