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Yeast to flour ratio

"Doug Essinger-Hileman" <greypilgrim@interior-castle.org>
Sun, 01 Jul 2007 08:24:14 -0400
v107.n023.9
>I've been making bread for almost 20 years, mostly from a recipe for 
>whole wheat and one for caraway rye. Both recipes produce loaves 
>with a nice rise. However, occasionally I try a new recipe and find 
>that the rise is not what I would liike. My first thought is that it 
>must be the quantity of yeast called for but I have been reluctant 
>to change that for fear of spoiling the whole batch.
>
>Does anyone know of a ratio of yeast to flour that is most ideal? I 
>would appreciate any advice extended.

A classic french bread dough is 60-2-2, with 60% hydration and 2% 
each of yeast and salt. A good way to answer your question for other 
types of bread is to find recipes which give the baker's percentages. 
Most of the artisan books currently on the market give these 
percentages. (And though the mega-bookstores might cringe when I 
mention this, remember that you don't have to buy these books to get 
the percentages. I often used Barnes&Noble and Borders as research 
libraries. I do buy a large cup of hot tea and a scone from their 
cafe, as compensation, I tell myself. There is no reason you couldn't 
do the same thing.

One thing to remember is that the amount of yeast given in a recipe 
is chosen to give a certain rise in a certain time. You can always 
increase the amount of yeast if you want a faster rise. The danger is 
that you might end up with an overyeasted bread. The other detail you 
can manipulate is to give a longer rise. The danger here is that the 
yeast will be exhausted, and that can produce offtastes, too.

Doug