The best choice for homemade bread is a high-protein bread flour (usually labelled "hard wheat" or high-protein on the package); this flour type lets gluten form a stronger network, which helps the dough rise and hold its shape. For yeast, the choice is between fresh yeast and dry or instant yeast; fresh yeast needs refrigeration and has a shorter shelf life, while dry yeast can last for months at room temperature and is usually used at about half the amount of fresh yeast.
The protein percentage on the flour bag and the production date and storage condition of the yeast are the two pieces of information that matter most when choosing; if these two don't match up, the dough ends up either too slack or too stiff.
How Does Flour Type Make a Difference?
All-purpose flour has less protein than bread flour and forms a weaker gluten network, so bread made with it tends to stay flatter with a denser crumb. Whole wheat flour contains bran, which increases the dough's water absorption, so you generally need to add a bit more liquid when working with it since the bran particles soak up water quickly.
If the flour bag doesn't state a protein percentage, whether it's suitable for bread can sometimes be inferred from the brand or a "hard wheat" label; without that information, it's safest to treat the flour as general-purpose, which may not give ideal bread results.
What Is the Difference Between Fresh and Dry Yeast?
Fresh yeast is a moist, block-shaped live yeast that must be refrigerated and is usually best used within a couple of weeks, which makes it less than ideal for a kitchen that doesn't bake often, since it loses potency over time once opened. Dry yeast comes in granules, keeps for months at room temperature unopened, and is a more practical choice for kitchens that bake bread only occasionally.
If a recipe gives the amount of fresh yeast, switching to dry yeast usually means using about half that amount; the exact ratio can vary slightly from brand to brand.
How Do You Test Whether Yeast Is Still Active?
The most practical way to check whether yeast is still active is to mix it into warm water with a pinch of sugar and wait about ten minutes; fresh yeast foams up in that time and forms a clear layer of bubbles on the surface. If it doesn't foam, the yeast has lost its potency and won't make the dough rise even if you use it.
Fresh yeast should be pale cream in colour with a mildly sour, yeasty smell; dark spots, a dried-out edge or a sharp ammonia smell are signs it has gone off and shouldn't be used.
How Do You Prepare the Dough?
When preparing dough, the order in which flour, yeast, salt and water come together matters; salt shouldn't touch the yeast directly, so the two are placed on opposite sides of the bowl, since salt can slow the yeast down. Water is usually kept lukewarm; water that's too hot kills the yeast, while cold water slows fermentation.
Once the ingredients are combined, the dough is kneaded until it becomes elastic and no longer sticks to your hands; by hand this usually takes between ten and fifteen minutes. The kneaded dough is then covered with a damp cloth and left in a warm spot until it doubles in size, which is what allows the yeast to produce enough gas to raise the dough.
Comments (1)
Yaş maya yerine kuru maya kullanacağım ama elimde sadece tarif üzerindeki yaş maya miktarı var, yarısını mı yoksa üçte birini mi kullanmalıyım? Ayrıca mayanın köpüklenme testini yaparken suyun sıcaklığını nasıl ölçüyorsunuz, termometre şart mı?
Genel oran yaklaşık yarı yarıyadır, üçte bir çok az kalır ve hamur yeterince kabarmayabilir. Sıcaklığı ölçmek için mutfak termometresi kullanabilirsiniz; yoksa suyun elinizi yakmayacak kadar ılık, parmağınızı üşütmeyecek kadar sıcak hissettirmesi yeterli bir gösterge olur.