Yeast is sensitive to the right temperature of 105° to 115° F. Too much heat will kill the yeast and too cold a temperature will retard its growth. Either way the bread won't rise.
Yes, use 1 package or about 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast for one 0.6-ounce cake of compressed yeast. Compressed yeast can be softened in milk; but when using dry yeast, it needs to be softened in water.
No, home freezers are not designed for the quick freezing required for unbaked dough to ensure satisfactory rising and baking. It is better to bake the bread and then freeze it.
Yes, yeast breads can be frozen up to 2 months. Be sure the bread is cool before wrapping it and placing in the freezer.
Yes, if your equipment has the correct attachments. Check the manufacturer's directions.
No! Cake and pastry flour are made of soft wheat and they are too delicate for bread making.
Cover the browned top loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until bread tests done.
Testing yeast determines it freshness. To test yeast, dissolve a small amount of yeast in 105° to 115° F water with a pinch of sugar. Let stand 5 minutes. If it bubbles, then the yeast is good.
Mix the dough, grease the top well, cover with plastic food wrap, and a damp cloth; keep the cloth damp. Refrigerate up to 3 days if dough contains 1/4 cup sugar or more. When ready to bake, cut off as much dough as needed and shape into rolls; let rise in warm place until double in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Bake as directed in recipe.
Anodized aluminum, darkened metal, or glass pans are best for producing well-browned crusts. Bread baked in a shiny pan will tend to not brown during baking.
The bread will be coarse, heavy, crumbly, and dry.
This yeast is granular and, because it is dry, has good storage qualities. This yeast comes dated and, if kept in a cool place, will hold for 4 to 6 months. It is sold both in 1/4-ounce packages and 4-ounce jars. After a jar of yeast is opened, put cover on tightly and store it in the refrigerator.
Batter bread is a shortcut, no-knead yeast bread. Ingredients are simply mixed, then the batter is spread in a pan to rise and bake.
This form of yeast comes as a moist cake that weighs about 2/3 of an ounce. It is light grayish-tan in color and crumbles readily. Store the fresh yeast up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. In the freezer, it will keep about 2 months.
The granules of this form of yeast are a more active strain of dry yeast. This yeast is sold in 1/4-ounce packages and 4-ounce jars.
Sourdough, named for its unique flavor, has a slightly sour flavor. The bread won fame in the gold rush days when each prospector carried his own pot of yeast starter (a mixture of yeast, water and flour) for making breads and griddle cakes.
When dough springs back again and again as you roll it out, just cover it with a towel and allow it to rest 5 or 10 minutes. Dough will relax and roll out more easily.
All-purpose flours differ in their ability to absorb liquid due to crop differences. They also differ in ability to absorb liquid depending on the daily weather conditions. For example, flour will absorb some of the moisture in the air on a humid day. Always use the lesser amount given in a recipe first and then add more as needed. Good dough is firm, elastic, and smooth. Too much flour will produce a stiff, lifeless dough.
Bread falls in the oven for two main reasons:
Dough can fail to rise for a variety of reasons. They include:
The dough or the shaped loaves may have risen too long or were not kneaded long enough.
This usually happens when dough is allowed to rise too long.
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