The scalding technique is a process used in baking bread that involves pouring boiling water over a portion of the flour in the recipe before mixing the dough. This technique is often used in bread recipes that call for a high percentage of whole grains, as it helps to soften the grains and release their natural sugars. The result is a bread that’s more flavourful, moist, and has a longer shelf life. In this post, I’ll explain the scalding technique and give you step-by-step instructions on how to adapt any bread recipe to use it.

What is scalding?

Scalding is a technique that involves pouring boiling water over a portion of the flour in the bread recipe. This creates a hot, wet mixture that’s then combined with the rest of the ingredients to make the dough. The hot water helps to break down the starches in the flour, releasing their natural sugars and making them more available to the yeast. This results in a bread that’s more flavorful and moist, with a longer shelf life.

How to adapt any bread recipe to use scalding:

1. Choose your recipe: Start by choosing a bread recipe that you’d like to adapt to use the scalding technique. This technique works well in recipes that call for a high percentage of whole grains.
2. Calculate the amount of flour: Determine how much flour is in the recipe, and how much of it you’d like to scald. A good rule of thumb is to scald about one-third of the total flour.
3. Boil water: Bring water to a boil in a pot or kettle.
4. Mix the scald: In a separate bowl, mix the portion of flour that you’d like to scald with the boiling water. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
5. Cover and let sit: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or until the mixture has cooled to room temperature.
6. Mix the dough: Combine the scalded mixture with the rest of the ingredients in the bread recipe, and mix the dough as usual.
7. Adjust for consistency: Depending on the consistency of the scalded mixture, you may need to adjust the amount of water or flour in the recipe to achieve the desired consistency.
8. Follow the recipe: Continue following the rest of the instructions in the recipe as usual, and bake the bread as directed.

Using the scalding technique in your bread recipes can result in a more flavourful, moist, and longer-lasting loaf of bread. By following these simple steps, you can easily adapt any bread recipe to use this technique and elevate your bread-baking game.