Bread Making

[saucisson]

Thanks both...

Clearly I have long way to go, but it is all helping. My bread is twice as good as it was a month ago thanks to these posts. I just realised that my dry yeast maybe in date, but I opened it ages ago, something else to try.

Dave

[Oddley]

Hampshire Jack, It was at two superstore bakery counters that my wife and I asked.

Sorry, didn't answer the question by Kitchen Foods.

I found that the fresh yeast I bought from the Internet started to go brown round the edges after about 4-5 days. With the lot I got from Tesco, I vac packed and froze in 20g lots, this kept a nice pale colour and a strong activity until it ran out.

I sometimes buy Allinsons catering dried yeast from Macro, this tells you that after being opened, it has a shelf life of one month, and is to be thrown after that time.

[Hampshire Jack]

hi odley i travel all over the south of england in my work and never had a problem buying fresh yeast from sainsburys just ask for a block of yeast also on www.flourbin it tells you about frezing yeast jack

[saucisson]

Ok that does it, I'm going to grow a fresh culture now and work out how to send it to you all



Dave

PS, don't hold your breath

[jenny_haddow]

This is a very interesting thread, the info on the flour has been fascinating.

Back to fresh yeast, which I always use if I'm hand baking, I've always found Tesco's bakery counter very generous. I usually come away with a lump weighing between 4 - 6 oz. Last time I went I spoke to the bakery guy and he told me there were only two people who asked for fresh yeast on a regular basis, myself and another woman, so they had no problem giving out. If the world and his wife were queuing down the aisles for it it would be a different story I'm sure.

In my bread machine I always use Doves dried yeast, and once opened I put it in a small lock and lock container and keep it in the fridge. One pack lasts me for about a month/six weeks. I've never noticed any depreciation in the quality of the bread. I shall be off to France this week and priority packing is the bread making kit, flour, yeast (dried and fresh) and of course, improver. My flour bins have been back and forth to France about a dozen times!

Cheers

Jen

[Gordon]

At the risk of being shot down again. Has anyone read 'The Handmade Loaf' by Dan Lepard ? see Dans Site In it he describes how to make a "leven" by exposing a flour and water mix to the air, he goes on to describe how to store the live leven in the fridge and how to re-activate it when it's needed. I think this could hold the key to storing / reactivating fresh yeast

[saucisson]

Sounds good Gordon, I'll have a look:)

[wheels]

I'm starting to feel guilty for making great bread without improvers!

Jen
Good to hear that tesco are still prepared to give away fresh yeast - our 2 nearest ASDAs don't any more .

Gordon

At the risk of being shot down again. Has anyone read 'The Handmade Loaf' by Dan Lepard ? see Dans Site In it he describes how to make a "leven" by exposing a flour and water mix to the air...

This sounds like the sourdough starter I mentioned previously and mean to try again.
Another way of achieving this is to do what some craft bakers do - keep a lump of dough from one day to the next. The proving rising times are, I guess, longer with this method.

One pitfall with the bread improver method (that I accept has merits for its speed and consistency) is that flavour in bread tends to develop with time. Certainly, my experience is that bread made with a starter (poolish or biga), from the previous day, have more flavour, and also for some reason, a better texture.

My next experiments will be to make a sourdough that doesn't taste awful - something I didn't achieve when I tried before. Failing that, I will give a 'saved dough' system a try.
My aim is to make bread simply, so that it fits easily into my life-style, at the same time I would like to make it with as few additives as possible.

[Oddley]

Kitchen Foods, can you please tell me the optimum temperature for your improvers.

[lemonD]

I used 500g Sainsburys Strong Bread flour. Allisons dry yeast, activated in 350ml water and a touch of sugar, and 2 tablespoons soft bread improver.

Dave

Dave,
What was the consistency of this dough? I ask because I'm using Lidl Strong Bread flour and at 325g of water the dough is wet.
I haven't got a tin yet so am trying bloomer type on a tray and it spreads when proving.
However it's the best bread I've made, I'm guessing that in a tin it'll get a better rise and spring.

LD

[saucisson]

It was wet I poured it (rather slowly I admit, but it was a pour nonetheless) into the muffin tin.

Dave

[Gordon]

I thought the general rule of thumb was 300ml water to 500g flour, and half the weight of dried yeast to fresh yeast.

[jenny_haddow]

I would go with 300mls for 500grams and half dried to fresh yeast.

[Gordon]

Since I started using Emma's improver and starting my yeast in a cup with a couple of tablespoons of the flower and a splash from the 300mls of water ( then leave it for about 20 mins ) I haven't looked back. The bread is light and fluffy and even my wife said it was 'nice' and belive me that's praise indeed

[saucisson]

I thought the general rule of thumb was 300ml water to 500g flour, and half the weight of dried yeast to fresh yeast.

It is, I was having a bad day...

Dave

PS Oddley: The instructions I got call for 500g flour and 300ml (yes, I know ) of tepid (about 20 deg C ) water. Rest the dough for ten minutes then place somewhere warm (40deg C is ideal) to rise. A hot steamy dishwasher after a cycle has finished is recommended.