Yeast Dough

Yeast dough

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Bread making is a skill that is learned best with a reliable recipe and lots of practice. It can lead to wonderful homemade breads and rolls instead of store bought ones. Many people who make bread as a hobby enjoy the pleasant aromas provided by a freshly baked loaf of bread.

There are two basic yeast doughs, batter and kneaded.

Batter breads are really a shortcut way to make breads - they require no kneading. Kneaded breads require more time and energy than batter breads. However, both types of yeast dough must rise before shaping an dbaking; this allows the yeast to activate.

Batter dough

Kneaded dough

The flour is beaten into the dough with an electric mixer instead of being kneaded.

Batter dough is stickier because less flour is used.

The batter is spread in a pan instead of shaped into loaves or rolls.

There is usually only one rising time.

Batter dough results in breads with a coarser texture and pebbled surface.

Shape is symmetrical and well-proportioned with a rounded, smooth top.

Color of crust is an even goleden brown, slightly darker on top than on sides and bottom.

Crust is tender, smooth, crisp, and free from cracks.

Size is large but not airy in proportion to weight.

Inside color is creamy white and free from streaks.

Texture is tender, soflt, slightly moist, not crumbly or doughy.

Flavor is pleasing with a mild yeast overtone.

Bread Ingredients
The baker can create breads of different textures, flavors, and colors just by knowing the nature and purpose of certain ingredients in breads.

Liquids

Water
Water is not really “water;” it has different characteristics depending on where it comes from.

Soft water may make a bread dough slightly sticky.
Hard water may toughen the dough; the rising period will be longer.
Chlorinated water may add an objectionable flavor; let the water sit overnight so the chlorine dissipates. Very heavily chlorinated water may actually inhibit yeast.
Instead of tap water, try juices or the vitamin-rich water made when vegetables are cooked.
Cooked vegetables may be mashed and used; try mashed potatoes and/or potato water.

Milk
There are two important points to make about using milk or milk derivatives as the liquid in a yeast dough.

Yeast is reluctant to dissolve in whole milk because of the fat. Try skim milk instead.
Milk solids make the gluten connections in the dough slightly weaker. This creates a bread that has a more tender crumb and a mellower taste. Cultured milk products, such as buttermilk, yogurt, and sour cream, produce moist breads with a flavor similar to sourdough breads.

Use the following options, if milk is your preferred choice of liquid.

Use warmed skim milk (no fat).
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup water, add the balance of the liquid as milk, slightly warmed.
Add 3/4 cup of non-fat dry milk to the dry ingredients; more can be added to increase protein content.
Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water and then add 1 cup of evaporated milk.
Use 2 cups of liquid whole milk and add the new quick-rising yeast directly to the dry ingredients.

Eggs
Eggs can be used as another “liquid” in bread recipes. Eggs add extra protein, color, richness, and structure (just like the gluten in flour).

One extra large egg is approximately equivalent to 1/4 cup liquid; when one or more eggs are added, subtract an equal amount from the other liquids.
To make an extra light loaf of white bread similar to traditional French bread, substitute 2 egg whites for 1/4 cup of the water in the bread recipe. Beat the egg whites into peaks and fold them into the dissolved and bubbling yeast mixture before the flour is added. Beaten egg whites contain many air bubbles which expand in the oven’s heat to help leaven and lighten the loaves.

Fat
While most bread recipes call for fats or oils, they are not necessary to make bread. However, there is a trade-off. Bread made without fat stales very quickly. Adding a couple tablespoons of butter, margarine, or vegetable oil to the yeast dough makes a bread more tender and it will stay fresh for a longer time.

Salt
There are two important points about the use of salt in bread making.

Salt is not necessary to make bread. Herbal salt substitutes can be used for flavor.
Yeast does not like salt. Bread dough actually rises faster when it is made without salt. To slow the rising process there are two options: use a bit less yeast, or put the bread dough in a cooler place so it rises slower.

Sweeteners
Sweeteners have two functions in bread doughs; they provide:

food for the yeast to help it get started growing; and
flavor (table sugar the least, through the increasingly stronger flavors of brown sugar, honey, maple sugar, light, dark, and blackstrap unsulfured molasses). Using any sweetener helps the baked bread stay moister longer.

If honey is used in a recipe that calls for one of the other sweeteners, lower the oven temperature by 25°F because honey tends to scorch; extend the baking time 5 to 10 minutes.

Sweet dough recipes call for a much larger proportion of sugar than a basic bread recipe. One would think that with so much sugar available, the yeast would grow uncontrollably. But the reverse actually happens. The yeast “overdoses” on the sugar; the chemical balance becomes upset. Hence, it takes a significantly longer time to double the bulk of the dough. To compensate for this problem, most sweet dough recipes specify twice the usual amount of yeast.

Yeast
There are three types of yeast available.

Cake or Compressed Yeast
This is an early form of “domesticated” yeast developed in the 19th century that was especially suited for bread rather than beer. Cake yeast can still be found in some grocery stores. Some people feel it produces the breads with the best flavor.

Compressed cake yeast will keep in the freezer for a few months; defrost in the refrigerator before using. One cake of compressed yeast weighs slightly more than 1/2 ounce, and it can be used instead of 1 scant tablespoon or 1 packet of active dry yeast.

Active Dry Yeast
This is the most common form of yeast available. It has all the moisture removed so it can be kept for several months at room temperature or in the refrigerator; indefinitely in the freezer. Dry yeast becomes active when it is dissolved in liquid that contains a bit of sugar and flour.

One packet of active dry yeast is equivalent to 1 scant tablespoon of bulk active dry yeast or 1 cake of compressed yeast.

Quick-Rising Yeast
This is a higher protein strain of yeast that has been recently developed. Just like other dry yeast, it can be stored for a long time if kept cool and dry. It is blended with the other ingredients in the recipe and activated with very hot (125° to 130°F) water. This eliminates the “proofing” process where the yeast is activated by dissolving it in warm water. In addition, the rising process is speedier because the initial temperatures are warmer due to the very hot water.

One packet of quick-rising yeast can be used in place of 1 packet of active dry yeast. Keep in mind that bread flavor develops under a long leavening period; this may not be the best choice of yeasts since it speeds up the rising process.

Flour
There are many types of flour available on the market, however, wheat is the only grain whose protein produces significant amounts of gluten when it comes in contact with liquid. Gluten is the protein in the flour that forms the structural framework. It forms a complex interlocking network of elastic strands when it is kneaded in dough. These strands capture the carbon dioxide bubbles created by the growing yeast; that is what allows the dough to expand or “rise.”

The flavor and texture of breads can be altered by substituting the flour indicated in the recipe with other flours such as rye, buckwheat, triticale, barley, amaranth, and soy. Partially processed grains also can be substituted; they include cornmeal, oatmeal, steel-cut oats, cracked wheat, wheat germ or bran, barley flakes, or even cooked rice or millet. Some tips for using other grains in yeast doughs follow.

For beginning bakers just learning to use whole wheat flour, start with a ratio of 1 cup whole wheat to 3 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour.
When a grain is substituted that does not contain gluten, the bread dough will not be able to trap as many carbon dioxide bubbles; it will not rise as high. Use enough wheat flour, 2 or 3 parts for each part of non-wheat flour, to make sure the dough has enough capacity to trap the carbon dioxide bubbles.
Start with 1 part non-wheat flour or grain to 3 to 4 parts of wheat flour, either unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat.

The following are some ideas for basic bread dough additions to make specialty breads.

For extra nutrition, texture, and/or flavor in the basic bread recipe, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of seeds (such as sunflower or sesame), or sprouted seeds (such as alfalfa, mung bean, and wheat berry).
For extra nutrition, add up to 1 1/2 cups dried fruit (raisins, currants, apricots) or even chopped, sautéed or mashed vegetables (onions, garlic, potatoes, beets, or squash).
For flavoring, try 3 tablespoons of freshly minced herbs (chives, parsley, basil, and tarragon, etc.) or one tablespoon of dried herbs, either singly or in combination.
For flavoring, try 1 or 2 tablespoons of herb seeds (poppy, caraway, dill, fennel, etc.).For spicy breads, add 1 to 3 tablespoons cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, curry, mace, black pepper, or a combination.
For extra nutrition and/or flavor, add up to 3 cups of grated semi-hard or hard cheese, such as Cheddar or Parmesan, to the basic bread recipe.

Did You Know?
A range of flour is given in most bread recipes to accommodate various flour conditions. Flour can gain or lose moisture depending on weather conditions and how it is stored. Think of flour as porous as a sponge, and then it is easy to understand that:

if the air is dry, the flour will be dry.
if the air is humid, the flour will absorb the moisture in it.

Dry flour is like a dry sponge; a dry sponge can soak up more water than a wet sponge. That means, that during cold, dry months, less flour is needed to make a dough; in hot, humid months, more flour is needed.

On rainy or stormy days, when the barometric pressure is low, bread will rise more quickly than it usually would. This is because the dough doesn’t have as much air to “push” against; the air is not as dense or “heavy” as it is on clear days.

Keys to successful yeast breads

Dissolve the yeast in warm tap water (90° to 115°F, should feel warm and comfortable). The temperature has to be 120°F, which feels hot, before it begins to kill yeast. Use a candy thermometer to check "hotness" the first time you make bread.
Knead the dough for the time specified in a recipe.
Let the dough rise in a warm place (80° to 85°F). Dough should be in a greased bowl large enough for it to double in size. Turn dough to coat with grease so the surface of the dough does not dry out (crusting). Cover with plastic wrap and a clean cloth towel to prevent drying out.
Punch down the dough after rising to remove large air bubbles.
Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes to relax the dough, if recipe indicates to do so.
Shape the dough into a loaf or rolls.
Let the dough rise a second time after shaping until it is doubled in size. Dough has risen enough if an indentation remains when dough is pushed lightly with a finger.

Finishing Touches for Bread
Try one of the following finishing touches to "dress" up bread that is risen and ready to bake.
For Bread With A:	Do This:
Crisp crust	Brush loaf gently with cold water before baking.
Shiny bronzed crust	Brush loaf gently wtih 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water before baking.
Shiny crust	Brush loaf gently with 1 egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons water before baking.
Golden crust	Brush loaf gently with 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons water before baking.
Soft, tender, bronzed crust	Brush loaf gently with mlik before or after baking.
Softer, richer flavored crust	Brush loaf gently with a little melted butter before or after baking.
Slashed top	Just before putting the loaf in the oven, slash an oval loaf diagonally three or four times approximately 1/4-inch deep with a serated knife. Slash a round loaf twice one way and twice again at right angles across the first cuts.
Sprinklings	Brush loaf gently with 1 egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons water before baking. Sprinkle on one or more of the following: Kosher or course sea salt; herbal salt substitute; sesame, sunflower, or poppy seeds; minced garlic or onion; grated hard cheese; or chopped nuts.

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Refrigerating Yeast Dough
Yeast dough made with water (except plain bread dough) can be refrigerated up to 5 days. However, if milk and at least 1/4 cup sugar was used, refrigerate for no longer than 3 days; the milk could sour. Mix dough as usual, place in bowl. Grease top well. Cover with moisture-proof wrap, then a clean, damp cloth. Keep cloth damp during the storage time. When ready to bake, shape the dough, let it rise until double (approximately 1 1/2 hours). Bake as recipe indicates.

Shaping Bread Dough for Loaves

Roll dough into a 14x7-inch rectangle.
Starting with the shorter side, roll up tightly.
Firmly pinch edges and ends of the dough to seal.
Place seam side down in prepared pan.
Allow dough to rise in a warm place for as long as the recipe indicates.
For French Bread: Make 1/4-inch deep slashes across the loaf at 2-inch intervals.

Yeast dough baking tips

Bake bread in a preheated oven.
Use the following types of loaf pans for bread with well-browned crusts: anodized aluminum, darkened metal, or glass. Dark pans have a tendency to absorb more heat than shiny pans. Check the manufacturer's instructions for baking and greasing. Many recommend reducing the oven temperature by 25°F.
If pans with dark nonstick coatings are used, watch the bread carefully so it does not overbrown. Check if instructions for use include reducing oven temperatures by 25°F.
Stagger loaf pans on a lower oven shelf so that they do not touch the sides of the oven or each other.
The top of each pan should be level with, or slightly above, the middle of the oven.
Bake to the minimum time suggested on a recipe; then test for doneness. Bread loaves are done when they sound hollow when lightly tapped. Crust is not always an indicator of doneness. If excessive browning ocurs before loaves sound hollow, cover with foil before they get too dark. If oven heats unevenly, turn pan around midway through baking to deal with this problem.
Remove loaves from pans immediately so the sides of the bread remain crusty; place on wire racks away from drafts to cool.

Storing Bread
Bread and rolls should be stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry place for no longer than 5 days. Refrigerate breads only in hot, humid weather.

Freezing Bread

Bread dough can be frozen prior to baking, either before or after it has been shaped. Freezing does not kill the yeast, but it does slow down its action.
Finished breads can be successfully frozen in heavy, airtight freezer plastic bags for 2 to 3 months. To thaw, let the loaves stand wrapped at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.