Bread Baking 102: Master Sandwich Breads, Ciabatta & Bagels

Learn how to use dough percentages to craft bagel dough, calculate hydration from flour 100 percent, and scale recipes by percentages, including yeast, salt, honey, and malt syrup.

Learn how to calculate bagel dough temperature for proper fermentation and flavor, using an ideal 27 degrees Celsius, balancing flour, room, and water temperatures.

Divide the dough into six equal pieces with a scale and bench scraper, pre-shape gently, cover with a wet cloth to relax gluten, and rest 20 minutes before final shaping.

Ferment bagel dough overnight to achieve airy texture, then poach briefly and bake 20 minutes to blistered sides, finish with sesame and poppy seeds for cream cheese and salmon sandwich.

Assemble a salmon and cream cheese bagel sandwich by spreading cream cheese on both bagel halves, layering smoked salmon, capers, red onions, and a touch of lemon juice.

Learn to make Japanese milk bread with a cooled roux and thorough kneading for a soft, airy texture, using bread flour, milk powder, salt, caster sugar, and instant yeast.

Master tangzhong by whisking flour and milk into a thick paste, cooking to a smooth roux, then cooling to prevent stickiness before dough incorporation.

Learn final shaping techniques for sandwich breads with a Japanese-inspired rolled fold, dusting, and sealing, followed by proper proofing under plastic and a milk wash before baking.

master a classic french brioche with poolish, using a stand mixer, timing butter addition, and overnight fermentation for richer flavor and versatile uses like french toast.

Learn to proof and bake a light loaf with an egg wash for color, baking at 200°C for 10 minutes, then 180°C, and proper cooling.

Master autolyse-style hydration by adding water in steps to a high-hydration dough, then stir in 1 gram yeast without salt; rest 30 minutes to fully absorb water.

Mix salt into the dough to hydrate it evenly, ensuring no grains remain as water is absorbed. Rest 30 minutes and continue kneading to develop gluten in high-hydration doughs.

Learn to divide and shape ciabatta dough after fermentation, handling it gently with flour and a bench scraper, then proof on a floured linen cloth before baking.

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius on fan bake, using steam from a baking stone or inverted tray and a cast iron pan to achieve an open-textured loaf.

Prepare for baking by practicing a gentle transfer of the bread, using baking paper to flip and move it onto a sheet while preserving shape and minimizing marks.

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees for 45 minutes, warm the steel or cast iron, then bake the dough for 20 minutes with steam from water and ice.

Bake the final rustic loaf 20-25 minutes for color, then cool on parchment to prevent sogginess, develop crust and open crumb, and enjoy it in an Italian sandwich with tomatoes.

Identify common bread mistakes, from insufficient oven spring and underproofed dough to soggy bottoms, and apply fixes like proper hydration, gluten development, thorough baking, and cooling on a wire rack.