There is something quite comforting about the smell of freshly baked bread. It can make a home seem inviting in some way, tantalizing your taste buds and senses. Let’s face it, who can say no to warm piece of bread and butter on a cold winter's day? But whether you are a bread maker extraordinaire or just having a dabble into the world of bread-making, you need to be prepared. With that in mind, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share with you some tips for getting your kitchen prepared for your bread-making. Perfect for these colder months ahead. Perhaps it might even inspire you to try baking a loaf yourself. 

The benefits of bread-making

I thought it might be worth sharing some of the main advantages of breadmaking. In all honesty, it can take some time to bake a loaf. You have the dough to prepare, the kneading and the proving. Then there is the whole matter of baking the bread itself. But there is something quite satisfying about baking your own bread. A great benefit, of course, is the smell it can give, and if you are under a little stress or have built up anger, then the kneading element can be great therapy. However, one thing it can do in the long term is save you a little money as there is potentially less wastage overall. 

What tools do you need?

Years ago the only tools you needed to bake the perfect loaf was the ingredients and a bit of elbow grease. But these days there are some great kitchen gadgets to make lighter work of the whole process. You could invest in a breadmaker that does every inch of the work for you, but where's the fun in that? Or if you are under a little time pressure then a heavy duty kitchen mixer could save minutes off the whole process. However, one of the main factors is space. This is so you have plenty of room to knead your dough. If you are one of those people who just loves a gadget for the kitchen, then your very own loaf slicer could make your loaves very economical. Making it much easier to place a slice of your own home cooked bread in the toaster. Another nifty kitchen accessory to consider would be a dough cutter and scraper. This can help keep your work surface clean while you are preparing your dough. 

On the subject of cleanliness

It is worth mentioning the importance of a clean and workable kitchen surface. When breadmaking a lot of the process requires you to use your kitchen surface when kneading the dough and shaping it. So the last thing you want is any bits or crumbs from other foods lurking around to get into you bread dough. Plus a clean and usable workspace will make the whole process much easier and enjoyable. 

Don’t forget to start off with a simple recipe and then progress from there. There isn’t necessary a lot of skill involved, but you must remember that patience is a key ingredient to the perfect loaf. I hope you have fun preparing your kitchen and baking your own bread in the future.