Air fryers are a staple in many households across the UK and air fryer bread is proving very popular at the moment. Maybe it’s the time of year, or maybe it’s the return of The Great British Bake Off, but there’s no denying that it’s hard to beat a homemade loaf.
Unfortunately, a common mistake could ruin your loaf instead of producing light and airy bread. Philips’ in-house Airfryer chef, Martin Senders, has revealed the error and his method for the perfect ‘golden crust’.
Martin shared: “Airfryers can give you a perfect crisp, golden crust while keeping the inside soft – but there are a few key steps to get it right. Overpacking your air fryer is the biggest mistake people make. If you try to fit too much dough in at once, it can’t expand properly, leaving the loaf dense rather than light and airy.”
Thankfully, his warning was followed by advice for bread lovers. The chef said: “Splitting the dough into smaller portions allows the heat to circulate evenly, giving a better rise and more even bake – that’s why bread rolls are such a great option for airfryer baking.”
He added: “Baking bakery-quality bread isn’t just about the ingredients or technique – it’s also about having the right technology. Professional bakers use steam to ensure that dough rises beautifully while keeping the crust thin, golden and perfectly crisp.”
As such, he recommends using an air fryer with a steam option to achieve for the perfect loaf. For foodies looking for recipe inspiration, writer Nicola Roy loved testing Emily Scott’s (What I Ate For Breakfast) air fryer recipe, made using Greek yoghurt and self-raising flour.
When Emily shared her method on Instagram, she wrote: “The texture isn’t quite as light and fluffy as a loaf made with yeast (more similar to soda bread), but it’s soft with a delicious, crunchy crust and perfect for toasting or enjoyed warm from the oven slathered with butter!”
For her part, Nicola was clearly impressed. Delivering her verdict in her review for the Express, she wrote: “Not going to lie, I was terrified that the dough would rise too much and I’d have a real job on my hands trying to clean it off the mechanisms of the air fryer. However, it turned out perfectly, and I couldn’t wait for it to cool so I could tuck in.
“The crust was so crunchy as I was cutting the bread into slices, with the inside of the loaf gorgeous and chewy – like sourdough but even better. After dishing it out to my family, they agreed that it was delicious, and they were in disbelief when they found out it was only two ingredients.
“It’s even better toasted, especially when served with butter or your favourite spread. This may have been my first time making bread, but it certainly won’t be the last, especially when recipes like this exist.”
