What is the purpose of egg in bread? Is there bread without an egg? Which bread types contain eggs and which don’t? Does bread without an egg last longer?
To answer these and many other questions, keep reading.
There is a bread type for everyone! 😀
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Is There Egg In Bread?
Well, there is no straight answer to that question. The truth is – there is no one right way to make a loaf of bread, you can make it in many different ways.
Traditionally, there wasn’t an egg in bread. Why is that, you may wonder. In ancient times, people use minimal resources to satisfy their hunger.
They didn’t add eggs to their bread – that will be a waste of resources. Furthermore, people didn’t use any rising agents, so the bread was flat, just like tortilla wraps.
Do You Need Eggs To Make Bread?
Eggs play a crucial part and it’s one of the staples in baking because it provides many beneficial effects in making any baked goods. But you don’t need to use eggs to make a loaf of delicious bread.
What Does Egg Do In Bread?
Eggs help provide a rich and fluffy texture to the bread. Also, it helps the bread to rise. Eggs are also used to give a nice, warm and gold color to the bread. That means egg-containing bread is more yellow than yeast-only bread.
The egg has a high-protein content that works in conjunction with gluten to bind the dough. Egg promotes bread rising and makes it soft and fluffy. It adds a characteristic, and rich flavor and extends the shelf life of bread.
There are more – eggs improve the gluten structure, make bread light and fluffy, improve a close-knit dough structure, darken and soften the crust, give a flavor and create a shiny finish.
What’s In Egg?
The whole egg is composed of yolk and white parts.
Egg whites represent about 2/3 of the egg volume, and they are composed mainly of water and the rest are proteins. The egg yolk is 1/3 of the egg and it contains a high percentage of fat and proteins. It gives richness, color and thickness to baked goods, such as bread.
Why An Egg Is a Problem?
The biggest problem with eggs in bread – the yeast doubles and that’s not necessary for the majority of bread recipes. Also, eggs in bread raise the fat content. Plus, because of egg allergies, many people can’t eat egg-contained bread.
A vegan diet doesn’t include eggs, so they should read the ingredients list carefully. Vegans who eat eggs aren’t truly vegans and there is the name for it: ovo-vegetarian. Moreover, vegans shouldn’t consume milk and other dairy products, so they should choose their bread carefully.
At its core, bread is vegan, containing flour, water, salt and yeast. Also, types of vegan bread are sourdough, ciabatta, focaccia and ezekiel.
How To Replace Eggs In Bread?
If you don’t want to use bread when making bread, there are some replacement ingredients you can use. If you want to achieve richness in your bread, consider silken tofu and yogurt.
For light and fluffy bread, use vinegar or baking soda. When you don’t have much time to make brad, use banana or flaxseeds.
Which Bread Does Not Contain Eggs?
Most of the bread you can find at grocery stores will not contain eggs. Usually, bread is made with salt, flour, water and yeast. Here are just a couple of them that do not contain eggs:
- White Bread – Easy-to-make bread that many people love. It sits on every bread shelf in every grocery all over the world. Because it lacks eggs and oil-containing germs, it last way longer.
- Italian Bread – This bread is similar to white bread and French baguette, but it contains milk, olive oil and sugar. Italian bread has an unbeatable flavor, it’s delicious.
- Whole Wheat Bread – Whole wheat bread typically doesn’t contain eggs.
- Sourdough Bread – Traditionally, eggs aren’t used in sourdough bread. But, nowadays, many bakers include eggs in their sourdough bread recipes.
- Rye Bread – Typically, it doesn’t contain egg in its recipe.
- Garlic Bread – It consists of eggless bread topped with garlic and olive oil or butter.
- Pumpernickel Bread– Type of rye bread traditionally made without eggs.
- Ezekiel Bread – Nutrient-dense egg made from a variety of whole grains and legumes.
- Pandesal Bread – This is yeast-based bread with included bread crumbs.
- Potato Bread – It’s white bread with a mashed potato included in the dough.
- Texas Toast – Toasted bread ideal for sandwiches
- Focaccia Bread – It’s classic Italian egg-free bread
- Gardenia Bread
Which Breads Do Contain Eggs?
Here we’ll list egg-containing bread types, they are yummy and delicious and can be found in any store.
- Challah – Or so-called Egg-bread is a traditional Jewish bread. it is eaten for holidays and other special occasions. The added egg makes the bread taste like a mildly sweet cake.
- Brioche – This french bread is similar to challah. Because of egg content, it is more like a pastry than bread. It is light and fluffy bread often used for French toast.
- Irish Soda Bread – Delicious bread that requires a short prep time and comes in many variants.
- Panettone Bread – It’s more cake than bread originating from Italy.
- Hawaiian Bread – Perfectly soft, sweet, fluffy, easy-to-make bread
- Naan – Eggs give naan a richer and softer texture, as well as yogurt. This bread is often paired with savory and sweet dishes.
- Easter Bread – It is traditionally eaten in Italy around the Easter season, but becomes very popular recently.
- Gluten-free Bread – Typically, it does contain eggs.
- Monkey Bread – It is a sweet, gooey bread (more cake than bread) ideal as dessert.
- Banana Bread – Usually, it is made with eggs, but there are variants without eggs, so choose the option you like more.
- Cornbread
To Wrap It Up
Using egg in the dough is great if you prefer tender bread, however, its flavor is sometimes unwanted. The majority of the world’s most popular loaves of bread don’t contain eggs. The decision is up to you and your preferences.
