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Ask Laurence: Expert Advice on Common Baking Questions

From fermentation to browning, baking breads, buns and other pastries are full of subtle yet important details. Read below as our own chef Laurence Viens explains a few common pitfalls and offers advice on how you can get better results in your home kitchen.

What are the most common mistakes home bakers make?

Many home bakers overlook this important first step: reading the recipe! Read it carefully, understand it and plan ahead. “For example,” begins Laurence, “if you suddenly decide to bake cinnamon buns at 2 p.m., you’ll be baking well into the night.” You have to calculate the time it takes to make them, given there are often two proofs to take into consideration. Unlike cookies, which could easily be baked on a whim.

Another mistake is mixing up your yeasts. “We most often use instant,” she continues. “But it’s different from pizza yeast and traditional yeast, so make sure you have the right one!” And don’t forget to test your yeast to ensure it’s still active.

And finally, there’s the issue of using your preferred flour in a recipe that doesn’t call for it. Don’t assume it can be swapped 1:1 with another: “If a bread calls for white all-purpose flour, don’t switch it to whole wheat flour. It may have great flavour and nutrition, but it can react differently with water, as it requires more hydration than all-purpose. This applies to other grain flours (spelt, oat, rye, etc.), as well, so you’ll have to select a recipe designed for a specific flour, especially if it’s your first time baking.”

Gluten free?

Do not use gluten-free flour in a recipe that calls for all-purpose flour! It has binding agents that react differently, therefore it’ll never come out right. Plus, its lack of gluten means there won’t be structure to the dough at all. It’s preferable to find a gluten-free bread recipe instead, as it was designed specifically for gluten-free flours.

How important is temperature in baking?

Temperature, of both the water and your environment, can greatly affect fermentation. Fermentation speed is usually driven by temperature, so a change in one means a change in the other. “Most recipes call for lukewarm water, but if a recipe is designed for overnight fermentation (such as our No-Knead Focaccia), then the water temperature changes.” You can always adapt a little if you know your environment will be cold (you’ll need longer fermentation time in winter) or warm (less time during summer). 

But the most important step is to follow the recipe, especially if it’s your first time. Rather than focusing only on time, however, there can be other indicators, so pay attention to your dough. “Yeast is a microorganism that can react differently at different times,” she continues. “Dough has its own personality that changes, so be sure to look for visual cues: Has it doubled in size? Is it sticky or shiny? This can tell you a lot.”

Why is precise measurement so important?

Baking relies on a stable gluten network. “Gluten develops when wheat proteins come into contact with water, bringing structure to the dough,” explains Laurence. “This structure is important to bread, because it traps the gas that’s released by the yeast. Therefore, if the structure isn’t good, the bread won’t rise.”

To create this stable gluten network, you need the right amount of flour, water and salt. This is why a scale is your ultimate baking ally, ensuring these ingredients are measured correctly.

It’s also worth noting that salt is often underestimated: It’s not only used to enhance flavour, but also helps bind all the ingredients and retains moisture, affects colour, brings taste… and ensures the gluten network is well formed. So the right amount of salt is required, which then requires the right amount of flour: “Each element plays a precise, crucial role in bread. So for best results, use the right amounts and avoid substitutes.”

What’s your go-to advice for achieving even baking and browning?

For enriched sweet doughs like brioche, an egg wash, milk wash or cream can be used. “Time is required. Some may think a light golden colour on top is enough, but then it’ll be raw inside,” Laurence cautions. “Don’t be afraid of colour. A dark golden crust yields flavour and creates a wonderful caramelized taste.”

What is the role of resting and cooling?

Letting dough rest is essential. After kneading and shaping, the gluten network has been stressed and now needs to relax so that it’s easier to shape after kneading. “If you let the dough rest between handling, even just a few minutes, it’ll be much easier to work with.”

Also, resist the urge to cut into a loaf that’s fresh out of the oven. “If steam is still rising from it, the crumb isn’t set yet,” explains Laurence. “Once the steam evaporates, the crumb will be set and you can cut into it.” If you don’t take the time to let it cool, you’ll smush your bread the moment you stick in your knife.

How can you recover from a baking disaster?

Recovering from a baking disaster may not be possible if the recipe isn’t followed properly: “If a recipe says, ‘Knead for 5 minutes,’ be sure to knead for 5 minutes. If you don't respect the recommended time, you won’t have a well-developed structure,” warns Laurence. “Also, if you didn’t measure your ingredients correctly, you unfortunately can’t come back from that.”

However, “if your dough is too sticky, you can let it rest for 30 minutes and see if it’s changed. Don’t add flour to it, as it will compromise the correct ingredient ratio.” Flour continues to hydrate on its own, with the starches and proteins taking in moisture during this time. This could be all you need for your dough to become softer, smoother and less sticky.

Can you enhance the flavour of a dough?

Yes, but within reason: “As long as you don’t touch the amounts of flour, salt, yeast and sugar quantities, you can add, for example, olives or aromatics such as herbs or cheese. You can even enhance a plain focaccia by adding ham or lemon zest.”

Before doing so, however, it’s important to have a nice and stable dough. Only then can you customize it as you wish. “If you add olives to the flour/water mixture, for example, they could soften the gluten network, therefore compromising the dough’s structure,” explains Laurence. “Once you have a nice dough, you may add other ingredients to it before the first proof.”

Other flavour enhancers or ingredient substitutions:
  • • Sugar: This isn’t interchangeable. Don’t replace it with honey or maple syrup, “because these are liquid and will affect the structure and hydration ratio of the dough.”
  • • Mix-ins: If a brioche recipe calls for chocolate but you want pecans, it’s an acceptable substitute. Raisins in a raisin bread can be removed. “Such small changes are doable.”
  • • Apple juice: It can replace water if the recipe supports it. Depending on if it’s more acidic or sweet, it could affect your ingredient ratio: “Stay conservative,” Laurence recommends.
  • • Milk: It can be replaced with oat drink, as the taste tends to work harmoniously with the wheat in the flour. Almond and soy drinks can be a bit too strong.
  • • Butter: Some plant-based butters are a good option, as long as they react the same way as butter does (i.e., they congeal when cold). Unflavoured coconut oil and solid plant-based oils work, too.

Inspired? Check out our wide selection of recipes so you can make your own bread, pastries and viennoiseries at home: