GB2243758A

GB2243758A - A method for producing bread

Info

Publication number: GB2243758A
Application number: GB9107704A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Hugh Maguire
Original assignee: SAFINCA DEV Ltd
Current assignee: SAFINCA DEV Ltd
Priority date: 1990-05-08
Filing date: 1991-04-11
Publication date: 1991-11-13
Also published as: IE901667A1; GB9107704D0; BE1002185A6; IE61428B1

Abstract

A low energy method for producing bread with a relatively high water content without affecting the quality of the bread comprises preparing a dough by mixing at least yeast, flour and water. The protein content of the flour is 10.6% by weight of flour. The water constitutes 60% by weight of the flour and the water and flour are maintained at a temperature just prior to mixing of 18oC and 10.5oC respectively. The dough is mixed and developed using a work level of 9.5 watt hours per Kg of dough. The dough is then proved and baked. It has been found that the water content of the baked bread is 43% by weight of the bread.

Description

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING BREAD The present invention relates to a method for producing pan bread, and also to pan bread produced according to the method.

In the economic production of both brown and white pan bread of the type which is normally mass produced and sliced, it is important that the bread on being baked should have a water content as high as possible without affecting the quality of the bread. Since energy costs are relatively high, it is also important that the energy required to produce the bread should be kept relatively low.

A large proportion of the energy required to produce pan bread is absorbed in the mixing of the dough. This energy is referred to as the work level, and it is applied to the dough during the mixing and developing of the dough. In general, it is recommended that the work level required per Rg of dough for pan bread should not be less than 11 watt hours per Kg of dough.

This is a relatively high work level. Using such a work level causes two problems, firstly by virtue of the relatively high cost of energy, the cost of producing bread with such a work level is relatively high. Furthermore, a high work level causes the temperature of the dough to rise to a relatively high level. A high dough temperature causes a relatively high percentage of the water in the dough to evaporate from the dough during the mixing and developing process. In practice, the recommended weight of water added to flour to form the dough mixture for pan bread should be in the order of 60% of the weight of flour.

In general, after applying 11 watt hours per Kg of dough in mixing and developing the dough, it has been found that pan bread baked from such a dough has a water content after baking of the order of 40% by weight of baked bread.

There is therefore a need for a relatively more economical method for producing pan bread, and for a more economically produced pan bread.

The present invention is directed towards providing such a method, and to pan bread produced according to the method.

According to the invention, there is provided a method for producing pan bread comprising the steps of preparing a dough by mixing at least yeast and water with flour, proving the dough, and baking the proved dough, wherein the protein content of the flour is in the range of 10% to 11% by weight of the flour, the temperature of the flour and the water just prior to mixing are in the range of 150C to 250C and 100C to 110C respectively, the weight of water is not less than 59% by weight of flour, and the work level expended in preparing the dough is in the range of 9.5 to 10 watt hours per Kg of dough.

Preferably, the temperature of the flour just prior to mixing is 180C, and the temperature of the water just prior to mixing is 10.50C. Advantageously, the weight of water in the dough is not less than 60% of the weight of flour.

Preferably, the work level expended in preparing the dough is 9.5 watt hours per Kg of dough. In another embodiment of the invention, the proved dough is baked in an oven for a baking period in the range of 18 to 20 minutes at a temperature in the range of 230 C to 2950C. Advantageously, the baking period comprises three sequential time periods, the temperature in the oven during the first time period being in the range of 2750C to 2950C, the temperature of the oven during the second time period being in the range of 2650C to 2850C, and the temperature in the oven during the third time period being in the range of 2300C to 2500C.In one embodiment of the invention, the temperature in the oven during the first time period is 2850C, the temperature in the oven during the second time period is 2750C and the temperature in the oven during the third time period is 2400C. Advantageously, the method includes the step of introducing steam into the oven during the first time period.

Additionally, the invention provides pan bread produced according to the method of the invention.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a preferred but non-limiting example thereof.

Example In this example, white pan bread is produced using the following ingredients in the proportions set out below.

flour 170 kgs salt 3.4 kgs yeast 5.1 kgs oxidant 75 parts per million fat 1.7 kgs water 102 kgs In this particular example, the flour has a protein content of 10.6% by weight of flour. The oxidant is ascorbic acid and the fat is full vegetable oil with a high slip point.

Dough is prepared using the following method. The flour is maintained at a temperature of 180C just prior to mixing. The temperature of the water just prior to mixing is maintained in the range of 100C to 110C and preferably at a temperature of approximately 10.50C.

All the ingredients are placed in a mixer and mixed and developed by applying a work level of 9.5 watt hours per Kg of dough. In this case, for the quantity of ingredients above, the work level is 2,680 watt hours.

The dough is then divided and proved by known dividing and proving procedures which will be well known to those skilled in the art.

The proved dough is then baked in an oven for a total baking period of 18.5 minutes. The oven is of the type having a conveyor which conveys the dough slowly through the oven. The oven is divided into three sequential regions, each region having a different temperature. The first region is sized so that the time period, namely the first time period during which the dough passes through the first region is approximately half the total baking period. The second and third regions are sized so that the time periods, namely the second and third time periods during which the dough passes through each of the second and third regions is a quarter of the total baking period. In this embodiment of the invention, the first time period is approximately 10 minutes and the second and third time periods are approximately 5 and 3 minutes respectively.The temperature in the first region is approximately 2850C, the temperature in the second region is approximately 2750C and the temperature in the third region is approximately 2400C. Steam is continuously introduced into the first region of the oven. The baked pan bread is conveyed out of the oven.

In this embodiment of the invention, the dough is placed in containers of aluminium material and the bread is baked in the aluminium containers. By using aluminium containers, heat is conducted relatively quickly into the bread, and it has been found that this facilitates in reducing the bake time in the oven, thus further reducing the amount of water evaporated from the dough mixture during baking.

It has been found that the method of the invention produces new and surprising results. It has been found that the pan bread produced according to the method is of good quality, and has all the characteristics of pan bread produced according to known methods. It has also been found that the water content of the bread when baked and removed from the oven is 40% by weight, without any loss of quality of the bread. By virtue of the fact that the protein content of the flour is relatively low, and the work level is relatively low, and the water content of the baked bread is relatively high, the bread is economically produced. Why precisely the method of the invention should produce such new and surprising results is not fully understood.The fact that the work level is maintained at 9.5 watt hours per Kg of dough would avoid excessive temperature rise in the dough during mixing, and this would thus minimise evaporation during mixing and developing of the dough. However, how bread of good quality is produced with such a relatively low work level is not fully understood. However, it is believed that by using flour with a relatively low protein content the work level required by the dough can be reduced without adversely affecting the subsequently baked bread. It is also believed that by maintaining the flour at a temperature in the order of 180C just prior to mixing and the water at a temperature in the range of 100C to 1l0C just prior to mixing, it is believed allows the work level to be reduced without adverse effects on the dough and on the subsequently baked bread.It is also thought that the combination of the relatively low work level and relatively low protein content permits a shorter bake time, thus further facilitating the retention of water in the bread.

It has been found that the steam as well as assisting in caramelising the crust of the bread also has the benefit of further facilitating water retention in the dough.

While the weight of water added to the flour has been described as being 60% by weight of flour, it is envisaged that adequate results could be achieved by maintaining the weight of water in the range of 59% to 62% by weight of the flour. Further, while the baking period has been described as being 18.5 minutes, it is envisaged that adequate results could be achieved by maintaining the baking period within the range of 18 to 20 minutes. Further, while in this example the bread is baked in an oven having three regions, this is not necessary, a single region oven could be provided and in which case it is envisaged that adequate results would be achieved once the temperature in the oven was maintained in the range of 2300C to 2950C.Where a three region oven is used, it is envisaged that adequate results would be achieved by maintaining the temperature in the first region in the range of 2750C to 2950C and by maintaining the temperature in the second region in the range of 2650C to 2850C and by maintaining the temperature in the third region in the range of 2300C to 2500C. Needless to say, the regions could be arranged to account for different time periods than those described. While it is preferable to introduce steam into the oven, it is not essential.

It is also envisaged that while the flour has been described as having a protein content of 10.6% by weight, it is envisaged that adequate results would be achieved with flour with a protein content in the range of 10% to 11% by weight of flour.

It is also envisaged that adequate results would be achieved with a work level in the range of 9.5 to 10 watt hours per Kg of dough. It is further envisaged that the temperature of the flour prior to mixing has been described as being 180C adequate results could be achieved by maintaining the flour temperature in the range of 150C to 250C just prior to mixing the dough.

While the pan bread produced in the example has been white pan bread, it is envisaged that equally good results would be achieved in the production of brown pan bread by maintaining the protein content of the flour in the range of 10% to 11% by weight of flour, the work level in the range of 9.5 to 10 watt hours per Kg of dough, and the temperature of the flour prior to mixing at a temperature in the range of 150C to 250C and the temperature of the water prior to mixing in the range of 100C to 11 C.

Claims

1. A method for producing pan bread comprising the steps of preparing a dough by mixing at least yeast and water with flour, proving the dough, and baking the proved dough, wherein the protein content of the flour is in the range of 10% to 11% by weight of the flour, the temperature of the flour and the water just prior to mixing are in the range of 150C to 250C and 100C to 110C respectively, the weight of water is at least 59% by weight of flour, and the work level expended in preparing the dough is in the range of 9.5 to 10 watt hours per Kg of dough.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which the temperature of the flour just prior to mixing is 180C.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the temperature of the water just prior to mixing is 10.50C.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the weight of water in the dough is 60% of the weight of flour.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the work level expended in preparing the dough is 9.5 watt hours per Kg of dough.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the protein content of the flour is 10.6% by weight.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the proved dough is baked in an oven for a baking period in the range of 18 to 20 minutes at a temperature in the range of 2300C to 2950C.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 7 in which the baking period comprises three sequential time periods, the temperature in the oven during the first time period being in the range of 2750C to 2950C, the temperature of the oven during the second time period being in the range of 2650C to 2850C, and the temperature in the oven during the third time period being in the range of 2300C to 2500C.

9. A method as claimed in Claim 8 in which the first time period extends for half the baking period, the second and third time periods each extend for approximately quarter of the baking period.

10. A method as claimed in Claim 8 or 9 in which the temperature in the oven during the first time period is 2850C, the temperature in the oven during the second time period is 2750C and the temperature in the oven during the third time period is 2400C.

11. A method as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 10 in which the method includes the step of introducing steam into the oven during the first time period.

12. A method for producing bread substantially as described herein with reference to the example.

13. Pan bread produced according to the method of any of Claims 1 to 12.

14. Pan bread substantially as described herein with reference to the example.