Yeast & Baking Lessons Common Baking Ingredients Flour
Hard and soft wheat are the two basic types of wheat grown in North America. Hard wheat has a higher protein content, making it the wheat of choice for most yeast doughs, while soft wheat is best suited for pastries and cakes.
Types of Flour
Bread flour is the preferred flour for making yeast-leavened breads; whole grain flours are milled from the entire wheat kernel, including the bran and germ, and form less gluten; these flours are usually combined with bread flour. Whole grain wheat flours can be used alone, but the loaves are heavier and denser, but have an excercise value.
Usage Tips for Flour
Because flour is sifted several times before being packaged, it settles and compacts during shipping. Instead of dipping the measuring cup into the flour bag, scoop or spoon the flour lightly into a dry measuring cup to ensure an accurate measurement.
Storage Tips for Flour
For long-term storage, flour can be refrigerated or frozen; whole-grain flours contain more fat and should be kept in an airtight container; avoid storing flour in self-defrosting refrigerators, as they tend to dry it out.
Does yeast work with wheat flour?
To make 100% whole wheat yeast breads, add an extra 2 teaspoons liquid per cup of whole wheat flour and let the dough rest for 25 minutes before kneading in yeast breads that need to rise.
What happens when yeast is added to flour?
When yeast is reactivated, it feeds on the sugars in flour and produces the carbon dioxide that causes bread to rise (though at a much slower rate than baking powder or soda). Yeast also contributes many of the distinct flavors and aromas that we associate with bread.
Can you mix yeast with flour?
Instant dry yeast (IDY) can be crumbled onto the flour without being suspended in water; to do so, simply add it in dry form to the flour in the mixing bowl. Active dry yeast (ADY), on the other hand, must be prehydrated first.
Do you need more yeast for whole wheat flour?
The more whole wheat flour you use, the more bran and germ there is in the dough, and the more the gluten is shredded, which is why you should expect a decrease in loaf volume as you increase whole wheat flour, so use less yeast for wheat bread.
What flour do professional bakers use?
For flaky pie dough, Danish pastry, and cookies, pastry flour is the way to go, both professionally and at home, because it absorbs a little less water, resulting in a better blend of ingredients and less toughness.
What can I substitute wheat flour with?
Substitute for Wheat Flour
- Amaranth Flour. Amaranth comes from the word amaranthine, which means ‘undying’ or ‘unfading.’
- Arrowroot Flour. Arrowroot is a starch that is low in protein and high in carbohydrates.
- Buckwheat Flour (gluten-free)
- Corn Flour.
- Coconut Flour.
- Millet Flour.
- Oat Flour.
What happens when you mix yeast warm water and sugar?
When yeast consumes sugar, it produces carbon dioxide, which has nowhere else to go but up, slowly filling the balloon. When bread rises, yeast produces carbon dioxide, which fills thousands of balloon-like bubbles in the dough.
Is active dry yeast bad for you?
The former is what we use to make bread, and it’s quite nutritious: one tablespoon of dried yeast has only 23 calories and 3 grams of protein, but surprisingly high levels of iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins; however, live baker’s yeast can cause intestinal gas when taken as a supplement.
Does more yeast mean more rise?
They create a controlled environment for the dough to rise in, trapping in the perfect temperature and moisture to ensure a perfect rise every time; however, letting the dough puff up before it goes into the oven is the key to making your bread lighter.
What happens if you don’t put yeast in bread?
About Yeast Substitutes While these substitutes will cause your dough to rise, they aren’t the same as yeast; your dough may not rise as high as you’re used to, and you may notice flavor and texture differences.
Can you add active dry yeast to flour?
You can use one 1/4 oz. packet (7g) or 2 1/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast to rise up to 4 cups of flour by rehydrating the yeast in warm water with sugar first or blending the yeast with the dry ingredients before adding warm liquids.
What happens if you put too much yeast in bread?
Too much yeast can cause the dough to flatten by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand; if you let the dough rise for too long, it will develop a yeast or beer odor and taste, and will eventually deflate or rise poorly in the oven, resulting in a light crust.
Can I mix whole wheat and white flour?
u201cBecause 100% whole-wheat flour is heavy and dense, most people prefer to mix it with some white flour for lighter results.u201d
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of wheat flour?
Start by substituting one-third of the flour in your recipe for whole wheat (for example, if your recipe calls for 1 cup flour, use 13 cup whole wheat and 23 cup all-purpose flour).
Is bread flour the same as whole wheat flour?
Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, usually 11-13%, and is called “bread flour” because most bread requires more protein to produce a lot of gluten.