Save Time & Money With Staggered Bread Batches

When I began baking bread at home I found the process to be inefficient in both time and electricity when making a single batch of 2 loaves which took about 2.5 hours and bringing the oven to temperature for that single bake. Since everyone loves fresh bread, one of the two loaves would disappear instantly. So I analyzed the process and saw the opportunity to bake more for a marginal increase in time and electricity. By purchasing a few extra pans, staggering batches allows you to bake more while adding only the baking time to the total time. Thrift stores and garage sales would be an option for finding inexpensive additional loaf pans.

In my case I am using a bread machine for mixing the dough, and bake the bread in an oven. I find oven baking bread yields much better results. The thought process should also apply to dough made in a stand mixer or hand kneaded.

The timelines are based on my Zojirushi bread maker dough cycle which has a 22 minute preheat, 21 minute mix, and 45 minute initial rise before knock down, timing may vary with your bread maker.

The first optimization I made was to disable the preheat on my bread maker for the first 2 batches. The second optimization was to transfer the dough from the machine to a large mixing bowl to rise immediately after the mixing stopped, so the next batch could be started. I have typically been making 3 batches of bread at a time for a total of 6 loaves. In order for 2 batches of bread to proof simultaneously 4 loaf pans are needed. With 2 pair of pans there needs to be a 22 minute pause before the 3rd batch begins mixing in order to allow the first batch to bake to free up that pair of pans. For simplicity sake I just turn the bread maker preheat back on for the 3rd batch to handle the delay for me. The need to delay the 3rd batch also creates a 25 minute period where the oven is free, so I've been slipping in a batch of croutons using my leftover bread.

While creating the timeline graphic I realized that having 3 pairs of loaf pans would help further optimize the process. There would be no need to introduce a delay for any of the batches, and if you wanted to do 4+ batches pans would become available before each subsequent batch needed to proof. I'm waiting for the pans I like to go on sale before I pick up another pair as I'd like to increase the number of loaves I bake at a time to 8 since I like to fill up the deep freeze and forget about baking for a few weeks or do one or more batches of raisin bread.

The supplies listed are for the white bread recipe that I use. Everything but the yeast in the recipe is listed by weight as I find weighing ingredients is much faster and provides for more consistent results.

Ingredients: (shown is the total amount for 3 batches with the per batch parenthesis)

• Milk: 633g (211g)
• AP Flour: 2,013g (671g)
• Butter 222g (74g)
• Sugar: 90g (30g)
• Salt: 42g (14g)
• Yeast: 7.5 teaspoons (2.5 tsp)
• Cooking Spray

Equipment:

• 2-3 timers (I use oven timer for one, and my phone as a second timer)
• Bread maker (or stand mixer, or mixing bowl depending on prep method)
• Digital Scale
• 2 Large Mixing Bowls
• 3 Food Containers 4-5 cup size (1 per batch if making preferment)
• Medium Bowl (microwave safe for measuring / warming liquids)
• Small Bowl (microwave safe for measuring / softening butter)
• 4 or 6 Loaf Pans
• Cooling Rack
• Spatula

Printable Recipe:

For white bread I like to prepare a preferment about 12 hours ahead of time. If baking in the morning I will prepare it after supper the night before. If baking in the evening I'll prepare it in the morning. The preferment seems to improve the taste and texture as well as extending the counter life a few days. In my opinion well worth the minimal effort required to prepare it.

In a food container place 200g of cold water, 200g of flour and a pinch of yeast. Mix to combine, cover and set out of the way on a counter. The water and flour weights will be deducted from the recipe weights. One preferment will be need for each batch of bread, so I typically prepare 3 of them.

Recipe

• Water 261g (-200 if using preferment)
• Milk 211g (-200 if using preferment)
• Flour 671g
• Butter 74g
• Sugar 30g
• Yeast 2 & 1/2 teaspoons

You could also do a batch of raisin bread by adding 1.5 tablespoons of cinnamon and 1 cup of raisins. I recommend doing raisin bread as the last batch as the other loaves can end up with some cinnamon flavoring unless the mixer is thoroughly cleaned.

If you prepared a preferment ahead of time it should now have doubled with a spongey appearance. Note, although this recipe is mixed in a bread machine it is scaled up to about 2.8 lbs for 2 loaves, so it can't be baked in a bread machine.

Bread Machine Setup

• Set the bread machine to its dough cycle.
• If the bread machine has a preheat option, disable it.
• Remove the container so ingredients can be added.

Milk / Water

• Place a medium microwave safe bowl on the scale and zero.
• Add the remaining 61g of Water to the bowl (261g if not using preferment).
• Zero the scale and add 211g of Milk.
• Microwave for 40 seconds to warm the liquids.

Sugar / Yeast

• While liquids are being warmed, place bread machine container on scale and zero.
• Add 30g of Sugar.
• Add 2 & 1/2 teaspoons of Yeast.
• Retrieve bowl of liquids from microwave and pour into the bread machine container.

For the final batch when I am using a delayed start I usually put the sugar / yeast on top of the flour instead.

Flour & Preferment

• Zero the scale with the bread machine container on the scale.
• Add the remaining 471g of Flour (671g if not using preferment).
• Add the contents of a preferment container. Use a spatula to scrape out the mixture.

At this point I usually put the container back in the bread machine and start the cycle letting it combine the ingredients while I measure the butter and salt.

Butter & Salt

• Place a small bowl on the scale and zero.
• Add 74g of Butter.
• Zero the scale and add 14g of Salt.
• Place the bowl in the microwave for 14 seconds to soften.
• Mix the butter, then add to the bread machine container.

Prepare for Rising and Next Batch

Spray with cooking oil the two large mixing bowls that will be used to hold the dough while it rises.

I usually measure the milk, water, butter and salt for the next batch so I'm ready when the mixing of the current batch finishes. If you use separate containers instead of adding the flour, sugar and yeast directly to the bread machine container, you could premeasure those as well.

As soon the mixing stops, cancel the current bread machine cycle and transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Set a timer for 45 minutes, cover and set aside.

Use the instructions from Step 2 to immediately prepare the second batch. If you premeasured the liquids already, you should warm them in the microwave now.

Alterations for the 3rd Batch When Using 2 Pairs of Pans

If this is the 3rd batch and you have 2 pairs of pans you will need to introduce about a 22 minute delay before mixing. This will allow time for the first batch to finish baking before the 3rd batch needs to be panned. My bread maker has a 22 minute preheat, so I turn that on for the 3rd batch.

For the 3rd batch instead of removing it from the machine after mixing, I allow it to rise in the machine until it is time to form loaves.

After a batch has risen 45 minutes it is ready to be formed into loaves and placed in pans. In my limited bread making experience I've found loaf forming is the make or break point for a well risen loaf of bread. The outer layer of the top of the loaf needs to be smooth with the seams pulled in and resting against the bottom of the pan to prevent gases from escaping during baking which results in a sunken loaf. The loaf forming technique I use is the one shown here: Loaf Forming Example.

• Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface.
• Work in a little flour to take off some of the stickiness.
• Divide the dough in two and form into tight dough balls. I usually use a scale as I'm rarely close when dividing by eye.
• Spread out a little more flour and place one of the dough balls smooth side down onto it. The flour will prevent the smooth surface from sticking and marring the smooth outer layer.
• Place a dough ball smooth side down and flatten out into an oval.
• Stretch the top end upward and fold down about 1/3.
• Grab the upper corners, stretch outward and pull into the middle.
• Tuck and roll from the top downward forming a loaf.
• Pinch the middle seam.
• Pinch the outer seams and bring in towards the middle.
• Place the loaf seam side down in an oiled pan.

I proof my bread in an empty dishwasher placing a pan of hot water at the bottom. Otherwise you can cover the pans to rise.

Set a timer for 47 minutes.

For the first batch you can set the oven to 375°F to preheat after 35 minutes (mine takes about 12 minutes to reach temperature). I usually just set the time to 35 minutes for that first batch.

Bake each batch for 27 minutes at 375°F.

With 2 pairs of pans there is a 22 minute gap between the second and third batch. I usually bake a batch of croutons during this time.

After the loaves have completely cooled, they can be bagged. If they are not completely cool, they will create condensation in the bags. I usually keep one or two loaves out and put the rest in the freezer. The bread comes back well from the freezer, but it is definitely much better fresh.