I tried out a simple Challah Bread recipe from allrecipes.com about two weeks ago. I'm still getting the hang of 'proofing' my yeast! So the result was a little denser than I would like. But they were yummy and so pretty!
Hey, Monika! These loaves look beautiful!! I wish I could eat one right now.
I have become a pretty avid baker myself and can provide a little yeast advice. For proofing, I find that it is good to have a good thermometer. You want your water to be as close to 95 degrees F as possible (a little under or a little over is fine, but too hot will kill your yeast). If your recipe calls for sugar in the dough, you can dissolve up to a tablespoon of what it calls for in one cup of the water called for in the recipe and add your yeast to this. Then just let it "work" until you start to develop tiny bubbles. This only required for "active dry yeast" you could switch to "instant dry yeast" which you can just mix in with your dry ingredients. I find this to make life much easier. Having said this, keep in mind that active dry yeast is a bit slower out of the gate, but will have more spunk longer. Instant yeast, on the other hand, can sputter out during really long rises. I prefer Red Star or SAF brand active dry yeasts and SAF instant dry yeasts. I feel that the quality of ingredients is very important in baking. In case you are interested in the "science" behind the two yeasts, they are essentially the same yeast, but the are manufactured differently. Active dry yeast is dried at a higher temperature and more quickly resulting in fewer live yeast cells (a larger proportion of the granules are actually dead yeast cells surrounding dormant, living ones). Instant yeast is dried at a lower temperature and more slowly resulting in a larger proportion of living, dormant yeast cells.
After all of that, the density of the loaf is probably not due to poor proofing of the yeast, but more likely your dough's initial rise. Make sure you let it double in size (don't get hung up on the times given in recipes, but give the dough time to get where it needs to be). A great website for baking supplies, recipes (they even guaranteed ones), and a wealth of info is www.kingarthurflour.com. If you can get their flour at a local store, it is well worth the little bit extra you pay.
That was extremely helpful! Thank you for taking the time to explain the process and the difference between the two yeasts. I really am clueless and learning! What I've been using is a SAF instant yeast. So I wonder if it is 'sputtering' out too fast with this recipe, which creates a very heavy, sweet dough. Also, though, I have been a stickler on the suggested times for rising. I get nervous that the yeast might be dead and that my loaves have risen all they are going to and that at any moment they will deflate! So I will try to stop worrying about that!
What would you suggest as far as the temperature of the dough while rising? Do I need to worry about this? My house is pretty cool. Could that affect the initial rising?
Thank you so much! :-) I really appreciate the input!
In my experience, SAF instant doesn't tend to sputter out (I think this may be associated with "rapid rise" varieties). The nice thing about the yeast you are using is that it needn't be proofed at all, but just simply mixed into the dry ingredients.
If you are concerned that your kitchen is too cool and would like to help speed things along a little bit, you could let it rise in a turned off oven with the oven light on. The oven light will gently warm the inside of the oven without the risk of cooking your loaf or killing the yeast.
One final piece of advice comes in the way that you measure your flour. I used to just dip my measuring cup into the flour bin and level it off. Instead, you want to take a big spoon and sort of fluff up the flour in the bin. Then use the spoon to transfer the flour to the measuring cup and use a long knife or similar device with a long flat edge to level off the measuring cup without compacting the flour. If you just scoop it out with the measuring cup, you compact the flour and get more than what you thought you measured. This tip has really improved my results.
If you can't tell I love, love, love cooking and baking. Don't be afraid to get creative and experiment!
Hey, Monika! These loaves look beautiful!! I wish I could eat one right now.
ReplyDeleteI have become a pretty avid baker myself and can provide a little yeast advice. For proofing, I find that it is good to have a good thermometer. You want your water to be as close to 95 degrees F as possible (a little under or a little over is fine, but too hot will kill your yeast). If your recipe calls for sugar in the dough, you can dissolve up to a tablespoon of what it calls for in one cup of the water called for in the recipe and add your yeast to this. Then just let it "work" until you start to develop tiny bubbles. This only required for "active dry yeast" you could switch to "instant dry yeast" which you can just mix in with your dry ingredients. I find this to make life much easier. Having said this, keep in mind that active dry yeast is a bit slower out of the gate, but will have more spunk longer. Instant yeast, on the other hand, can sputter out during really long rises. I prefer Red Star or SAF brand active dry yeasts and SAF instant dry yeasts. I feel that the quality of ingredients is very important in baking. In case you are interested in the "science" behind the two yeasts, they are essentially the same yeast, but the are manufactured differently. Active dry yeast is dried at a higher temperature and more quickly resulting in fewer live yeast cells (a larger proportion of the granules are actually dead yeast cells surrounding dormant, living ones). Instant yeast is dried at a lower temperature and more slowly resulting in a larger proportion of living, dormant yeast cells.
After all of that, the density of the loaf is probably not due to poor proofing of the yeast, but more likely your dough's initial rise. Make sure you let it double in size (don't get hung up on the times given in recipes, but give the dough time to get where it needs to be). A great website for baking supplies, recipes (they even guaranteed ones), and a wealth of info is www.kingarthurflour.com. If you can get their flour at a local store, it is well worth the little bit extra you pay.
Hope I was somewhat helpful!
That was extremely helpful! Thank you for taking the time to explain the process and the difference between the two yeasts. I really am clueless and learning! What I've been using is a SAF instant yeast. So I wonder if it is 'sputtering' out too fast with this recipe, which creates a very heavy, sweet dough. Also, though, I have been a stickler on the suggested times for rising. I get nervous that the yeast might be dead and that my loaves have risen all they are going to and that at any moment they will deflate! So I will try to stop worrying about that!
ReplyDeleteWhat would you suggest as far as the temperature of the dough while rising? Do I need to worry about this? My house is pretty cool. Could that affect the initial rising?
Thank you so much! :-) I really appreciate the input!
In my experience, SAF instant doesn't tend to sputter out (I think this may be associated with "rapid rise" varieties). The nice thing about the yeast you are using is that it needn't be proofed at all, but just simply mixed into the dry ingredients.
ReplyDeleteIf you are concerned that your kitchen is too cool and would like to help speed things along a little bit, you could let it rise in a turned off oven with the oven light on. The oven light will gently warm the inside of the oven without the risk of cooking your loaf or killing the yeast.
One final piece of advice comes in the way that you measure your flour. I used to just dip my measuring cup into the flour bin and level it off. Instead, you want to take a big spoon and sort of fluff up the flour in the bin. Then use the spoon to transfer the flour to the measuring cup and use a long knife or similar device with a long flat edge to level off the measuring cup without compacting the flour. If you just scoop it out with the measuring cup, you compact the flour and get more than what you thought you measured. This tip has really improved my results.
If you can't tell I love, love, love cooking and baking. Don't be afraid to get creative and experiment!
Sweet! I am going to give all of this a try! I will keep you updated. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you!