Grace Chalon asks why her loaves are not rising.
There are two times in the course of the year when people contact us with
what Linda Rehberg has called, "The short loaf syndrome."
It usually occurs around the start of summer and the start of winter. It
happens because the moisture content of the air changes considerably and as
a result, the moisture content of your flour changes too! This results in
weaker dough and the breads tend to collapse when baking starts.
We do have specific recommendations for dealing with this.
When the loaves start coming out shorter than usual, withhold 1/4 cup of
water. During the knead cycle, add 1 tsp water at a time, until the dough
ball develops a smooth, satiny surface. Keep track of the amount of water
you add and if the results are satisfactory, adjust the recipe accordingly.
Remember that 1/4 cup is equivalent to 12 tsps.
It is a good idea to proof your yeast, every once in a while. It is a
simple process and described in the following note.
If you are not using bread flour, the addition of 1-1/2 tsp gluten per cup
of white flour or 1 Tbs gluten per cup of whole grain flour will help.
One final suggestion. We have used a dough conditioner with great success.
This is a commercial product used by bakeries and pizzerias, called CT-1.
It is made principally from grapefruit, which is a source for citric acid.
The function of the dough conditioner is to control the environment for the
yeast to allow it to function longer than it would normally. We carry CT-1
in our catalog and would be happy to send a copy of our E-mail catalog to
you free, if you write and ask for it.
To Bob Stedfeld who wants to know why the freezer yeast should come to room
temperature before opening. Here are our notes on care and storage of SAF
yeast but I'm sure they apply to other active dry yeasts as well.
The care and storage of SAF yeast
Yeast is a delicate, single celled organism that makes it easy to produce
raised bread.
Yeasts work well when they are in a temperature range of 85 to 115 degrees
F, depending upon the variety. Rapid rise yeasts prefer the higher
temperatures. There is a simple procedure called "Proofing" which is a way
to test whether yeast is good.*
Yeasts digest sugar and produce alcohol and carbon dioxide gas (CO2). These
are both natural products of the fermentation process. The alcohol
contributes to the taste of bread and the carbon dioxide produces bubbles
in the dough that make it expand and rise. All recipes are designed to
balance the ingredients so that the desired character of the loaf is produced.
In the unopened package, SAF Yeast has a shelf life of two years at room
temperature. We have yeast that works perfectly after four years when cared
for as described below.
Yeast is damaged by water and moistue. The following procedures are
designed to keep yeast dry.
1. Select two air tight jars, one about four ounces and the other, one quart.
2. Be sure the jars are absolutely dry!
3. In a dry location, open the package of yeast and fill the small jar for
storage in the refrigerator for frequent use.
4. Pour the remainder of the yeast into the large jar for storage in the freezer.
5. To use yeast from the refrigerator jar: open the jar, pour out the
required amount of yeast, cover the jar and return it to the refrigerator
as quickly as possible. Avoid dipping measuring spoons into the yeast; they
may carry moisture.
6. To refill the refrigerator jar: remove the freezer jar and allow it to
come to room temperature before opening. Notice that moisture will condense
on the outside of the container. (If the jar were opened when it was
frozen, moisture would condense into the yeast.) Dry the jar thoroughly.
Open it when at room temperature and pour some yeast into the refrigerator
jar. Tightly close both containers and return them to their storage locations.
How to Use SAF Instant French Yeast
SAF Instant Yeast is a quality, high performance yeast, developed by the
world's largest and oldest yeast manufacturer, S. I. Lesaffre, in France.
To bake bread in Automatic Bread Machines on the regular cycle or in
ovens: Use 1/2 teaspoon SAF Instant Yeast per cup of flour.
To bake bread in Automatic Bread Machines on the quick cycle:
Use 3/4 teaspoon SAF Instant Yeast per cup of flour.
Adjust amount used to your taste.
* To proof yeast: Stir 1 tsp sugar into 1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115
degrees F.). Sprinkle 1 tsp yeast on the surface stir. In five minutes,
mixture should foam. In 10 minutes there should be a fairly thick layer of foam.
Please E-Mail any questions or comments
Irwin/Delta Rehab/Using Zojis
Internet ID: irwin@prodigy.com
Tel. # 800-641-9093