Bread is a favorite among the young and old, where it comes in all kinds of beautiful flavors that make it stand out from the next. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of breads that are popularly eaten, worldwide.
Making bread dates back to as far as the Neolithic age; it’s undergone a massive change since its humble beginnings. Bread is made using different kinds of flour and ingredients, that lend it a unique flavor, often enhancing a meal’s experience. It can be cooked in a variety ways that don’t always require an oven. It can either be leavened or unleavened, depending on whether yeast has been added to it or not, to help it rise and acquire that beautiful fluffiness that we’re all so familiar with.
Along with flour and water, other ingredients like salt, fat and/or leavening agents, like yeast and baking soda are used as part of the bread-making process. Commonly used ingredients include icing sugar, spices, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and herbs. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of bread available around the world.
Different Kinds of Bread
Bread is a staple food not just in the West, but in many countries around the world. No doubt, the same bread recipe is not used everywhere. Each region has its own version of preparation and cooking method, that gives it that unsurpassed quality that many bakers are able to achieve. Normally wheat flour is used to make bread. However, different types of flour are also used to make it. The most common types of flour used include rye, barley, corn, oats, spiked millet, and sorghum. These are normally combined with wheat to make different varieties of bread rolls.
Whole-Wheat Bread
This type of bread is also referred to as ‘whole-wheat bread’ or ‘wholemeal bread’. The whole-wheat bread is made from wheat flour, where the flour has about 100% extraction from the grain. More and more people are taking to this form of bread, as people have become conscious about the health benefits.
White Bread
Normally all-purpose flour or bread flour is used to make white bread, where it is known for its fine texture and compact grains, that make it easy to slice. It is used in fast-food joints like Subway, and can be molded to any shape during the cooking process.
Multi-Grain Bread
Different flours are used to make this bread. Normally flours like whole-wheat, all-purpose, and rye, are combined to make the bread. Whole grains may also be added to the dough. Depending on the ingredients added to the bread, it is classified as light or heavy bread.
Brown Bread
The most common method used to make this bread is by including wheat germ along with barn, in the cooking process. Bran makes up 10% of the recipe. In some parts, brown bread is similar to white bread, where caramel is added to the latter.
Check for a 100% whole-wheat bread that doesn’t contain traces of other kinds of flour, if you’re the health-conscious sort. If it’s a 100% whole-wheat bread, it is the sort of brown bread that is worth buying, but sometimes other grains can be added to it that don’t let it qualify as a whole source of bread; check the packing’s ingredient list to confirm any doubts.
Roti
It is famous kind of flat bread, that is popularly enjoyed in Asian countries like India. It can be made from a host of different flours like wheat, spiked millet, sorghum, and all-purpose. In some parts of India, cornbread is also made, using corn flour.
Rye Bread
This type of bread is said to have originated in Europe. It is said to be a kind of wholemeal bread, which is made by either using only rye flour or a mixture of rye and wheat flour. It is dark in color and has a strong flavor. One will come across rye bread in Scandinavian countries, Germany, Russia, and Finland, to name a few.
Sourdough Bread
It has a slight sour flavor, where its texture is dense when compared to other varieties of bread. Flour and water are fermented before the bread is made. To leaven the bread, a type of acid is added to the dough, usually baking soda or yeast.
Ezekiel Bread
To make Ezekiel bread, no flour is added to the dough. Normally sprouted grains are used. Seeds and beans can also be added to the recipe. Uncooked grains and beans are added, therefore, it is important that the grains are properly sprouted, before they are used to make the bread.
French breads like croissant, baguette, and boule bread, are enjoyed all over the world, especially in France. The Italians too are known for memorable recipes that produce focaccia, grissino, and piadina bread. For those of you who;d like to make your own bread, check how to make bread at home, using simple ingredients that produce delicious results.