Evenly Sprinkling Yeast for Bread Making

[Jean S.]

I thought I would try to just make the yeast for the main bread of grandmas polish bread.

First attempt a fail. For a variety of reasons, I think?

2nd try and different fail............

How do you "sprinkle" the yeast to one level? I noticed in both it coagulated if "doubled up" ....how do you sprinkle it evenly? The first try I had some yeast of the sides, so I shoveled it down with a spatula, figured it disturbed the yeast in total, no foam as her pic showed. Does not work. On the 2nd try I still had an area of too much yeast in the middle, although it foamed it was too soon when it did that, and the "lump" of yeast stayed.

How do you add yeast evenly? Norcalbaker is very busy, so I need other folks to chime in, PLEASE.

 

[ChesterV]

Sorry, but I'm more of a cake guy, not a bread guy. I've never made my own yeast and it's something I have never thought about doing.

Too bad Becky is still out of action...........

 

[Jean S.]

Sorry, but I'm more of a cake guy, not a bread guy. I've never made my own yeast and it's something I have never thought about doing.

Too bad Becky is still out of action...........

 

[Jean S.]

Thanks anyway Chester. I'll try again today. I may have to do this (experiment) with the recipe in pieces so I at least have an idea when I try to put the recipe all together. I did scald the milk, added the water, it cooled to 106, but that shouldn't have made a difference from 110 temp? Norcalbakers bowl of yeast looks so perfect, and I am glad she posted a pic of it so I would know what it is suppose to look like.

I've read about Becky as I perused the threads, maybe some day soon she'll be better and back.

I have a person who is coming over Thurs. and she is very comfortable in the kitchen. Maybe I'll try it with her if I don't succeed in the next few days.

 

[Jean S.]

Well just for my own "documentation"........sigh.

Another fail today. I am beginning to think it is too cold in here and the milk/water w/yeast is cooling to fast. Norcalbaker says her kitchen is warm, mine isn't. I may have to buy a portable heater to warm up the kitchen and utensils. The layout of my place is open so I would have to heat up the entire downstairs with the electric heat this place comes with. If any of the granules end up on top of each other it turns into a clump and does nothing.

Guess this is called "talking to myself", hope it doesn't bother anyone. I will start a journal off line so this/I won't be a pest.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Well just for my own "documentation"........sigh.

Another fail today. I am beginning to think it is too cold in here and the milk/water w/yeast is cooling to fast. Norcalbaker says her kitchen is warm, mine isn't. I may have to buy a portable heater to warm up the kitchen and utensils. The layout of my place is open so I would have to heat up the entire downstairs with the electric heat this place comes with. If any of the granules end up on top of each other it turns into a clump and does nothing.

Guess this is called "talking to myself", hope it doesn't bother anyone. I will start a journal off line so this/I won't be a pest.

Jean, if your kitchen is cold, put a pan with a couple of inches of boiling water in an OFF oven. Shut the door and leave it 5 mins. Then put the bowl with yeast in the oven.

Check your yeast package… Is it active dry yeast, or is it instant dry yeast? It should be active dry yeast. Not instant. Instant yeast is a different strain of yeast. The granules are also much smaller. Instant yeast will not foam up. It’s manufactured to dissolve very quickly. It’s designed to be mixed in with dry ingredients. It’s fast acting. So it is best suited for doughs with a short ferment and proof time.

Active dry yeast is a different strain of yeast from instant. Active dry yeast aremuch larger granules. It should be dissolved before mixing it into the dough. It’s a much slower developing yeast. So best suited for doughs with a long ferment and proof time.

Add about half a teaspoon of sugar to your liquid and stir it in. Then sprinkle the yeast over it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a perfect single layer. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid the best you can. Then put it in a warm spot and let it sit. Don’t be poking it with a spatula; just leave it alone. It will dissolve and begin to foam.

 

[Jean S.]

Jean, if your kitchen is cold, put a pan with a couple of inches of boiling water in an OFF oven. Shut the door and leave it 5 mins. Then put the bowl with yeast in the oven.

Check your yeast package… Is it active dry yeast, or is it instant dry yeast? It should be active dry yeast. Not instant. Instant yeast is a different strain of yeast. The granules are also much smaller. Instant yeast will not foam up. It’s manufactured to dissolve very quickly. It’s designed to be mixed in with dry ingredients. It’s fast acting. So it is best suited for doughs with a short ferment and proof time.

Active dry yeast is a different strain of yeast from instant. Active dry yeast aremuch larger granules. It should be dissolved before mixing it into the dough. It’s a much slower developing yeast. So best suited for doughs with a long ferment and proof time.

Add about half a teaspoon of sugar to your liquid and stir it in. Then sprinkle the yeast over it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a perfect single layer. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid the best you can. Then put it in a warm spot and let it sit. Don’t be poking it with a spatula; just leave it alone. It will dissolve and begin to foam.

 

[Jean S.]

Good to hear from you Norcalbaker. I hope your brothers surgery went well.

Another 2 fails this AM even with the space heater, which I really like btw. Here are pictures of it at 10 minutes at the perfect temps for both water and milk. I promise you it is Active Dry Yeast. I've read every article about yeast blooming on the web the past couple of days. I even read the sites of Red Star and Fleischmann's.

Whole milk, correct? Do I have to heat the water separately from the milk? I heat milk in sauce pan to 180 transfer to bowl, heat water to 110 add to milk, when temp is 110 I added the yeast. And all I got after 10 minutes was this.......and that is just milk bubbles, not foam, could my brand new thermometer be faulty?.....

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Good to hear from you Norcalbaker. I hope your brothers surgery went well.

Another 2 fails this AM even with the space heater, which I really like btw. Here are pictures of it at 10 minutes at the perfect temps for both water and milk. I promise you it is Active Dry Yeast. I've read every article about yeast blooming on the web the past couple of days. I even read the sites of Red Star and Fleischmann's.

Whole milk, correct? Do I have to heat the water separately from the milk? I heat milk in sauce pan to 180 transfer to bowl, heat water to 110 add to milk, when temp is 110 I added the yeast. And all I got after 10 minutes was this.......and that is just milk bubbles, not foam, could my brand new thermometer be faulty?.....View attachment 1231 View attachment 1232

My brother is recovering. He’s going to be off work for several weeks.

Yes whole milk.

Test your thermometer. Either put it in a glass of ice water that is packed with ice or use tongs to hold it over a pot of boiling water. If you test in ice water let the ice water sit for a couple minutes before you insert the probe.

Water boils at 212°.
Water freezes at 32°

Try adding some sugar into the liquid first. Stir it and then sprinkle the yeast on it.

I baked the bread this morning. The yeast was foamy in less than 10 minutes. I made it in a loaf pan, and made a few miniature 2 1/2” brioche size for my niece.


Miniature I baked this morning.

 

[Jean S.]

My brother is recovering. He’s going to be off work for several weeks.

Yes whole milk.

Test your thermometer. Either put it in a glass of ice water that is packed with ice or use tongs to hold it over a pot of boiling water. If you test in ice water let the ice water sit for a couple minutes before you insert the probe.

Water boils at 212°.
Water freezes at 32°

Try adding some sugar into the liquid first. Stir it and then sprinkle the yeast on it.

I baked the bread this morning. The yeast was foamy in less than 10 minutes. I made it in a loaf pan, and made a few miniature 2 1/2” brioche size for my niece.


Miniature I baked this morning.
View attachment 1233

 

[Jean S.]

That is so cute! And as usual beautiful looking as well.

I already tested in boiling water(per recommendation of Taylor site), long boring story with confusing results. Then I called Taylor, he said the ice test was preferred over boiling test. Unfortunately I had taken out all my ice trays from the freezer as I needed the space, so........

It's been a frustrating day in all other aspects as well......but I keep trying, and will figure this out.

Have to say I am jealous that you made the bread again............. Lucky family you have to have you! (And the bread!)

 

[Jean S.]

One question you haven't addressed..........do you put the water in the milk before heating the milk, or heat the water separately and then add to the 180 milk? Or? I am puzzled/confused by the milk and water with your instructions or description. They don't match.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

One question you haven't addressed..........do you put the water in the milk before heating the milk, or heat the water separately and then add to the 180 milk? Or? I am puzzled/confused by the milk and water with your instructions or description. They don't match.

Poolish: yes you can mix milk and water.

Main dough: scald milk first, then add water. Cool everything to at least 110°.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I’m not going to answer anymore questions until after you make the bread. You’re making yourself crazy with worry. The only way you will get past the anxiety is to actually bake the bread.

 

[Jean S.]

That's fine. Being left handed I see things differently. I realized the thermometer is Right handed, rather uncomfortable since it is upside down. I learn from watching not reading. I consider myself a decent/good cook. I have never considered myself a baker. Every aspect of making this bread is new to me. You have studied and taken classes, I have not, this is my 1st "class" on a complicated recipe, ie not normal Paska. As you said early on a baker was involved................ I am just lucky I tasted it, saw it, and got the real recipe and now you have the recipe.

Still waiting on the scrapers, they seem to have gotten lost in the mail. Last I saw of the package it was heading back to Cleveland, OH from Portland OR, never made it here.

I'll get there when I am comfortable with everything. This is not a beginner recipe to start with, so I'll break it down for myself.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

That's fine. Being left handed I see things differently. I realized the thermometer is Right handed, rather uncomfortable since it is upside down. I learn from watching not reading. I consider myself a decent/good cook. I have never considered myself a baker. Every aspect of making this bread is new to me. You have studied and taken classes, I have not, this is my 1st "class" on a complicated recipe, ie not normal Paska. As you said early on a baker was involved................ I am just lucky I tasted it, saw it, and got the real recipe and now you have the recipe.

Still waiting on the scrapers, they seem to have gotten lost in the mail. Last I saw of the package it was heading back to Cleveland, OH from Portland OR, never made it here.

I'll get there when I am comfortable with everything. This is not a beginner recipe to start with, so I'll break it down for myself.

Baking isn’t just theory it’s actual practice. Even though it’s not a beginner’s recipe it’s just bread. In end the worst that can go wrong is it’s a mediocre loaf of bread. But no bread is worth worrying yourself sick over.

 

[Jean S.]

Baking isn’t just theory it’s actual practice. Even though it’s not a beginner’s recipe it’s just bread. In end the worst that can go wrong is it’s a mediocre loaf of bread. But no bread is worth worrying yourself sick over.

 

[Jean S.]

Until I can make the yeast bloom for the main dough, there is no bread to make ......I am not "worrying myself sick" over this............in the old days grandma had no "thermometer" they did it by sight and feel, as you may do now, I still believe that, them making it in the kitchen of the church/school had something to do with it.....and a Polish baker............. they may not have used 3 kneading techniques either, but they made it. How many women etc? How many days? You got the science, thank you.

 

[Apocalypso]

I'd buy fresh packages of yeast, in case yours weren't. And the temperature to worry about is the high end, as liquid that is too hot can kill the yeast, but if it's a bit cooler than 110 it won't hurt anything, will just take longer to develop. So pop your finger in the liquid, and it should be a bit warm but not hot.

Thankfully those little yeast packets aren't too expensive. You might try dissolving some yeast in a bit of lukewarm water with some sugar as a separate "test" of the yeast itself. Sugar should feed the yeast. The bit of fat in milk may mildly inhibit the yeast from aerating, but if you whisk it well with a whisk or fork so it's not clumpy, it should be fine. Yeast is a living thing, so sometimes you get bubbles at 5 minutes and sometimes you don't.

I've switched to rapid rise/instant yeast in mostly everything. You don't have to activate it separately but you do need to add it separately from salt because salt inhibits yeast activity a bit. (Paul Hollywood puts the yeast in on one side of the flour in the bowl and the salt on the opposite side. They end up all being mixed in, but the salt's not sitting on the pile of yeast, if that makes sense.

The nice thing is that in the dough, you go by how the dough rises -- as in when it's doubled in size, rather than leave to proof for x minutes.

I'd have chimed in sooner, but I didn't really understand your first post. It sounded like you were "making" your own yeast, and I didn't understand the importance of the sprinkling and how the particles fell. It isn't that delicate a thing except for keeping it from hitting liquid that is too hot. You might be imagining an eruption when it foams - it can look more subtle than you may be picturing. Here's a little video on active dry yeast:

 

[Jean S.]

I'd buy fresh packages of yeast, in case yours weren't. And the temperature to worry about is the high end, as liquid that is too hot can kill the yeast, but if it's a bit cooler than 110 it won't hurt anything, will just take longer to develop. So pop your finger in the liquid, and it should be a bit warm but not hot.

Thankfully those little yeast packets aren't too expensive. You might try dissolving some yeast in a bit of lukewarm water with some sugar as a separate "test" of the yeast itself. Sugar should feed the yeast. The bit of fat in milk may mildly inhibit the yeast from aerating, but if you whisk it well with a whisk or fork so it's not clumpy, it should be fine. Yeast is a living thing, so sometimes you get bubbles at 5 minutes and sometimes you don't.

I've switched to rapid rise/instant yeast in mostly everything. You don't have to activate it separately but you do need to add it separately from salt because salt inhibits yeast activity a bit. (Paul Hollywood puts the yeast in on one side of the flour in the bowl and the salt on the opposite side. They end up all being mixed in, but the salt's not sitting on the pile of yeast, if that makes sense.

The nice thing is that in the dough, you go by how the dough rises -- as in when it's doubled in size, rather than leave to proof for x minutes.

I'd have chimed in sooner, but I didn't really understand your first post. It sounded like you were "making" your own yeast, and I didn't understand the importance of the sprinkling and how the particles fell. It isn't that delicate a thing except for keeping it from hitting liquid that is too hot. You might be imagining an eruption when it foams - it can look more subtle than you may be picturing. Here's a little video on active dry yeast: