Simple Kneads is a popular brand of bread that is made with simple, high-quality ingredients. Their breads are free of artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. Simple Kneads uses natural, wholesome ingredients to make delicious artisan-style breads. Keep reading to learn more about the main ingredients found in Simple Kneads bread.
Flour
The main ingredient in all Simple Kneads bread is flour. Flour provides structure and substance to baked goods. Simple Kneads uses unbleached, unbromated flour in their breads. Unbleached flour has not undergone a bleaching process to artificially whiten it. Unbromated means no potassium bromate has been added. Potassium bromate helps bread rise higher, but is considered a possible carcinogen. Simple Kneads opts not to use this questionable additive.
Simple Kneads uses a few different types of flour including:
- All-purpose flour – This is a wheat flour blend that contains both gluten and starch in moderate amounts. It can be used for most baking needs from cookies to cakes to breads.
- Whole wheat flour – This flour is milled from the complete wheat kernel. It contains the bran, germ, and endosperm. Whole wheat flour provides more nutrients, like fiber, iron, and B vitamins compared to refined white flour.
- Spelt flour – Spelt is an ancient wheat species. Spelt flour has a nutty flavor. It’s higher in protein than common wheat flour.
Using different flour blends and types gives Simple Kneads bread its various textures and flavors. Some loaves will be heartier thanks to whole grains, while others are lighter from incorporating all-purpose white flour.
Water
Another essential ingredient in bread making is water. The water hydrates the flour which allows the proteins and starches to absorb liquid and become stretchy. This stretchiness allows the dough to trap the gases produced by the yeast or other leavening agent. Trapped gas bubbles are what give bread its airy texture.
Simple Kneads uses cool water, around room temperature or slightly warmer, in their breads. Using water that is too hot could kill the yeast. The amount of water added affects the texture of the dough. More water makes a wetter, stickier dough while less water produces a firmer dough.
Yeast
Unless it is a sourdough loaf, Simple Kneads bread contains yeast as a leavening agent. Yeast is a microorganism that feeds on the sugars present in bread dough. As the yeast eats these sugars, it releases carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. The carbon dioxide gets trapped in the dough, causing it to rise. This gives the bread a light and airy texture.
Simple Kneads uses regular active dry yeast in their bread recipes. Active dry yeast needs to be activated by hydrating it in warm water before being mixed into the dough. Simple Kneads may use different amounts of yeast depending on the type of bread. Breads made with whole grain flours require more yeast than white flour breads. The brand also adjusts yeast based on whether a dough will be given time to slowly ferment and rise versus being baked immediately.
Salt
Nearly all bread recipes call for a small amount of salt. Salt serves a few important purposes in bread baking:
- Enhances flavor – Salt brings out the flavors of the wheat and other ingredients.
- Strengthens gluten – Salt tightens up the gluten protein network, creating a stronger dough that can hold in air bubbles.
- Controls yeast activity – Salt slows down yeast growth so the dough doesn’t rise too quickly.
Simple Kneads uses regular table salt or kosher salt. Usually 1-2 teaspoons per loaf is sufficient. The brand does offer some low sodium bread options that contain less salt.
Sweetener
Some types of bread call for a sweetener like sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Sweeteners feed the yeast, helping the bread to rise faster and higher. Natural sweeteners also add flavor and color to the bread.
Simple Kneads uses less sweetener in their bread compared to many commercial brands. Some loaves contain a small amount of cane sugar or honey. Their cinnamon raisin bread features cinnamon and raisins to provide sweetness instead of using added sugars.
Fat
Fat tenderizes the gluten in dough, resulting in softer, moister bread. Simple Kneads uses extra virgin olive oil and butter in several recipes.
Olive oil gives their Mediterranean and focaccia style breads outstanding flavor. The richness of butter makes their brioche and challah breads deliciously indulgent.
Simple Kneads uses unsalted butter in their recipes. Unsalted butter lets them control the exact amount of salt instead of relying on the variable salt content of salted butter. It also provides purer buttery taste.
Dairy
Some types of bread like brioche and challah contain dairy products like eggs and milk. Eggs add moisture, richness, and binding power. Milk also helps create tender bread with a fine, soft crumb. Simple Kneads uses farm fresh eggs and whole milk in their recipes.
For vegan diets Simple Kneads offers dairy-free bread options. Flax eggs made by mixing ground flax seed with water replace traditional eggs in these recipes. Non-dairy milk like almond or oat milk can be substituted for regular dairy milk as well.
Mix-ins and Toppings
In addition to the basic dough ingredients, many Simple Kneads breads contain extra mix-ins for texture and flavor. Some common additions include:
- Nuts – Walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.
- Seeds – Sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame
- Dried fruit – Raisins, cranberries, apricots
- Fresh fruit – Blueberries, cherries, chopped apples
- Herbs – Rosemary, oregano, thyme
- Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
- Vegetables – Caramelized onions, roasted garlic
- Cheese – Cheddar, Monterey Jack, feta
These mix-ins provide variety so Simple Kneads can offer many distinct bread flavors. Their breads may also feature tasty toppings like seeds, herbs, olive oil, or salt.
Sourdough Starters
Instead of using packaged yeast, Simple Kneads’ sourdough bread loaves are leavened using a natural sourdough starter. Starters contain a symbiotic colony of yeast and lactic acid bacteria. The yeast eats the starches and sugars present, producing carbon dioxide to make the bread rise. The lactic acid from the bacteria gives sourdough bread its characteristic tang.
Simple Kneads’ master bakers carefully maintain and “feed” the sourdough starter to keep the yeast and bacteria active and alive. Portions of the starter are mixed into dough recipes to leaven the bread. The sourdough culture brings complex flavors compared to bread made with regular baker’s yeast.
Clean, Quality Ingredients
As seen by the main ingredients used, Simple Kneads lives up to their name by using simple, back-to-basics components to craft their breads. You’ll never find artificial additives or preservatives on their ingredient labels. They stick to using natural, high-quality ingredients to create wholesome, homemade tasting breads.
Conclusion
Simple Kneads makes artisan bread with carefully chosen ingredients including flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes sweeteners, fats, dairy, and other mix-ins. Their wide range of bread products all begin with a straightforward dough made from foundation ingredients. The types and proportions of the ingredients are then varied depending on the particular bread recipe.
Simple Kneads has perfected the balance of basic ingredients needed to craft delicious rustic breads with simple, clean labels. Next time you bite into a slice of Simple Kneads bread, you can feel confident knowing it was made with quality whole food ingredients you can recognize.
