The fragrance that comes from baking bread is fantastic. You wouldn’t risk baking your bread successfully only to mess it when slicing. You require the right tools and use the proper technique. If you don’t, your bread will end up squashed, and that can be frustrating. So, here is what you require and how to slice.
Table of Contents
Knife
Don’t just use any knife but a suitable bread knife. A dull one will frustrate you, especially if it has shallow serration. You can consider buying the right bread knife if you don’t have one. Note that a cheaper knife has a short blade that extends partway unto its handle. That makes it unsuitable since it lacks enough support. Get a quality knife whose blades extend into its handle. The edges of the knife will depend on personal preferences. Some prefer the one with wavy edges as compared to those with a jagged edge since they cut quickly.
Step By Step Guide to Slice Homemade Bread
Choose the right bread knife
Use a bread knife that has a deeply serrated edge. Ensure that the blades extend up to its handle.
Use A Wooden Cutting Board
Ensure that the wooden board is larger than the bread you want to slice. It will provide you with enough space. Place your bread on one edge the cutting board. When cutting your bread, start on the side that has space.
Cut The Bread
Suppose the wooden cutting board is small or the bread is too big, what should you do? Cut your bread into two halves. When slicing, you will work on each half at a time, thus having sufficient space.
Support Your Bread
If you start slicing your bread without supporting it, it will slip around your cutting board. So ensure your hand is over the crust while the fingers gently grip the sides of your bread. Don’t make a mistake of pressing your bread downwards. It will mush your bread in the inside.
Position Your Knife
Take your knife and position it closer to your loaf’s heel. Angle it slightly then start cutting your bread. The edge of the blade should be parallel to your cutting board. With a good knife, you will only add a little pressure as you saw the bread back and forth downwards. The thinness and the thickness will depend on your personal preferences. If you want to follow the recommended guideline, then the thickness should be 1.27-2.54 cm. If you don’t have the means to measure the thickness, consider using your finger’s width.
Technique
Fresh and warm bread is sweet. Unfortunately, you should never make the mistake of slicing it before it cools. It’s likely to get squashed. Once it cools, get a sharp and serrated knife that has a decent weight. With minimal downward pressure, saw your bread forth and back. Since the bottom crust is a little bit tougher, apply some more pressure to cut it.
Using a Bread Slicer Machine
Do you have several loaves of bread you would like to slice? Using a knife is not only tiresome and tricky but also time-consuming. Furthermore, you will not cut even slices, and the bread will not keep its texture longer.
With a bread slicer, you will cut your loaves evenly using less time. It will help you cut the loaf into your preferred thickness and thinness. That could be impossible when using a knife. The texture of the bread sliced with a bread slicer machine also stays longer.
A bread slicer machine is an important requirement in the food processing business. There are different types of slicer machines; some are automatic, while others are semi-automatic. Some are self-standing, and others are table electric slicing machines. Check the different types and consider their pros and cons. Finally, choose the right one.
FAQ
1) What Makes Bread Soft And Fluffy?
Once the yeast ferments the sugar in the dough, it releases carbon dioxide. The gas fills your dough hence increasing the volume. After baking your bread, the heat will break the bubbles. Your bread will become soft and fluffy.
Also read: [Must Know] How To Use A Hot Plate?
2) Why Is My Homemade Bread So Heavy?
Do you have the imagination of making bread with a golden crispy crust on its outside? It can be frustrating if after baking the bread, the inside becomes hard. So what could be the reasons?
Not taking enough time when kneading your dough could cause it. To avoid that, use at least ten minutes when kneading your dough in the mixture using a kneading hook. If you are using your hands, use at least 20 minutes.
Mixing salt and the yeast together could also make your bread heavy. Though you require both, the salt kills yeast. So avoid adding them together but instead add salt after you have mixed all the other ingredients. Note that yeast and salt should never come into contact directly.
Ignoring molding at the final stage could also result in your bread becoming flat and denser. The molding of your bread is vital at its final stage. That will prevent all your efforts from going to waste.
If you don’t give your dough enough time to rise, your loaf will end up becoming heavy. So give your dough enough time and ensure that it’s in a warm place.
Too much floor could also make your bread heavy. Use the right amount of flour, leaving the dough sticky. Avoid using heavier flours such as whole wheat to enable your loaf to be airy and light.
3) How Do You Cut Tiger Bread?
Start by turning it upside down. Use the right knife and cut on its soft side. That will make cutting easy while at the same time; the bread will not get squashed. Avoid adding excessive pressure downwards when moving the knife back and forth.
4) How Do You Cut Hot Bread?
It’s essential to let the bread cool first if you don’t want it to squash. But if you don’t have time to wait, slicing when the bread is hot is still possible. Sharpen the knife. Place your bread upside down on the cutting board. Boil the kettle, and then pour the hot water over your blade for few seconds. Wipe your blade dry. Cut your loaf using the hot blade. When cutting the crust, use a short stroke after cutting the crust use long strokes.
Conclusion
With the right bread knife, you will not struggle to slice your bread. If you are in the food processing business, a bread slicer machine is a vital requirement. You need to know the steps and the techniques of slicing your bread if you don’t want it to squash.