Chef School Review is a guide to chef schools offering education, diplomas, and degree programs (including Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Programs) in cooking and culinary arts.

by Margarita C´rdenas margarita.cardenas@chefschoolreview.com
Chef School Review Columnist

Do you need a warm spot for your bread to rise? Are you out of self-rising flour? Hate to serve cold bread? All these challenges are easily solved with some practical baking training.

Easy Rise

A sure way to make your bread dough rise is to place it in the oven, at the lowest setting. If you want to prepare dough ahead of time, let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. Contrary to popular belief, the low temperature does not prevent the dough from rising - it just takes longer.

Located in a convenient suburban setting just minutes from downtown Orlando, the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Orlando's association with Le Cordon Bleu represents a union of the finest in European and North American culinary arts training programs available today.

Help! My Recipe Calls for Self-rising Flour

Don't worry. So-called self-rising flour is simply plain flour to which baking powder and salt have already been added. The amounts are 1 and ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt for each cup of flour.

Water in the Oven

To keep bread from drying as it bakes, place a separate pan with a cup of water in the oven. The steam from the water will keep the crust soft.

Rewarming Bread

Wrap bread in foil and re-warm in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes. If the bread is frozen, be sure to thaw completely. If it's starting to harden, sprinkle with a few drops of water before wrapping. For a crispier crust, unwrap the last few minutes.

Keep it Warm

To keep bread or rolls warm while you serve, heat an unpainted terra-cotta tile in the oven. Place it in the bread basket, which should be lined with napkins or towels. Add the warm bread, and cover.

Following the Course of Great Bakers

For perfect bread, the best learning experience is to watch the experts do it. Why not take a bread baking course at a local baking school?

About the Author

Margarita C´rdenas heads MC Editorial, a firm providing language expertise in the areas of writing, translating, and editing. As a conference interpreter, she has worked with organizations such as the World Bank and the United Nations. Margarita holds a bachelor's degree in humanities from Harvard University. Her favorite pastimes are gardening, cooking, and listening to opera.

Posted on May 31, 2005 at 6:18 PM

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