For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live. John 3:16 (NIV)

Instead of fresh yeast, most of us use dry yeast, either instant active dry yeast or active dry yeast. The difference in the two is how the yeast cells hydrate or absorb water. Instant active dry yeast does not have to be hydrated in water for five to ten minutes prior to mixing as active dry yeast does. Active yeast is mixed in water, the particles are dissolved, and the yeast is allowed to grow until the mixture becomes foamy. Then it is added to the flour. The cells of instant dry yeast are porous to absorb water and can be put directly in the flour without waiting for the yeast to hydrate. However, so that the yeast does not have to compete with the sugar or other ingredients for moisture, it is best to mix the yeast in only a portion of the flour. A method that works well is to mix the yeast with about one-third of the flour to create a very wet batter where the yeast cells will hydrate easily and then, add the remaining flour.

And yes, yeast is alive. It is neither plant nor animal but a fungus. We add it to the flour in its dormant state and expect it to thrive in our dough with moisture and the proper temperature. Under the right conditions, the yeast cells feed on sugar and multiply. A loaf of bread, ready to go into the oven, may contain millions of yeast cells. (The little particles found in a yeast packet are not yeast cells. They are an agglomeration of yeast cells mixed with dextrose or starch into larger balls containing many yeast cells.) As the yeast cells feed, they expel carbon dioxide and alcohol. The carbon dioxide gas rises through the bread dough and is captured by the gluten structure in the dough to form air cells. The alcohol and other excretions impart a “yeasty” flavor to the dough. Master bread bakers manipulate the ratio of carbon dioxide to alcohol—usually with temperature and acidity--to control the rise time and the flavors in the breads.

So how do we nurture these little creatures? Like most other living creatures they require moisture, food, and a hospitable environment. In a moist environment, yeast will grow rapidly. Most of the time, you will want your bread dough as moist as you can handle without being sticky. A bread dough that is too dry will take a long time to rise because the yeast will not multiply as rapidly and because the dry dough is stronger and more difficult to lift.

Yeast feeds on sugar or converts the starch in the flour to sugar for food. Without the capability to convert starch to sugar for food, yeast would not thrive in sugar free breads such as French bread. Salt impedes the growth of yeast so you can slow down the rise with salt. Conversely, you speed up yeast growth with sugar. An extra half teaspoon of salt will significantly slow the rise of the dough.

Moist dough between 78 degrees and 80 degrees is an ideal environment for yeast growth. Since yeast is very sensitive to temperature, temperature is a major factor in how fast yeast multiples. Yeast is dormant and will not grow at 40 degrees and grows only slowly at 55 degrees. Yeast dies instantly at 140 degrees. We recommend not using water warmer than 120 degrees to avoid accidentally killing the yeast.

A thermometer has been called the baker’s secret weapon. In all breads, it is very useful to be able to measure the temperature of the water, the dough during mixing, and the bread as it comes from the oven. In using a bread machine, the exact water temperature is critical to a uniform outcome. Bread is baked when the internal temperature is between 190 degrees and 210 degrees. As mentioned, the ideal dough temperature for the proper growth of yeast is 78 to 80 degrees. At higher temperatures, the dough may rise too quickly creating a crumbly texture to the bread. At less, the bread will rise more slowly and will have a higher alcohol content—though some marvelous, complex flavors can be created at lower temperatures.

Understanding yeast and how it works is an essential lesson for the bread baker.

Copyright 2003-2007, The Prepared Pantry (http://www.prepraredpantry.com ). Published by permission

About Author:

Dennis Weaver is a baker, a recipe designer, and a writer.  This article is an excerpt from “Ingredients and How They Work”--available free at The Prepared Pantry, http://www.preparedpantry.com, which sells baking supplies and tools and has a free online baking library.

Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.com/food-and-drink.php/55730

Web recipes-on-the-net.com

A Delightful Lemon Tainted Bread by Joseph Parish
Authentic Kolaches Recipe - Old World Czech Pastries With 3 Delicious Fillings Recipes by Billy Bristol
Baking Bread and Your Freezer by Dennis R Weaver
Baking Bread - Cuban Pan De Ajo (Cuban Garlic Bread) by Allen Wheeler
Baking Homemade Bread - Not As Hard As it Sounds by Linda Pogue
Bread Baking 101 by Marcy Gaston
Bread Baking Made Easy by Beth Scott
Dough Now or Later by Cristie Will
Egg Bread Recipe by Sandy Y.
Emergency Bread - Can You Bake Bread Without an Oven? by Dennis R Weaver
Five Tips For Baking Bread That Has a Great Crust by Sally Gee
Food Processor French Bread With Italian Herbs by Harriet Hodgson
German Rye Bread With German Bread Dip by K Hupp
Getting Your Bread To Rise For Light Airy Loaves by Dennis Weaver
Home-Made Crescent Rolls by Linda Carol Wilson
Hot Cross Buns Recipe by Sandy Y.
How To Bake Multi Grain Bread by Dennis Weaver
How to Braid Bread by Sandy Y.
How to Make a Basic Bread Dough That Has Many Options by Linda Carol Wilson
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzels by Shelly Hill
How to Make Kaiser Rolls by Dennis R Weaver
How to Make Your Own Homemade Bread by Shelly Hill
How Yeast Works by Dennis Weaver
Johnny Cakes by Anthony Benjamin
Keep Bread Fresh Naturally by Mark Gold
Knotty Garlic Bread Stuffed or Knot by Cristie Will
Make the Switch to Whole Wheat by Hillary Marshak
My Name is Bread - French Bread by Rachael Rizzo
No Knead Baking on the Rise by Denyce Rusch
Old Fashion Recipe For Amazin' Raisin Bread Like Grandma Used to Make by Linda Carol Wilson
Old-Fashion Homemade Bread Batter For White, Whole-Wheat, Rye and Herb Breads by Linda Carol Wilson
Purim for Beginners - Chocolate Mint Challah for Purim by Barbara Morgan
Russian Black Bread Recipe by Sandy Y.
Saving Money on Bagels by Joseph Devine
Secrets of Great Breads by Dennis R Weaver
Soft Pretzels Recipe by Sandy Y.
Solving the 7 Most Common Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistakes by Beth Scott
Some Facts On Bread by Kadence Buchanan
The Secret to Russian Potato Bread by Joseph Parish
What is Gluten and Why Does It Matter? by Dennis R Weaver
What is Strong Flour? by Maria Navas
Yeast Bread Recipe Like Grandma Used to Make by Jessica Gerald

< Back to Bread Recipes