News Archive
Yeast
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that consists of water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and B vitamins.
Yeast makes bread expand and gain volume. Yeast also helps bread develop flavors, because flavors are formed during the fermentation process.
During fermentation, yeast consumes the part of the flour starch that has been converted to malt sugar in the dough. The starch also produces gas bubbles of carbon dioxide. The gas bubbles cause the dough to rise and increase in volume.
When the bread is baking, the yeast dies, but the bread continues to grow because the gas bubbles remain in the dough. For best results and bread texture, the bubbles should be small and evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Fresh yeast
Fresh yeast is a live mushroom that must be stored in the refrigerator, max 46° F.
For bread recipes, fresh yeast is dissolved in lukewarm dough liquid*, approx. 98° F, before remaining ingredients are added. At 122° F or hotter, the yeast will die
During cold fermentation, the amount of fresh yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Dry yeast
Dry yeast is stored at room temperature and, unlike fresh yeast, it has a long shelf life.
For bread recipes, dry yeast is first mixed with flour in the bowl and allowed to stand for ten minutes. Then add finger-warm dough liquid, approx. 98° F, along with other ingredients.
During cold fermentation, the amount of yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Yeast for sweet doughs
There is a variant of both fresh yeast and dry yeast created for baking sweet breads such as cinnamon buns. Sweet breads are defined as those with dough of more than 2½ tablespoons of sweetener per 400 ml of flour.
Replacing yeast
A packet of fresh yeast (50 g) can be replaced with a bag of dry yeast (14 g). Remember that different yeasts dissolve in different ways.
Temperature
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator, ideally at 32-39° F, but it can handle temperatures up to 46° F.
The best yeast temperature for a dough is 77-82° F, while dough liquid should be at 98° F. At 122° F, the yeast cells die.
Yeast should not be frozen, as the yeast cells could die.
Storage
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator; dry yeast at normal room temperature. With the right storage, yeast often lasts much longer than the ”use by” date on the package, but its effect will decrease over time to finally subside completely.
*Dough liquid is the liquid you use when baking, such as water or milk.
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that consists of water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and B vitamins.
Yeast makes bread expand and gain volume. Yeast also helps bread develop flavors, because flavors are formed during the fermentation process.
During fermentation, yeast consumes the part of the flour starch that has been converted to malt sugar in the dough. The starch also produces gas bubbles of carbon dioxide. The gas bubbles cause the dough to rise and increase in volume.
When the bread is baking, the yeast dies, but the bread continues to grow because the gas bubbles remain in the dough. For best results and bread texture, the bubbles should be small and evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Fresh yeast
Fresh yeast is a live mushroom that must be stored in the refrigerator, max 46° F.
For bread recipes, fresh yeast is dissolved in lukewarm dough liquid*, approx. 98° F, before remaining ingredients are added. At 122° F or hotter, the yeast will die
During cold fermentation, the amount of fresh yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Dry yeast
Dry yeast is stored at room temperature and, unlike fresh yeast, it has a long shelf life.
For bread recipes, dry yeast is first mixed with flour in the bowl and allowed to stand for ten minutes. Then add finger-warm dough liquid, approx. 98° F, along with other ingredients.
During cold fermentation, the amount of yeast is reduced, and the dough liquid should be approximately 50° F. The amount of yeast needed for cold fermentation is about half the amount needed for traditional fermentation; the exact amount depends on the fermentation time.
Yeast for sweet doughs
There is a variant of both fresh yeast and dry yeast created for baking sweet breads such as cinnamon buns. Sweet breads are defined as those with dough of more than 2½ tablespoons of sweetener per 400 ml of flour.
Replacing yeast
A packet of fresh yeast (50 g) can be replaced with a bag of dry yeast (14 g). Remember that different yeasts dissolve in different ways.
Temperature
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator, ideally at 32-39° F, but it can handle temperatures up to 46° F.
The best yeast temperature for a dough is 77-82° F, while dough liquid should be at 98° F. At 122° F, the yeast cells die.
Yeast should not be frozen, as the yeast cells could die.
Storage
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator; dry yeast at normal room temperature. With the right storage, yeast often lasts much longer than the ”use by” date on the package, but its effect will decrease over time to finally subside completely.
*Dough liquid is the liquid you use when baking, such as water or milk.
Windowpane Test (Gluten Window)
Gluten
Bread recipes requires flour, liquid and a leavening agent. Flour contains, among other things, the protein gluten, which is one of the components that holds dough together and makes it elastic.
When dough is kneaded, the gluten forms a network of threads which, together with leavening agents, create small gas bubbles. These gas bubbles increase the volume of the dough and make the bread fluffy.
Gluten threads
As soon as flour comes in contact with liquid, the chemical process begins. The protein in the flour reacts with the liquid to form gluten threads. At first the threads are weak and can easily break, but kneading will strengthen the threads and make the dough elastic.
Gluten window / Windowpane Test
Here is a test that can determine if dough has the right elasticity and kneading is complete.
Take a small piece of dough and stretch it into a square with your hands. The dough should stick together and appear mostly transparent, like a window.
If the dough cracks, the gluten threads are too weak and more kneading is required. Knead the test piece of dough in your hand for a while and repeat the test. If you get a durable, transparent gluten window, it means that the dough in the bowl needs more kneading.
Gluten windows work best with pure wheat dough. For example, a mixed dough of rye and wheat will look slightly different. Test this dough after kneading, and if it holds and wants to contract again, it is ready.
Overworked dough
Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this may cause the gluten threads to fall apart. If you have a nice gluten window, no more kneading is required or recommended.
Gluten
Bread recipes requires flour, liquid and a leavening agent. Flour contains, among other things, the protein gluten, which is one of the components that holds dough together and makes it elastic.
When dough is kneaded, the gluten forms a network of threads which, together with leavening agents, create small gas bubbles. These gas bubbles increase the volume of the dough and make the bread fluffy.
Gluten threads
As soon as flour comes in contact with liquid, the chemical process begins. The protein in the flour reacts with the liquid to form gluten threads. At first the threads are weak and can easily break, but kneading will strengthen the threads and make the dough elastic.
Gluten window / Windowpane Test
Here is a test that can determine if dough has the right elasticity and kneading is complete.
Take a small piece of dough and stretch it into a square with your hands. The dough should stick together and appear mostly transparent, like a window.
If the dough cracks, the gluten threads are too weak and more kneading is required. Knead the test piece of dough in your hand for a while and repeat the test. If you get a durable, transparent gluten window, it means that the dough in the bowl needs more kneading.
Gluten windows work best with pure wheat dough. For example, a mixed dough of rye and wheat will look slightly different. Test this dough after kneading, and if it holds and wants to contract again, it is ready.
Overworked dough
Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this may cause the gluten threads to fall apart. If you have a nice gluten window, no more kneading is required or recommended.