How to Make Bread Soft and Fluffy?

Why isn’t my bread soft and fluffy enough? The key step is “degassing”! Now let’s analyze these two issues separately:

How to Make Bread Soft?

The secret to soft bread lies in four key elements: Dough preparation, Fermentation control, Recipe optimization, and Storage methods. High-moisture dough, a rational fermentation process, flexible ingredients, and scientific storage methods can achieve a long-lasting soft texture.

Key Dough Preparation Techniques

1. High-moisture Recipe: The dough is recommended to have a moisture content of 65%-75%. Liquid ingredients such as iced milk and egg are added to adjust the dough, creating a steam-supported, fluffy structure during high-temperature baking.
2. Gluten Formation Process:

• Mechanical kneading requires reaching the expansion stage (glove membrane state) to enhance the elasticity of the gluten network.
• No-kneading alternatives use the folding method or overnight refrigerated fermentation, using time instead of mechanical force to form the gluten network.

‌Fermentation and Baking Control‌

1. Precise Fermentation Management‌

• The first fermentation temperature is 28°C and the humidity is 75%. It is best to double the volume and then spring back when pressed. ‌‌
• The second fermentation should be completed at 38°C to promote even pore distribution. ‌‌

‌2. Baking Parameter Optimization‌

• Place a bowl of water in the lower oven to create a steamy environment. Bake at 180-200°C for 20 minutes. ‌‌
• Remove the water bowl 5 minutes before the end of baking to ensure a crispy crust and moist interior. ‌‌

‌Flexible Ingredients‌

1. Natural Emulsifier‌：Adding more than 10% egg yolk can enhance ductility. It is recommended to add 15-20g egg yolk per 100g flour. ‌‌
2. Moisturizing Ingredient Combination‌

• Add 8%-15% butter to form a protective oil film. ‌‌
• Honey/invert sugar replaces some of the sucrose, leveraging fructose’s high water retention properties to maintain moisture.

How to Make Bread Fluffy?

Why does my bread always collapse and lack puffiness? You may have overlooked a crucial step—degassing.

The essence of degassing: “deflating” the dough.
Degassing, as the name suggests, is the removal of accumulated carbon dioxide from the dough. This is achieved by pressing and patting the dough after proofing. Furthermore, degassing requires a second proofing.

By properly pressing and folding the dough, degassing can achieve three amazing effects:

1. Strengthening the elasticity of gluten:
   Dough expansion stretches the gluten membrane, weakening its elasticity. When the relaxed dough is stimulated by external factors, gluten proteins form and the network structure becomes finer. Degassing is like a “wake-up massage” for the gluten, stimulating it to rebuild a stronger, more dense network, accumulating strength for subsequent fermentation.
2. Activating Yeast: The alcohol produced during fermentation can make the yeast “intoxicated,” reducing its activity. Degassing releases some of the alcohol, effectively sobering up the yeast and allowing them to continue producing energy and vitality during the second fermentation.
3. Make the baked dough texture finer: Exhaust can crush the large bubbles inside the dough, making the gas more evenly distributed and forming a finer and more uniform small bubble structure. This will make the baked bread more delicate and uniform in texture and taste better.

Degassing: Gentleness is Key

Never beat or knead the dough harshly! This will only tear the gluten network that you’ve painstakingly built, weakening subsequent fermentation and resulting in a dry, collapsed bread.

The correct approach is to gently press and fold. Imagine you’re gently smoothing the dough, pressing evenly and gently with your palms or fingertips, then folding. The goal is to expel excess gas and alcohol while minimizing damage to the gluten structure.

Degassing Intensity: Different Breads, Different Techniques

There’s no one-size-fits-all degassing technique; different breads require different degrees of gentleness:

1. Intense Degassing: Suitable for soft breads that require extreme fluffiness (such as toast and soft dinner rolls). By folding and pressing thoroughly, you maximize gluten stimulation and redistribute gas.
2.  Mild Degassing: Suitable for most soft breads and lighter-flavored breads.
3. Light Degassing: Suitable for semi-hard breads with a slightly firmer texture (such as some European bread).
4. Light deflating: This method is used for hard breads with little expansion (such as bagels and some traditional European breads). Only very light pressure is needed to avoid over-deflating, which can prevent expansion.

Sometimes, the intensity of deflating may need to be adjusted depending on the dough’s condition.

When the dough is relaxed and has poor air retention after proofing, increased deflating is needed to stimulate the gluten proteins and create elasticity.
Conversely, when the dough is still too dense after over-proofing, a gentle deflating pressure is needed.

Mastering deflating techniques can make a huge difference in the texture of your bread!

Deflating is not an optional step; it’s a crucial conversation between the baker and the dough.
By understanding its principles and mastering a gentle yet appropriate technique, adjusting the pressure flexibly according to the type of bread and the dough’s condition, you can say goodbye to dryness and collapse, ensuring that every batch of bread has an upright shape, a uniform, fine texture, and a delightful taste!