Baking Quality AACC International Method 10-10.

03
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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method

Final approval November 8, 1995; Reapproval November 3, 1999

Objective
This method provides an optimized bread-baking test for evaluating wheat
flour quality and various dough ingredients using a straight-dough method. All
ingredients are incorporated in the initial mixing step, and mixing time, oxidation
level, fermentation time, and water absorption are optimized and balanced.
Fermentation time may vary from 70 to 180 min, and proof time may vary from
24 to 60 min. A 90-min fermentation and a 33-min proof are recommended. The
method is applied to determine the effect of environment, variety, dough
ingredients, wheat flour protein, other components, and baking techniques on
bread.

Apparatus
1. (a) Mixers for doughs for loaves of about 1 lb (0.5 kg), with McDuffee-type
bowl.
(b) Mixers for doughs from 100 g flour. Pin-type mixer with recommended
head speed of 100–125 rpm.
(c) Mixers for doughs from 10 g flour. Pin-type mixer.
2. Cabinet for fermenting and proofing doughs, capable of maintaining
constant temperature of 30 ± 1° (86 ± 2°F) and 85% relative humidity.
3. Sheeter for punching and sheeting before molding, with 6-in. rolls.
4. (a) Molders for doughs for 1-lb loaves.
(b) Molders for doughs from 100 g flour. Available commercially, or hand-
powered molder can be constructed according to Ref. 11.
(c) Molders for doughs from 10 g flour. Hand-powered molder can be con-
structed according to Ref. 13.
5. (a) Baking pans for 1-lb loaves. Tinplate, 4X, unglazed; dimensions—top
inside, about 22.9 × 11.4 cm (9 × 41/2 in.); bottom outside, about 21 × 9.6 cm
(81/4 × 33/4 in.); inside depth, about 7 cm (23/4 in.).
(b) Baking pans for loaves from 100 g flour having proportions of commer-
cial pans for 1-lb loaves. Dimensions—top inside, about 14.3 × 7.9 cm (55/8 ×
31/8 in.); bottom outside, about 12.9 × 6.4 cm (51/16 × 21/2 in.); inside depth, about
5.7 cm (21/4 in.).
(c) Baking pans for loaves from 10 g flour having proportions of commer-
cial pans for 1-lb loaves. Dimensions—top inside, about 6.0 × 3.2 cm (2.5 × 1.3
in.); bottom outside, about 5.2 × 2.5 cm (2 × 1 in.); inside depth, about 2.4 cm
(0.9 in.). Can be constructed according to Ref. 13.
6. Oven. Reel or rotary, gas or electric, with level baking surfaces and capable
of maintaining temperature of 210–232° (400–450°F).
7. Proof height meter. See Note 1.
8. Fermentation bowls, stainless steel or plastic, with capacities of 750–800 ml
and top inside diameter of about 14.76 cm (513/16 in.) for doughs from 10 or 100
g flour and capacity of 2500–3000 ml for doughs that yield 1-lb loaves.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/AACCIntMethod-10-10.03
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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method (continued)

TABLE I
Time Intervals (During Breadbaking) Between Dough Mixing, First Punching, Second
Punching, and Panning for Various Fermentation Times and the Corresponding Yeast
Concentrations, Together with Approximate Proof Times
Fermentation Punchinga Approximate
Time Yeast First Second Panninga Proof Timeb
(min) (%) (min) (min) (min) (min)
180 2.0 105 50 25 60 ± 2
150 2.5 87 42 21 51 ± 2
120 3.5 69 34 17 42 ± 2
90 5.3 52 25 13 33 ± 2
70 7.2 40 20 10 27 ± 2
60 8.6 35 17 8 24 ± 2
a
Times to first and second punchings and panning of straight doughs are about 58, 28, and 14%
of each fermentation time, respectively.
b Proof times will vary additionally with type and potency of yeast.

9. Thermometers, for dough, about 15 cm (6 in.), graduated in 0.5° increments

from about 0 to 50° (or in 1.0° increments from about 30 to 120°F); glass filled
with red spirit, pierce-type of metal dial, or battery-operated digital type may be
used. Metal types should be tested frequently for accuracy.
10. Timers, large face clock with range of 1 hr, minute-hand setting, and
sweep-hand setting for sec; used for starting and stopping dough mixers and as
alarm for starting punching, panning, and oven schedules (Table I) on time.
11. Wall clock, with large face and sweep-hand to follow baking schedules.
12. Loaf volumeter, seed-displacement type.
13. Balances, accurate to 0.1, 0.01, and 0.0001 g.
14. Miscellaneous. Scoops, spatulas, pipets (automatic pipets are desirable),
burets, graduated cylinders, flasks, beakers, etc.

Formula

Flour Basis (%)

Flour, 14% moisture basis 100.0
Water. See Note 2. variable (optimum)
Yeast, compressed (active dry, see below) 5.3
Sucrose 6.0
Salt, NaCl, chemically pure 1.5
Shortening 3.0
Malt flour (optional). See Note 3. 0.2
Ascorbic acid (optional) 40–50 ppm
Potassium bromate (optional) 10–20 ppm
Soy flour and/or nonfat dry milk and/or whey optional
solids. See Note 4.
Shortening-sparing compounds (dough optional
improvers or surfactants)
Maturing agents. See Note 5. optional
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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method (continued)

Ingredient Specifications
Flour. From wheat, other cereal grains, and their blends. See Method 82-24.01
for correcting to 14% moisture basis.
Water. Temperature adjusted to give dough out of mixer at 29 ± 0.5° (84.2 ±
1°F).
Yeast compressed, approximately 30% solids, fresh to 3 weeks old (stored at
2–3°). Active dry or instant dry yeast, follow supplier’s recommendation for
substitution level and reconstitution procedure. See Ref. 1. For fermentation
times greater or less than 90 min, see Table I and Ref. 4.
Sucrose. Finely granulated, white, commercial grade.
Salt. NaCl, noniodized, finely granulated, chemically pure.
Shortening. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Malt. Malted wheat or barley flour (about 50 DU/g at 20° or about 100 SKB/g
at 30°).
Ascorbic acid. Reagent grade.
Potassium bromate. Reagent grade.

Reagents
Ingredients may be combined in dry form, but efficiency and accuracy are
increased when solutions and suspensions are prepared in advance.

Preparation of sugar-salt solution and yeast suspension

These preparations provide stock solution of sugar and salt and yeast suspen-
sion of such strength that 11 ml of sugar-salt solution and 20 or 30 ml of yeast
suspension contain required quantities of ingredients per 100 g flour.
1. Sugar-salt solution to give 6 g sugar and 1.5 g salt in 11 ml solution. Weigh
1090.9 g sugar and 272.7 g NaCl and place in 2-liter volumetric flask. Add
distilled water to cover solids and mix thoroughly. Continue adding water and
shake until sugar and salt are dissolved and 2-liter mark is reached. Sufficient for
150 (automatic pipet) to 180 (hand pipet) loaves. Will keep for several weeks at
room temperature. Discard if cloudiness is noted.
2. Yeast suspension to give 5.3 g in 20 or 30 ml of suspension. Crumble and
weigh 530 g (20 ml) or 353.33 g (30 ml) compressed yeast; transfer to 2-liter
beaker, and add 1 liter distilled water. Stir until all yeast is wetted and suspended.
Transfer to 2-liter volumetric flask and bring to 2-liter mark with distilled water
used to rinse mixing beaker. Volume displacement of 1 g fresh compressed yeast
is 0.88–0.90 ml. Yeast suspension should be continually stirred slowly with
magnetic stirrer. Sufficient for 100 (20 ml) or about 66 (30 ml) dispensings for
100 g flour. Must be made fresh daily. Keep yeast suspension at 4° between
additions to dough. For fermentation times greater or less than 90 min, see Table
I or Ref. 4.
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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method (continued)

Oxidizer solutions
1. Ascorbic acid solution to give 40–50 ppm/100 g flour in 5 ml. Weigh out
0.40–0.50 g ascorbic acid, dissolving with small quantity of distilled water.
Transfer to 500-ml volumetric flask and make to 500 ml with distilled water.
Ascorbic acid must be made fresh daily.
2. KBrO3. Prepare 1 liter stock solution by dissolving 40.0 g KBrO3 in distilled
water. Then prepare working solutions by taking aliquots of 5, 10, 20 (etc.) ml of
stock solution and diluting to 2 liter. Use of 5 ml of these working solutions will
give 5, 10, 20 (etc.) ppm to each 100 g flour.

Malt or malt extract

Prepare malt concentrate stock solution by weighing 80 g malted wheat or
barley flour (amylase activity about 50 DU/g at 20°) and suspending in 1 liter
0.5% NaCl solution and shaking or stirring for 15 min. Then transfer and
centrifuge for 15 min at 1000 relative centrifugal force. Pour off supernatant,
chill, and keep refrigerated until ready to use. May be stored 3–4 days without
loss of activity. Before baking, make working solution by diluting stock solution
1:1 with distilled water to yield solution with malt concentration of 200 mg/5 ml,
equivalent to 0.2 g/100 g flour. An alternative method of dispensing malt is to
suspend malt directly in water, stir, and dispense as for compressed yeast
(above).

Water calculation
Water in form of stock solution added per 100 g flour:
Dry flour mixture

Water (ml)
20 ml yeast suspension 15.3
30 ml yeast suspension 25.3
11 ml sugar-salt solution 6.7 6.7
5 ml ascorbic acid 5.0 5.0
5 ml potassium bromate 5.0 5.0
5 ml malt extract 5.0 5.0
Total 37.0 47.0
Additional water to optimum absorption, variable. See Note 2.

The day before or just before mixing, weigh flour and place in closable con-
tainer (can, bottle, or beaker with parafilm, etc.). Weigh shortening and add on
top of flour. See Note 6.

Mixing Procedure
Preheat fermentation cabinet and oven. Condition oven with 1-liter beaker full
of water placed on one shelf throughout baking.
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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method (continued)

Allow dough mixer to run empty for 5–10 min to warm up.
Arrange solutions as desired for dispensing into bowl. Continuously stir yeast
suspension with magnetic stirrer. Adjust solutions to such temperature that when
mixed with dry ingredients and any extra water that is required, doughs will
come from mixer at 29 ± 0.5°. When room temperature is kept at 25°, dough
temperature will be 29 ± 0.5°.
1. Place dry ingredients into mixing bowl. Avoid placing salt on top of yeast.
Make pocket as large as feasible with wooden spatula (square ends) in center of
mixture for containing liquids. Then add liquids.
2. Place bowl on mixer, set estimated mixing time on automatic timer, start
mixer, and set wall clock for preprinted fermentation schedule.
3. Brush any flour from sloping edge of bowl back into bowl.
4. Determine when dough reaches point of minimum mobility (optimum mix,
see Ref. 4). When mixer is stopped at point of minimum mobility and mixer head
is raised, dough will pull out and adhere to both planetary and bowl pins. Before
point of minimum mobility, dough will not pull out between bowl and planetary
pins when mixer head is raised.
5. If dough cleanup is inadequate, stop mixer at early stage of mixing to scrape
down sides of bowl.
6. Mix to optimum. Record total mix time and remove bowl from mixer. See
Note 7.
7. Transfer dough from bowl to table top, insert dough thermometer, and rec-
ord temperature after 30–60 sec. Estimate absorption relative to an optimum
concept by feeling dough consistency. See Ref. 3.
8. If multiple dough batch is mixed, scale doughs to desired weight.
9. Round dough by hand, keeping smooth skin on top side. Observe and record
dough characteristics. Place seam side down in lightly greased fermentation bowl
and place in fermentation cabinet.

Fermentation and Punching Schedule

For fermentation times greater or less than 90 min, see Table I and Ref. 4.

First punch (52 ± 1 min after start or end of mixing)

1. Remove dough from cabinet and loosen it from opposite sides of fermenta-
tion bowl by quickly flicking dough with fingertips. Manipulate extended fingers
between dough and bowl until dough is loose and into loose grasp of hand, which
then inverts slightly elongated dough onto lightly floured surface.
2. Pass through sheeter lengthwise. For doughs that yield 1-lb loaves, use 6-in.
roll width and 7/32-in. roll spacing; for doughs from 100 g flour, use 3-in. roll
width and 3/16-in. roll spacing; for doughs from 10 g flour, use 3-in. roll width
and 2.5-mm roll spacing.
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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method (continued)

3. Fold sheeted dough in half and in half again. Place folded dough, crease
down, in bowl and return to fermentation cabinet. Record dough characteristics.

Second punch (25 min later)

Repeat all steps of first punch.

Molding and panning (13 ± 1 min later)

1. Mechanical molders for doughs that yield 1-lb loaves or that contain 100 g
flour are used in many laboratories. Sheet doughs that yield 1-lb loaves first
through 6-in. rolls spaced 11/32 in. and then through appropriate mechanical
molder rolls spaced 7/32–4/16 in. Sheet doughs from 100 g flour first through 3-in.
rolls spaced 5/16 in. and then through appropriate mechanical molder rolls spaced
3/16–7/32 in.

2. Hand-powered molders for doughs from 100 g flour (see Ref. 11) and from
10 g flour (see Ref. 13) may be inexpensively constructed and are superbly
operational. Sheet dough from 100 g flour first through 3-in. rolls spaced 5/16 in.
and then through 2.5- to 3.0-in. rolls spaced 3/16 in. Sheet doughs from 10 g flour
through 3- or 6-in. rolls spaced 2.5 mm. Place ribbon of dough on and toward
one end of appropriate runner and ahead of appropriate molder. Turn up end of
dough nearest front of molder to form an “L” that makes contact with curling
plate. Molding is accomplished in about 3 sec (100 g flour) or about 2 sec (10 g
flour) by pushing molder along runner.
3. Place seam side down in lightly but thoroughly greased baking pan. Put
paper label preferably on each end of dough to identify sample. Return to fer-
mentation cabinet. See Ref. 12.

Proofing
To proof to desired height usually requires 33 ± 2 min. Record proof height
and time. See Note 1 and Ref. 4.

Baking
Oven temperature for 1-lb loaves and loaves from 100 g flour is 215° (419°F),
and bake time is 24 min. For loaves from 10 g flour, oven temperature is 232°
(450°F), and bake time is 13 min.

Scoring
1. Measure volume of 1-lb loaves and those from 100 g flour by rapeseed dis-
placement 1 hr after removing from oven.
2. Place in wax or plastic bag for scoring external and internal characteristics
on next day.
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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method (continued)

3. Loaves from 10 g flour should cool for 1–2 hr before volume is determined.
See Ref. 13. Cut and score loaves after determining volume.

Notes
1. Establish constant proof time by proofing control flour to desired height.
Proof time depends on fermentation time, yeast concentration, and desired loaf
characteristics and is influenced by yeast activity and temperature. If proof time
is excessive, the baker should examine the quality of yeast and other dough
ingredients. The proof height meter was designed by K. F. Finney for doughs
from 10 to 100 g flour and, with minor modification, may be used for doughs
that yield 1-lb loaves. See Table I and Ref. 4.
2. Baking absorption is determined subjectively by the test baker. Estimates
may be obtained from a farinogram or mixogram of flour. See Refs. 3 and 7.
Report absorption of flour on 14% moisture basis.
3. If flour has not been previously malted, add malted wheat or barley flour
routinely to all flours, in general, to consistently get malt response, if any.
4. Mill and bakery laboratories may wish to add 1–2% soy flour and/or 1–2%
nonfat dry milk and/or 1–2% whey solids so test formula will be the same as that
of the commercial bakery they serve.
5. According to supplier’s recommendation.
6. Cut off nearly all of a 5-ml pipet below the bulb. Calibrate the pipet to
deliver 3 g melted shortening (55–60°) per 100 g flour. Groove flour surface in
circular motion with tablespoon and dispense shortening in circular motion into
groove. Allow two or three drainage drops in calibration to facilitate ease and
accuracy of dispensing. Solid glass pistons within appropriate glass tubing also
can be calibrated to 3 g (100 g flour) or 0.3 g (10 g flour) of semisolid
shortening. For 10 g flour, piston with tubing is preferred.
7. Optimum mixing time for dough is determined by the test baker. An
estimate may be obtained from farinogram or mixogram of flour. Ref. 4
describes subjective determination of optimum mix time. If dough cleanup is
inadequate, stop mixer at the early stage of mixing to scrape down side of bowl.
Mixing requirement determined in a 100-g mixer is approximately equal to that
determined from the peak of a mixogram. For mixers that develop dough more
slowly or more rapidly than a 100-g mixer, the factor for correcting mixograph
mixing time to bake mixing time must be determined.

Bake Test Data Recording Spreadsheets

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Optimized Straight-Dough Bread-Making Method (continued)

References
1. Bruinsma, B. L., and Finney, K. F. 1981. Functional (bread-making) properties of a new dry yeast.
Cereal Chem. 58:477–480.
2. Bruinsma, B. L., and Finney, K. F. 1984. Various oils, surfactants, and their blends as replace-
ments for shortening in breadmaking. Cereal Chem. 61:279–281.
3. Finney, K. F. 1945. Methods of estimating and the effect of variety and protein level on the baking
absorption of flour. Cereal Chem. 22:149–158.
4. Finney, K. F. 1984. An optimized, straight-dough, bread-making method after 44 years. Cereal
Chem. 61:20–27.
5. Finney, K. F., and Barmore, M. A. 1945. Varietal responses to certain baking ingredients essential
in evaluating the protein quality of hard winter wheats. Cereal Chem. 22:225–243.
6. Finney, K. F., and Barmore, M. A. 1945. Optimum vs. fixed mixing time at various potassium
bromate levels in experimental bread baking. Cereal Chem. 22:244–254.
7. Finney, K. F., and Shogren, M. D. 1972. A ten-gram mixograph for determining and predicting
functional properties of wheat flours. Bakers Dig. 46(2):32–35, 38–42, 77.
8. Finney, P. L., Magoffin, C. D., Hoseney, R. C., and Finney, K. F. 1976. Short-time baking sys-
tems. I. Interdependence of yeast concentration, fermentation time, proof time, and oxidation
requirement. Cereal Chem. 53.126–134.
9. Magoffin, C. D., Finney, P. L., and Finney, K. F. 1977. Short-time baking systems. II. A 70-min
sugar-free formula for conventional and high-protein breads. Cereal Chem. 54:760–769.
10. Moder, G. J., Finney, K. F., Bruinsma, B. L., Ponte, J. G., Jr., and Bolte, L. C. 1984. Bread-
making potential of straight-grade and whole-wheat flours of Triumph and Eagle-Plainsman V
hard red winter wheats. Cereal Chem. 61:269–273.
11. Shogren, M. D., and Finney, K. F. 1977. Note on a simple 100-g dough molder. Cereal Chem.
54:616–619.
12. Shogren, M. D., and Finney, K. F. 1984. Reproducibility of 100-gram bread volume as affected by
correct-side, wrong-side, or both-sides break and shred. Cereal Chem. 61:179–181.
13. Shogren, M. D., and Finney, K. F. 1984. Bread-making test for 10 grams of flour. Cereal Chem.
61:418–423.
14. Shogren, M. D., Pomeranz, Y., and Finney, K. F. 1981. Counteracting the deleterious effects of
fiber in breadmaking. Cereal Chem. 58:142–144.