SC - Attachements to the LIST-A no-no

[Philip & Susan Troy]

> Seriously does yeast just not like some people?  Is bread 
> like gardening?
> I don't think I'm the only one who can't get a ball of dough 
> to do anything
> but mock my wishes for it to rise.  I have taught foods in 
> high school for
> three years now and each year I teach over a hundred kids to 
> make perfect
> yeast bread.  How can my students get perfect results and my 
> dough resemble
> the density one would look for in oak furniture?
> 
> Nyckademus (Who enjoys saying, "Your dough, like the South, will rise
> again.")

Think kind thoughts at the miserable little yeastie beasties.  

Store yeast in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 

I assume you are using granulated dry active yeast, which is the most common
kind in the US.  One teaspoon will raise a dough containing 2 to 4 pounds of
flour, but if you are having problems, try using a teaspoon yeast to each 2
pounds or less.  One teaspoon equals a 1/4 oz. package.

Proof your yeast.  Take a cup of water at 90 to 110F put it in a bowl.
Dissolve a teaspoon of sugar in the water (not necessary, but it does
improve the action).  Sprinkle a teaspoon of yeast on the surface of the
water and let it dissolve.  Within fifteen minutes, a very active yeast will
bubble up and cover most of the surface.  Usually, the less surface are
covered, the less active the yeast.  If you can't get it to "cream", the
yeast may not be dead, but it certainly isn't very active and any rise will
be very long.  

Most non-commercial recipes use more yeast than is really needed and a rise
to doubled should take no more than 4 hours.  If you use some of the old
professional methods which use less yeast, the entire process takes much
longer, the rises are extended, while retaining a good flavor.  I usually
use the faster rise, except when making sourdoughs.

Plain bread of flour, water, yeast and salt should rise properly as long as
the dough is around 3 cups of flour to 1 cup of liquid.  Denser dough
requires more rise time to aerate and expand.

Enriched breads made with fats, sugar, eggs, milk, etc.  may not rise to
double, but often will aerate nicely, and reach proper proportions from
exuberant oven spring.

Check the percentage of protein in your flour which can be anywhere from
around 6 to 17 percent.  Most all purpose flours fall in the 9 to 11 percent
range (IIRC), which make them adequate for bread.  Flours with 13 to 17
percent are primarily commercial high-gluten flours and a bread bakers
dream.  Below 9 percent, the flours are better suited for cakes and
pastries.  From previous discussions, there are some all purpose flours
available in the deep south which fall below 9 percent.  

Check your kneading technique. Under-kneading and over-kneading can affect
the rise and the density of the bread.

Bon Chance

Bear