Oil In Bread Dough - Yes or No? (2024)

Oil In Bread Dough - Yes or No? (1)

Should you put oil in bread dough? What does it do for the bread? What happens if you miss it out? This article addresses the question of oil, or fat, in bread, so you don't make the mistake I made.

Oil is commonly included in bread recipes. I'm pretty sure my mum used to routinely add a slosh to her dough mixture when I was young (did you mum?!).

When I first started to make bread, I often baked loaves that were dry and crumbly. I imagined that I needed to add something to my dough - something to make it richer, softer and silkier. One of the things that I imagined would work was oil.

I thought that for a smooth, elastic texture, I would add a few big glugs of olive oil.

It didn't work.

What Does Oil Do For Your Dough?

French baguette doesn't last. Obviously, that's because it is so delicious. If you do happen to leave some, it goes obstinately hard overnight. French bread is made without fat. This is the reason for both its airy texture* and its tendency to dry out. French baguette is the oft-cited example for why oil is helpful in bread dough. Oil, so I'm told, helps the bread to stay softer for longer.
*More on that in a moment.

Well, I'm not so sure. My bread is made without oil and it certainly doesn't dry out overnight. I can keep it for several days without it going dry and stale. My bread isn't baguette-shaped thought, it's usually a loaf.

Perhaps baguette, like bread-rolls, goes stale quicker than loaves due to its higher surface-area-to-volume ratio.

So, I'm a little undecided about the preserving effects of oil in bread, but that's the reason most often given for including it.

There's Something Else You Need To Know

The presence of oil in bread alters its texture.

Oils and fats are 'shortening' agents. It wasn't until I started my deep exploration into the ways ofyeastandglutenthat I really appreciated what 'shortening' might mean.

In order to achieve the required spongy texture, two things need to happen. One is that the yeast has to ferment, producing bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. The other is that the gluten in the flour has to absorb water and form long strands, that criss-cross into a kind of lattice to hold the aforementioned bubbles of gas in the dough.

Long strands, you see? Fats and oils interfere with this process, causing the gluten to form only shorter strands, making it less able to trap the gas, leading to a more crumbly texture.

So, for a spongy, open texture you want lengthening, not shortening. Fat definitely won't help.

So How Do You Get The Smooth, Elastic Texture?

To achieve the best possible texture for your bread, work with a flour that is 'strong' (high in protein). Combine it with the correct proportions of yeast, water and salt (see theFormula for Great Dough), and ensure that it issufficiently kneaded.

Once I had been on a bread-making course and developed myMaster Method,I saw dramatic improvements in the texture and appearance of my bread. It was nothing to do with oil and there was no missing ingredient.

It's simpler than I had first thought and it's my mission to help you achieve great results too. Let me know how it's going!

There's More...

You can haveFresh Bread In 20 Minuteswhen you download my handy guide.

For a screen-friendly, concise version of my growing recipe collection, downloadThe Recipes here.

To learn more about baking better looking bread, get myBake Beautiful Bread tutorial package here.

As ever, do get in touch to let me know if you have any questions.

Oil In Bread Dough - Yes or No? (2024)

FAQs

Oil In Bread Dough - Yes or No? ›

This is the reason for both its airy texture* and its tendency to dry out. French baguette is the oft-cited example for why oil is helpful in bread dough. Oil, so I'm told, helps the bread to stay softer for longer.

Should I add oil to bread dough? ›

Adding fat to a dough makes is soft and fluffy and generally gives it a gentler mouth feel. That does not mean that it is better, but it has its place.

Why is oil added to a yeast dough? ›

Oil or butter are dough enrichments, and they will change the quality of your loaf. This may be a positive change in flavor and texture, as well as making it stale more slowly, but it is a change. They will also slow the action of the yeast slightly.

Will yeast bloom with oil? ›

The yeast will “bloom” and grow. Did You Know? According to Chef Joan, after you crumble the room-temperature yeast into a bowl with the sugar, oil, and warm water, the mixture activates. Chefs often refer to this process by saying the yeast has “ bloomed, ” meaning it's now ready to make dough.

Does oil count in dough hydration? ›

Hydration is affected by other liquids which are added to the dough, such as milk, eggs, butter or oil.

What happens if you don't add oil to dough? ›

The rye bread without oil had a slightly tough, chewy crust. Fats work as tenderizers in breads by coating some of the proteins that form gluten, preventing them from hydrating and linking up to form large networks that would lead to toughness.

What makes bread fluffy vs dense? ›

Well it's simple, bread flour has an increased amount of protein or more gluten which results in a lighter, fluffier dough which produces a less dense finished product. All-purpose flour can be used for bread but bread flour is always better if your goal is a “fluffier” bread.

How much oil do you put in dough? ›

How Much Olive Oil Should You Add to Sourdough Bread?
Amount of flour% of Olive OilOlive Oil in Grams
500g4%20g
500g5%25g
500g10%50g
500g15%75g
2 more rows
Nov 25, 2021

What does adding eggs to bread dough do? ›

besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.

Does oil make dough sticky? ›

Use a small amount of oil to prevent dough from sticking to your hands too much and aid the kneading process. You'll likely have to oil the bowl anyway when it's time to rise, anyway.

Does oil stop dough from rising? ›

The oil will not absorb into the flour or the gluten that forms as a result of the fermentation process. All that oil does is give your dough a coating of elasticity. Aside from providing a barrier for your dough throughout the proofing phase, this will not prevent your dough from rising.

Does oil affect yeast growth? ›

Mixing the yeast with olive oil will prevent the water ftom dissolving the coating that protects it and keeps it dormant. That will significantly slow down its initial growth, making it much slower to activate.

Why is oil added to yeast? ›

The oil layer on the top is to prevent the diffusion of oxygen from the air into the Yeast in Glucose solution, this ensuring anaerobic respiration will occur.

What's the best hydration for bread? ›

To start off, the standard hydration in the industry is 60% (e.g., for 1,000 g of flour, use 600 ml of water). Why? it provides a good loaf, without being overly hard to prepare or handle. Now you'll probably find people referring to hydration levels north of 75%, which will help give an open crumb.

Does bread flour need more water than all-purpose flour? ›

Tips for Handling Bread Flour and Preventing Toughness in Sourdough Bread. Proper Hydration: Bread flour absorbs more water than all-purpose flour due to its higher protein content. Ensure you adjust the hydration level accordingly to achieve the right dough consistency.

What percentage of oil is in bread? ›

Common formulations. Common formulations for bread include 100% flour, 60% water/liquid, 1% yeast, 2% salt and 1% oil, lard or butter.

What does adding fat to bread dough do? ›

Adding fat to your dough changes the gluten structure. Fat bonds to the gluten proteins preventing them from bonding with one another and forming gluten chains. This makes the final bread more tender, the cell structure tends to be smaller and the crust is softer.

Does oil make dough crispy? ›

Drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil onto the edge of the dough to give it a crispier crust.

Do you put olive oil in dough? ›

Using olive oil in your pizza dough is an excellent way to enhance its flavor. But don't worry if you're not used to using olive oil. You can always use other kinds of oils as well. You can also add a small amount of oil to your dough if you prefer.

What oil do you use for dough? ›

The stronger, more robust flavor does a much better job of flavoring the dough than EVOO where the flavor notes are lost. From a commercial stand point a blend of 20% pomace grade olive oil and 80% vegetable oil provides an excellent flavor at a reasonable cost.

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