If you love to bake, one of the best parts of looking at Beavercreek homes for sale is finding one with a fully-equipped kitchen where you can let your culinary creativity loose. You can even finally attempt to make homemade bread! Bread can be daunting, but once you get the hang of it, it's fairly simple (and 10 times better than what you'd buy in the store). It's just a matter of mastering a few basic tips and techniques. Here's your ultimate guide to crafting perfect homemade bread.

• Bloom the Yeast
  To get the bread to rise, combine the yeast with a little sugar and warm water and let it rest. After a few minutes, it should turn into a bubbly foam, which lets you know it's ready. If the yeast doesn't foam, your water is too cold or hot. Different recipes call for different temperatures, but the sweet spot for active dry yeast is 100-110 degrees. You can warm the water in the microwave in short bursts or put it on the stove over very low heat. To measure the temperature, a digital thermometer works best, but if you don't have one, put your finger in the water. It should be hot, but not so hot you pull your hand away.
  
  
• Choose Your Flour
  If the recipe doesn't specify, then all-purpose flour will do in a pinch, but for perfect bread, you need something with a higher protein content. If you can't find bread flour, look for something with 12 to 14 percent protein, like rye flour.
  
  
• Get the Right Equipment
  In theory, all you need to make bread is a bowl, an oven, and your hands. But with a few extra gadgets, you can make the process much easier and the bread that much better. First is a kitchen scale. When you measure flour in a measuring cup, it can get packed in too tightly, giving you more flour than the recipe requires. A scale lets you measure by weight, ensuring you always have the exact, right amount. Next is a stand mixer. The long, vigorous process of kneading by hand keeps many people from attempting breadmaking. But the dough hook attachment on a stand mixer kneads for you, yielding perfect dough after a few minutes. Finally, a digital thermometer. We already discussed using it for the yeast, but you can also use it in the bread. Measuring the internal temperature of the bread once it's baked can tell you if it's done in the middle or still needs a few minutes.
  
  
• Let It Rise
  Most breads need to rise at least twice: once after the dough is kneaded, then again after it's put into the pan or shaped into loaves. Leave it in a warm place where the yeast can thrive—putting it in the oven while it's turned off is perfect for this. Set a timer, but start checking the bread a few minutes before the rise is supposed to be finished to see how it's doing. When the dough has doubled in size, it's ready for the next stage.
  
  
• Let It Rest
  Don't slice into your loaf too soon after it comes out of the oven. Let it cool completely for several hours first. If you slice into it before that, you'll knock the air out, making a dense, gummy texture that goes stale more quickly.

Contact Wright-Patt Realty to find your ideal home with your dream kitchen. Our REALTORS® will help you find the best house to meet your needs.