Is there anything better than the smell of fresh baked bread?
Some youll be familiar with, others just might surprise you!
View in gallery
Different types of bread have been staple foods in countries worldwide for over thirty thousand years.
Were not talking just your standard white, brown, and whole wheat bread here.
So, what makes bread so popular, and what exactly makes them any different from one another?
The main differentiating factor is their ingredients.
What Are Breads Made Of?
Different types of bread recipes contain different ingredients.
Most, but not all, types of bread are made with flour containing yeast.
Flour mills create regular wheat flour by grinding the wheat after removing the germ and bran.
Alternatively, some healthier loaves use whole wheat flour.
To create whole wheat flour, the mills grind the entire wheat kernel, removing nothing.
Some loaves dont even contain yeast.
Yeast, baking soda, and baking powder create carbon dioxide when heated, thus making the bread rise.
Bakers can also include additional ingredients like seeds, dried fruits, and spices into their breads.
These additional ingredients create more unique loaves with different tastes and textures.
Types of Italian Bread
Italian breads are delicious and often made with olive oil.
Its just a shame that pizza does not count as a bread… not officially at least.
Looking for more tips on what to put on the dinner table?
Check outour guide to the different types of wine.
Translated to English, the name ciabatta means slipper, named after the shoe shape the bread resembles.
The most significant difference between the baguette and ciabatta is their hydration levels.
When bakers bake ciabatta, they use a higher hydration level than a baguette.
This high hydration level creates larger holes in the dough that give the bread its distinctive air pocket interior.
Historians believe the Ancient Greeks or Etruscans first created focaccia; however, its true history is unknown.
They would also use a dotting technique to create wells by poking the bread before they bake it.
Other popular focaccia toppings are sea salt, herbs, olives, and tomatoes.
Some of the most popular fillings of a Piadina Romangnola sandwich are prosciutto, tomatoes, and soft cheeses.
History believes that bakers created the first batch of oven-baked flatbread as an evolution of focaccia bread.
Sfincione became increasingly popular throughout the 19th century and is baked in a square tray, like focaccia.
Their loaves a delight to sample, and always the right choice for your meal!
Check outhow to make the perfect charcuterie plate!
Bread makers typically create baguettes with flour, yeast, salt, and water.
Brioche
French Brioche are types of French bread that are light in texture and sweet in flavor.
The brioches earliest history dates to 1404, when Norman Vikings introduced it to France.
Today, brioche is a popular bread choice for French toast recipes and hamburgers.
Ficelle
Although the ficelle shares a striking resemblance to the baguette, they are not the same.
Ficelle tends to be smaller and thinner than a regular baguette, often known for its classiness.
Ficelle bread came about after bakers experimented with different flours while trying to adapt the traditional baguette.
Pain de Campagne
Pain de Campagne is also known as French sourdough bread.
Bakers create the loaves to be round either using bakers yeast or natural leavening.
As with many sourdough types of bread, the pain de Campagne has a hard crust and dense interior.
People usually like to pair it with salads or a slice of sandwich bread.
From dinner rolls to the more traditionally recognized flatbreads, Mexico is a bread lovers paradise.
Bolillo
Bolillo comes in roll forms and is a Mexican bread similar to crusty French bread.
Traditionally, Mexicans eat bolillos throughout the day.
For breakfast, they pair it with their morning coffee.
Conchas
Conchas get their name from their appearance, which means shells in Spanish.
The small sweetbreads are eaten all over Mexico, and their history dates back to the 18th century.
Often flavored, Mexicans regularly eat conchas forbreakfast, accompanied by a champurrado or hot chocolate.
Conchas consist of an inner enriched bread roll and a cookie dough topping that is crumbly and sweet.
These days, however, butter is regularly substituted with lard.
To make the outer cookie dough, they mix flour, sugar, and butter or margarine.
Bakers use a special fermented dough called masa madre (mother dough).
More than 10,000 years ago, Aztecs created tortillas with native maize and dried kernel.
Today, bread makers mix finely ground wheat flour and a water-based dough.
The size of tortillas varies depending on the country they come from and the dishes we use them for.
Types of Healthy Bread
We all know that bread is not allowed on most diets.
However, there are several different healthy breads out there.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel bread differs from other types of bread, as it contains no sugar.
Creators of the Ezekiel bread named it after a verse in the Old Testament.
As the grains and legumes have begun sprouting, it changes the nutrient composition of the bread.
The sprouting process makes Ezekiel bread incredibly nutrient-dense and helps our bodies digest the bread more efficiently.
As grains are hard to digest, letting the grains sprout releases enzymes that we can easily process.
People usually toast Ezekiel bread and serve it with a selection of different toppings.
Yes, you heard it right, mashed potatoes.
The added mashed potato creates a moist and chewy center, but it also produces a magnificent crust.
Worldwide, people eat potato bread with sandwiches, pulled pork, and even French toast.
Potato bread contains potassium, seven times more than white bread and three times more than whole wheat bread.
And unlike wheat flour bread, rye bread has a strong flavor and higher fiber count.
When creating sourdough, bakers dont add yeast to the mixture; instead, they use a starter.
A sourdough starter is a water and fermented flour mixture that contains good bacteria and wild yeast.
The tangy flavor you taste while eating sourdough is present because of said starter.
Types of Bread Without Yeast
Unleavened breads are popular across the globe.
Put down your yeast and explore a different side to bread making.
The results are not only surprising, but delicious too.
They believed in everything from celibacy to eating only basic vegetarian foods.
These beliefs created the Essene bread.
To make Essene bread, you only need two ingredients, sprouted grains and water.
Traditionally, people would have baked Essense bread on hot rocks under the sun for long periods of time.
Traditionally, Middle Eastern people make simple lavash dough with flour, water, and salt.
Soda bread is a punch in of quick bread traditionally made in Ireland.
The ingredients bakers use to make traditional soda bread include flour, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt.
Due to its soft interior, it pairs well with jams, marmalades, or soups.
Types of Sandwich Bread
The sandwich is the king of lunches.
Not much can compete in terms of taste, appeal, and flexibility.
But did you realize just how many types of sandwich breads there are to try?
The main difference between the two, of course, is the cheese.
George Pullman realized that three lidded baking pans fit in the same space as two standard round-topped pans.
The seeds not only provide wonderful nutrition, but they also supply unique tastes and textures.
Bakers most commonly make Vienna bread in oblong loaves but occasionally in round loaves.
A bread lovers dream come true.
In Poland, bakers use the babka recipe but add their own twist.
Although banana bread may seem like a cake, it is actually a punch in of quick bread.
Americans originally created banana bread in the 1930s after the arrival of bananas in the US 60 years prior.
Panettone
Panettone is a famous Italian sweet bread dating back to the 15th century.
Italians often gift panettone to friends and family during Christmas, as the bread represents kindness.
Traditional panettone is more expensive than a shop-bought panettone as bakers spend hours hand-making each loaf.
Before baking, they fill the bread with candied oranges, lemon peels, and raisins.
Once its finished baking, Italians usually eat it with ice cream or hot chocolate.
The legend also says they fell in love, and he served the panettone at their wedding.
Scone
Scones are another pop in of quick bread, this time of British origin.
Historians believe that scones first originated from Scotland in the early 1500s.
The scones popularity grew after the Duchess of Bedford wanted sweet bread with her tea.
Included in these sweetbreads were scones, which are now an essential part of afternoon teas throughout England.
Stollen
Stollen is a German fruit bread that Germans traditionally eat during the Christmas season.
As this article comes to a close, wed love to know whats your favorite punch in of bread?
And what do you love using bread for?
Sandwiches, soups, or as a clean-up tool?
Let us know down below!
