Fats in bread dough - their meaning and impact

[Fats in bread dough - their meaning and impact]

Fats in bread dough - their meaning and impact

All types of fats have always been used in bakery and confectionery production. Even in ancient times, people noticed that with the addition of melted fat, the bread becomes softer and fluffier. In general, any fat can be added to bread, especially in black or mixed rolls, with almost the same effect. The fat component in the dough physically works as follows: fat cells lubricate the gluten threads, giving them additional elasticity, envelop the starch grains in the crumb, giving it elasticity, puffiness and additional gas-holding capacity.

As a result the elasticity and friability of the crumb, inherent in "rich" baked goods, increases, the freshness of the crumb is prolonged, a pleasant taste and smell of bread appears. In some varieties of bread, different varieties of vegetable oil are used as a fat additive, butter is used in confectionery baked goods, in the vast majority of pastry products, ordinary margarine is used, in some varieties of black bread, animal fat and lard are added.

Fats increase the energy value of products, improve their taste, increase the volume of bread, increase the plasticity of the dough, and somewhat strengthen the gluten.

In the same time fats reduce intensity fermentation dough.

With the addition of high-quality varieties of vegetable fat (olive, sesame, sunflower oil) or milk fat (butter), the products retain the pleasant "food" smell and taste inherent in these fats.
When using block margarine, there is little smell and taste in the products.

A regular block margarine is made up of a mixture of vegetable fats. To give it a solid consistency, part of the fat is hydrogenated - placed in an autoclave and treated with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst. The plasticity and fusibility of margarines are given by vegetable oils with a solid base - coconut and palm.

Fatty margarines have an average fat-to-moisture ratio of 80% and 19.8%, lungs contain only 40% fat, the rest is water-based. When consuming margarine, one "but" must be taken into account: in the process of hydrogenation, harmful substances are formed - trans isomers of fatty acids. The most negative effect of trans isomers on the liver, therefore, for people with a diseased liver and young children, nutritionists recommend limiting the consumption of margarines.

In this case, the temperature of the margarine should not exceed 40 ... 45 (C, otherwise the mass will separate into water, which will disturb the uniform distribution of fat in the dough.

It is desirable that the fats used in baking be anhydrous and well emulsified in water, have a plastic structure and a low melting point.

Fat (vegetable oil, margarine) will improve the quality if it is added to the dough in the form of a pre-prepared finely dispersed emulsion. The introduction of the emulsion will significantly improve the quality of the bread, delaying its staleness.

Vegetable oils also used for cutting dough, for lubricating molds and sheets.

The quality of margarine must comply with GOST 240, sunflower oil - GOST 1128.
Any fats of animal and vegetable origin can be used in a bread product.
Best of all is sunflower oil, as well as butter, lamb fat, pork and beef lard.
If the fats are solid, then they must be melted and turned into liquid before being added to the dough.

Fats, like liquids, can be mixed with each other in any proportions and these combinations can be used in a bread product.
You have a spoonful of sunflower oil, a small piece of butter in 20 grams and a little chicken fat lining the abdominal cavity - all this can be mixed, all this is good to bake a kilogram of bread. You just need to melt and mix everything together before adding it to the dough.

First operation.
First, a mixture of yeast, liquids and all additional components is always created (all components are diluted, including fats and eggs, if the latter are provided for by some recipe).

This liquid mixture can be added, after it has been created, and some small additions of soluble or insoluble, dry components, for example, salt, spices (pepper, onion, cumin, coriander, anise). You just need to make sure that they are evenly distributed in the dough.

Second and decisive operation: dough preparation.
Flour is poured to the combined liquid mixture - as much as is required for the dough, which would not stick to your hands. Therefore, flour is added gradually, and all the time the dough is kneaded. It is best if this is done continuously: with one hand you sow the flour, with the other (with a spoon) knead the dough in a clockwise circular motion.

Fats in significant quantities (10% or more) reduce the fermentation activity of yeast. It is believed that fats, enveloping yeast cells, impede the access of nutrients to them.

Adding fat up to 3% of the total flour to the dough improves the rheological properties of the dough, increases the volume of bread, and increases the elasticity of the crumb.

The more sugar and fat in the dough, the more yeast should be used.

If the recipe provides for a significant amount of sugar and fat that inhibit fermentation, then these components are not introduced when kneading dough, and after a certain time of fermentation (about 20-30 minutes before the end of fermentation). The operation of adding fat and sugar to an almost fermented dough is called its "otdobok". In this case, along with fat and sugar, it is necessary to add an appropriate amount of flour so that the consistency of the dough is normal.

So, the usual dosage of fat in bread is 1-3%, by weight of flour. That is for every 100 grams of flour 1-3 grams, for 500 grams of flour it will be 5-15 grams of fat.

From some sources (I don't remember where and when I read it), it became known to me that in butter dough (for pies and pies) it is better to use butter, not margarine. But ideally - ghee.
If the recipe says that you need to add butter, then in no case should you replace it with margarine.
At one time, I used a spread instead of vegetable oil in bread. The structure and taste of the bread was no worse than if I added vegetable oil.