Eggs help the dough rise and create a large crumb that's great for soaking up liquids, like a bowl of chocolat chaud (hot chocolate). The egg yolks give the bread a golden interior, and butter adds an extra boost of moisture. The result is a rich, buttery flavor, and deep golden-brown crust.
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.
The key difference lies in the dough's chemistry: Western-style bread has zero fat – its main [components] are flour, salt and water while Asian-style bread contains 15 per cent fat and 25 per cent sugar to give that soft texture.
Milk: Milk is added to bread dough for flavor and to create a tender crumb. It also helps to brown the crust during baking. Eggs: Eggs are added to bread dough for flavor, texture, and richness. They help to create a tender crumb and contribute to the overall flavor of the bread.
Adding whole egg to your bread or cake baking also helps to promote that amazing oven spring. The bread and cake rise taller and I couldn't agree more with this after adding an egg to my basic sourdough country bread recipe. The fat also gives the baked goods their soft and creamy crumbs.
It's likely to be a little dry, a little chewy, not as flavorful without the eggs. But if you try to add the eggs now, you are going to make a big mess and it will cause way more problems than it will solve.
If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.
The most common response to making soft bread is to increase the hydration of the dough. A well-hydrated dough allows the gluten to extend properly and promotes a strong gluten network. A moist crumb will feel softer to the mouth. This means increasing the dough hydration of a recipe makes a softer crumb.
Perfect Your Yeast Levels
Carbon dioxide is responsible for all the bubbles that make holes in bread, making it lighter and fluffier. Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.
There's something magical about the bread you get at your local bakeries - they're always sooo soft and fluffy. Many of these breads, especially packaged ones, are made with a ton of chemical additives such as calcium propionate, amylase, and chlorine dioxide which help keep them soft, light, and fluffy for days.
Eggs as a leavening agent
Leavening agents are used to help batters rise. We usually attribute this reaction to yeasts and baking soda, but egg whites are also perfect for this role.
Probably the biggest function of oil in most baking recipes is to keep your product moist. It basically captures the gases that are released from the interaction of the baking powder and baking soda, and slows down gluten formation to keep certain baked goods tender and fluffy in texture!
Moisture and Emulsification: Egg yolks contribute moisture to the batter or dough, helping to keep the baked goods moist and tender. They also contain natural fats and lecithin, which act as emulsifiers.
So is homemade bread better if it's made with milk or water? If you're looking to make bread with a crispy crust and a chewy texture then it's better to use water instead of milk. If you want to make a soft bread with a soft crust then milk will help you achieve this.
Salt is also an essential ingredient in bread making; it contributes to the structure and flavor of the bread, and is necessary for the yeast to work properly.
Sugar is hygroscopic; that means it attracts and holds moisture. Without sugar, moisture evaporates from bread during baking, creating a drier loaf. The more sugar you cut from a sweet yeast bread recipe, the more you'll notice this effect.
Eggs help the dough rise and create a large crumb that's great for soaking up liquids, like a bowl of chocolat chaud (hot chocolate). The egg yolks give the bread a golden interior, and butter adds an extra boost of moisture. The result is a rich, buttery flavor, and deep golden-brown crust.
The eggs can be beaten or not prior to addition. If you try to add extra wet ingredients later in the process the dough becomes slimy and very difficult to work with for a while.
The predominant bacteria in sourdough is called Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis. It's a species that produces lactic and acetic acids, which give sourdough its distinctive and nominal flavor.
In sourdough bread, if you do not give enough time for the wild yeast to multiply and reach a decent population where it can cause enough leavening, your bread is bound to be too dense. Another possible reason for a super dense bread could be the death of the yeast due to some reason.