Bread-making

The ingredients are mixed together: wheat flour, salt, water, and the yeast or sourdough starter.

Kneading can be done by hand or with the aid of a kneading machine. This process lets air into the dough and creates the glutinous network, which is what causes air pockets to form in the bread.

The dough is left to rest for around one hour on a piece of cloth. This is the initial fermentation (also known as the first rise): it brings out the aroma and the dough rises thanks to the added yeast.

After the first rise, the baker divides the dough into identical loaves according to the desired weight.

The baker works the dough by folding it over itself repeatedly. Cela permet de chasser le gaz produit lors de la 1ere fermentation.

The rounded loaves are left to rest again to help elongate the dough and prevent it from tearing when it is shaped.

The baker shapes the rounded dough into the desired shape: baguette, roll, crown bread, etc.
This stage also ensures that the bread has a greater number of small air pockets, rather than a few larger pockets.

The dough is left to rest again: this is the second fermentation or second rise. The dough expands again—
optimal temperature and humidity are essential to stop the bread becoming too hard.

Just before baking the bread, the baker cuts incisions into the dough. These can be simple lines or more elaborate designs. This is the baker's signature.
This step helps gas escape the bread when it's being baked.

The bread is baked in an oven heated between 482°F and 536°F (250–280°C) with steam to avoid it drying out.

After baking, the bread is left to cool in the air. As it cools, water evaporates and gas escapes from inside the bread, and the crust hardens.