Baking bread is an exact science, and allowing it to rise is only one part of the equation. As the bread rises, bubbles form in the dough, causing it to become lighter. How you knead the dough and the type of flour you use also play roles in how light and airy bread turns out.
Rising to the Top
How long and how well bread rises has everything to do with how airy it is. As bread rises, yeast in the dough forms carbon dioxide bubbles. The protein in the flour creates a gluten network, which makes the dough stretchy -- similar to blowing up a balloon. This network traps and supports the bubbles, causing the bread to rise and become light. When the bread is baked, a crust forms, setting the risen form. If the bread doesn't rise long enough, it will be dense and hard. Conversely, a bread dough that's allowed to rise too long may collapse, which can also cause a dense, hard loaf.
Practice Makes Perfect
A great loaf of bread -- one that's chewy and light, with a golden crust -- starts with an adequate rise time. After you've made the dough and kneaded it, form it into a smooth ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with a cloth and allow it to rise for one to two hours. The dough will rise faster in a warm location, such as on a heating vent, and more slowly in a cooler spot. You'll know the dough's done rising when it has doubled in size. Poke a finger into the dough. The indentation should stay. If the dough springs back, it needs more time. In many cases, bread dough needs two risings -- once as a round ball and again after you've shaped it into a loaf.
It's in the Yeast
How well bread dough rises depends on several factors, including how long you kneaded it, the temperature of the room and the freshness and quality of the yeast. Store yeast in the refrigerator or freezer and use it within one year. Yeast that's old won't work as well. Yeast needs warmth and food to grow and create bubbles. Milk or water added to the dough should feel warm to the touch, but not uncomfortably hot. The temperature of any liquid you mix with the yeast should be between 110 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too hot, you'll kill the yeast and the bread won't rise. Another trick is to combine the yeast and liquid with some of the flour and let it sit for 30 minutes to one hour. The flour will soften, creating a yeast sponge. When you add the remaining dough, the bread will rise quickly and reliably.
Other Factors
Although adequate rising is the most critical step in making light, airy bread, a few other factors play a role in how well bread turns out. Too much flour can create a hard, dense loaf. Start with the minimum amount of flour required by the recipe and add more, if necessary, until the dough is soft, but workable. You'll need more flour during dry weather and less flour in humid conditions. Bread flour has a high protein content, capable of forming a strong gluten network. Try it if you've had trouble in the past with hard loaves of bread made with all-purpose flour. Whole-wheat flour is also more difficult to bake with. Start with equal parts white and whole-wheat flour, and use more wheat flour as you gain experience. Another trick is to add vital wheat gluten to bread dough made with whole-wheat flour. This ingredient helps form a gluten network so the dough rises better.
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