The process through which dough is transformed into bread; the application of dry heat to cook bread - usually done in an oven. During this process the yeasts in the dough are the most active because of the heat, which leads them to produce a large amount of carbon dioxide - which in turn contributes to what is called the oven spring (rise of the bread during baking).

As it continues being heated, though, the yeasts and bacteria in the dough die off and other chemical processes take place. The starch of the flour absorbs more water and gelatinizes, which strengthens the dough structure.

One useful modern technique to baking is the introduction of steam vapors to the oven environment, benefiting especially the early stages of baking by improving the oven spring and encouraging enzymatic activity in the crust, which produces better flavor and texture.