Yeast!

[Ellyn]

I've used a little bit of instant dry yeast before in making bread after I took a lesson on bread making, but not since. A lot of recipes that I'm looking up and want to try do involve yeast instead of baking powder--or both yeast and baking powder!

And I've heard some conflicting things about it. Maria Benardis says here, that salt helps to get yeast going but N.F. Simpson says here, to keep yeast away from salt and fat presumably including butter, while the yeast is activating.

Does it make a difference if the yeast is fresh or dry-instant-packaged?

In most recipes, I see a trend where the baking powder is added right before the yeast dough (in a Staffordshire oatcake, or martabak manis) is going to be fried, so that gave me the impression that yeast and baking powder don't go together for a long while.

What is the purpose of this common practice: covering a bowl full of rising dough with cloth? Is yeast dough so vulnerable to draughts that it has to be tucked in like a little human kid?



Basically--What have been your experiences, on working with yeast?

 

[evelynmcgregor]

When I use yeast in baking, I always proof it in a cup with about 1/4 cup of water and a little sugar to make sure it bubbles up and is good. I never add salt to the yeast when I do this. I mix the salt in with the flour used in the recipe. The reason you cover the rising dough with a cloth is to help keep it from drying out on the surface. I love working with yeast breads and doing the kneading by hand. The yeast is a living organism and it feels alive under my hands.

 

[ally79]

I also mix the yeast with water and sugar and allow it to activate. The salt always gets sifted in with the other dry ingredients. I am pretty new to making bread but so far they have turned out beautifully.

 

[Whitewolf2578]

Never tried to make bread with anything but Yeast, it is like the golden ingredient for me. But I am sure that this baking soda thing probably works the same way. I usually make my own bread making solution and let it sit for awhile specially when making sour bread, kind of weird how something so foul smelling could make such a good product.

 

[Ellyn]

Thanks everyone for your comments--keep them coming! Ally, I'll definitely keep that sifting in with the flour in mind, and pre-proofing.

Never tried to make bread with anything but Yeast, it is like the golden ingredient for me. But I am sure that this baking soda thing probably works the same way.

From what I've noticed, yeast gives a thing a particular sort of "crumb" or... grain? Baking powder just makes bubbles, but yeast is probably what gives flour that slight stretchiness and stringiness.

Or it could be the waiting time in warm water that comes with yeast, that incidentally gets the gluten to develop.

I am so fascinated by this ingredient, even though baking powder is what I'm used to and it's quick, cheap, and easy. I'm with Evelyn about how yeast gives it more life, and have never understood why something is bad if it tastes yeasty. Maybe I'll find out, after a few kitchen experiment mishaps! (Here's hoping not...)