Tuesday 07 April 2026 – 12:03 AM
The method of making soft fino in bakeries depends on saturating the dough with steam in what is known as steam fermentation. With bakeries focusing on preparing the dough well to maintain its softness, the delaying step comes to make the fino brittle and rise faster than normal fermentation.
For the housewife who does not know how to make soft fino, especially the small patepan, which is the perfect choice for lunch box sandwiches, we show her through Cairo 24 how to make soft fino with all the bakery secrets and how to carry out the steam fermentation step.
How to make soft fino
How to make soft fino at home can be very successful, but by following important tips that reveal bakery secrets, obtaining soft, crisp fino with a delicious smell and the usual shine is one of the housewife’s greatest desires. Therefore, we present Chef Fatima Abu Hayati’s recipe for making fino bread without using eggs.
Ingredients for soft fino
- Half a kilo of bakery flour
- A cup and a half of warm milk can be replaced with water or a mixture of both
- 1 tablespoon of butter can be replaced with 3 tablespoons of oil
- 1 and a half tablespoons yeast.
- 1 and a half tablespoons of sugar.
- 1 tablespoon vinegar works as a natural dough improver.
- Half a teaspoon of salt.
How to make soft fino
1. Knead until elastic
- Mix the dry ingredients (sifted flour, yeast, sugar, salt).
- Gradually add the warm milk and vinegar and start kneading.
- After you knead the dough, add the butter cube and continue kneading for at least 10 minutes.
- Long kneading prevents the bread from becoming “straight” and makes it firm.
- A successful dough should be very smooth, soft, and stick to the hand slightly (like gum).
2. First fermentation and cutting
- Grease the dough and the bowl with a little oil, cover it and leave it in a warm place until it doubles in size.
- Cut the dough into 18 equal balls (the weight of the ball is about 50 grams, or the size of a small local egg).
- Immediately after cutting, the balls must be covered with a plastic bag and a towel over it so that the dough does not split from the air.
3. Formation
- Roll out each ball lengthwise, then roll it up and close the ends and solder very well.
- Arrange the bread on a lightly oiled baking sheet, with the seam side facing down.
4. Steam fermentation
- Steam fermentation is responsible for the soft, shiny crust you see in major bakeries.
- Place the sheet pan in an “off” oven and slightly warm.
- Place a tray under the baking sheet and pour boiling water into it.
- Close the oven and let the bread ferment in the water vapor. This secret gives it an amazing shine and makes it fluff perfectly.
- Bake in a very hot oven and on the rack closest to the floor. It does not take more than 10 minutes to bake.
Golden Shine Secret (egg substitute)
- Prepare a spray in it (a cup of water + a spoonful of sugar).
- Lightly sprinkle the bread just before entering the oven.
- Once out of the oven: Sprinkle another spray immediately and cover with a towel to keep it very soft.
