CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS: Hi guys, Thank you for your fabulous comments. I learned (or remembered) a whole lot from them. 1) use bottled or filtered water for a sourdough starter. chlorine in the water can kill yeast. 2) tortillas need baking powder 3) King Arthur white whole wheat flour is not just a different grind, it's milled from hard white spring wheat - a lighter-colored grain than traditional red wheat. Here is a tip from King Arthur website: "If you substitute some whole grain flour in a yeast bread recipe calling for white flour, let the dough rest for 15 minutes before kneading." I imagine that whole wheat flour takes longer to hydrate.
Hi Helen, love n thanks for this video. Even the questions is not fr me, but all the answers you have does teach me. I hv a question too 😊 @Some recipes put a lot of yeast, some just very little. 1. What's the purpose or different? 2. Is that any bad or good for health? Thanks Helen
I’ve found that any whole grain flour content (above say 30 percent) benefits greatly from an autolyse. Esp if the flour is not milled super finely. The little bits of bran and germ absorb a lot of water. I always let the dough rest and helps tremendously.
Helen, You are a natural teacher, your videos are consistently lucid and thorough, and you are distractingly beautiful. Please keep up the wonderful work.
Sourdough starters are both Yeast and Lactobacillus. Lactic acid makes the "sour" part. These starters are DEFINITELY livestock (not a pet)! You feed them, you talk to them, you massage them, you harvest some (every month?). They are a balancing act between yeast and bacteria, that NEED attention.
On the subjects of kneading, no-knead bread, surface tension of gluten structure in a wet bread dough, longer fermentation equating to flavour, etc., Helen’s explanation is so good! Thank you very much.
Most no-knead bread recipes that I've seen online (some as old as from 2010), immediately after mixing together the dough, they fold the outsides of the dough lump in, a few times, and repeat that after awhile, often while stretching the dough, and they call it 'just forming a ball'. I think it's basically the same principle as letter folding. Thanks for all your videos!
I have baked bread for a very long time. I researched all things related to bread over the years and you answered all the questions but in one place. People will greatly benefit from all your wonderful experience. I grew a sour dough started about 4 years ago and it continues to be active. Now it is like a family member…..☺️. We eat that more of the time, but my mother-in-law (95 years old) prefers a softer bead when toasted as her teeth are very fragile now. So a bread flour or white wheat flour bread has been a life saver. Love your videos!
Ms Rennie, I very much enjoy your cooking tips. Even old grannies can learn new tricks 😉 I’ve been trying all kinds of new things thanks to TH-cam. I’ve been baking bread for almost 6 decades and have learned that home made bread is like sex: when it’s good it’s great, and when it’s bad it’s not that bad. (I have had some inedible failures I admit.) I learned that adding a sponge stage to my bread recipes improves the results-that’s leaving the dough wet like cake batter and letting it bubble for a couple of hours before adding the remainder of the flour and kneading. I got that tip just a few years ago from a Julia Child’s book. Wild yeast for sourdough is more sensitive to chlorine. For that you need filtered or bottled water. Chlorinated water will kill native cultures. Also, I buy my yeast in one-pound bags and freeze it in clean jelly jars. Lasts for years. I have a good twenty recipes-worth on hand, if only I can get the flour. I learned that from my mother, who taught me baking. We pinch pennies until they scream. My loaf shaping technique comes from The Joy of Cooking. I’ll have to try the letter fold and see how that works for me. Thanks, from Maureen
I'm so glad I discovered this channel. This video has answered several questions about why my bread can be hit or miss. Also, it's nice to see someone echo frustration at the number of US recipes that use 'cups' as a measurement; they're never precise enough for baking. Finally, with her simple, clear and detailed instructions (and page-boy haircut), Helen reminds me of a young Delia Smith, a British cooking legend who also helped make cooking approachable -though Helen is considerably less stern : )
A suggestion about Chef John's Country Bread and/or similar no-knead recipes... I use a clean 8" cast iron (but anything about that size that is oven safe would work) skillet as a "mold". I let the dough rise overnight in a big bowl as suggested. Then I kinda cram/smoosh/fold a sheet of parchment paper into my skillet so that it pretty much conforms with the shape. I trim off the edges of the parchment paper so it's not sticking out every which way. It doesn't need to be an Art Class trim job. I do a moderate slather job of olive oil to the parchment paper after it's been more-or-less form fitted to the skillet. Plop your dough into the paper-lined skillet and you'll get a dome shaped loaf. I just finished a loaf I made about a week ago that was a good 4" tall at the top of the dome. Cheers and be safe!
Thank you for this valuable, in-depth information - most especially on the types of yeast, which are so confusing in the supermarket. One bit of info I'd like to add is about "white" whole wheat: it is another sort of wheat altogether, and has a different color and lighter flavor. Although I don't bake much anymore, many years (lifetimes!) ago, I would buy wheat berries to grind into flour for bread. The white berries were a golden color, less bitter in flavor than the the "normal" red wheat berries, and even had a different aroma. Whole wheat flour from red wheat was pretty much all that could be found in stores back then. I was told that white wheat was more common in other countries, and it certainly seems easier to find nowadays than when I was using it so long ago. In those days, the white wheat berries I bought were called "Montana Gold" or something like that, and had to be ordered on line. Although the bread was not as tall and fluffy as that made with all white flour, even the totally whole-grain loaves had a really nice, mild flavor that appealed to kids as well as adults. Of course, the protein content of the flour varied in the same way as other wheat varieties (i.e., depending on whether it was made from a hard or soft type, grown in spring or winter, etc.). No idea what kind King Arthur uses. Thanks again for the Q&A, and good luck with the home-schooling! :)
Wow loved your post so interesting only worry about MA. Water where daughter lives chemicals in city murders my starters but there a way leave it out&it disapates
Many bread bakers I’ve watched or read do use fresh yeast, so just now I looked up why you’d use it. This was my first hit (& I didn’t research any further): “Fresh yeast is ideal for use in breads that require a long, slow fermentation and rise, as their active reaction lasts longer than that of dried yeast. It always works out very well when a recipe calls for multiple proofs.”
I think you are the French Julia Child - as good, as charming, easier to follow, and full of info that is not easy to find. Thank you for caring so much!!! The more you love your subject the better you teach and you are a wonderful teacher
This is amazing. I’ve been baking bread since I was a teenager, but it’s alway just... fine. It’s never been transformative. But now I have a lot better knowledge and context.
Just a comment on active dry yeast. To extend it's life keep it in the freezer. I've had a large pack of it for 2 years and it still works. Helen thank you for your great videos!
This is a fantastic Q & A. I thought the reason that you should "proof" the yeast before making the bread mix was that if your yeast is "dead", you end up throwing away cups of flour, instead of a tablespoon! Or rushing to the store to buy yeast and then trying to add it to the dough....
Hi Helen, I love your videos and have learned a lot from you considering I”m quite a bit older and have been cooking for decades. I love making bread and now with the long fermentation making bread is so much easier and satisfying. I was hoping you had more about sourdough breads, I don’t like the very bitter sourdough but the long fermentation breads seem to have a mild sourdough taste to them. I’ll keep watching your videos because I’ve found you can teach an old dog new tricks. Woof
This was the most useful video on bread I've seen. I have watched a LOT of bread videos lately. Exactly the right amount of non-professionalism. Not slick. Not trying to Brand. Just comfortably useful. Thank you! :-X
Dear Helen, what I do love about your videos is that you explain the science that supports the methods and ingredients and you do it in a very honest way. I began baking only 4 years ago and am doing ok....but I have learned a lot from different videos on the web and what I see is that some tells you all about flour but not about folding......others teach you how to work with the dough, but at some point, the camera goes fast and you cant see that little thing that makes de difference.....anyway, everyone tells you a lot but no one tells you it all or tells you why or warn you about the mistakes everyone does. You have surprised me no only because you do want to teach and also because you (maybe because of your smart MIT husband) research the chemistry and physics of bread making and share it......bread, as far i can see up to now, depends on about everything surrounding the bread maker.....the climate (air humidity, temperature), atmosphere pressure, the flour, the yeast, the size of the egg, the type of milk, the fat (butter, lard, etc), the material of the pan, the color of the pan, the size of the pan, the length of the raising, and, most of all , the oven (oh, the oven!) and the kneading and shaping...........kneading and shaping seems to be the key for a good bread and that, requires time, practice and, yes, a natural gift. About everyone can make bread......in old times, every woman did.....but good amazing bread, is for a few. We try.........I am doing OK .......some times I bake amazing bread and next week it goes wrong......I am.trying to improve.....and practice does miracles for sure...........but bread making is a gift......some people have it in their veins, others just do OK. Thanks a lot for your videos. I use to watch Bake with jack (lots of bread science) , Chef John (amazing Lebanese mountain bread that comes great every time) , John Kirkwood (the best and easiest foccacia to make) ....a simple but quite good Brazilian guy from youtube "amo pão caseiro" - that means "I love home made bread" (I am Brazilian and live in BR).....and from some time now i also watch your.videos From you five guys I have learned a lot. Yes, I did and do watch some famous ones and we can always learn some from them, but they normally don't really teach what home bakers need to learn. Thank you ! I wish you great success and may God bless you and your family,
You brought back my enthusiasm for baking, I can’t knead because of arthritis in my thumbs, and I don’t have a stand mixer, but I’m very happy to leave my dough to rise in the fridge for 5 days, and that has me chomping at the bit to make it! I’m replaying your video to check the protein content of the flour, I live in the U.K. and King Arthur flour isn’t available so, I’m debating my options with myself!
Thank you Hellen for another fantastic helpful video. I have been following your video recipes since the start of COVID crisis and I have been getting better at my baking skills, specially breads! You are a very good teacher.
15:28- The King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour is excellent. Recently tried it for the first time in a white bread recipe (Alex's white bread, to be specific) and it's definitely my favorite.
great video, clear info. I use the same brand of yeast - I've had it become useless in a year, but also last for more than 4 years. So I do always check the yeast first just to be sure. It only takes a few minutes. But I let it bloom for a lot longer..... The taste of 'yeasty' breads are very yummy, I think. So I usually use MORE yeast than called for, and sometimes let it "bloom" for a long while before adding to the bowl. Raising in the fridge (much slower) also builds more yeasty flavor. Lastly, I always use filtered water for baking for the reasons shown in your clarification; yeast don't like chlorine or fluoride. Thanks for your great, videos. Much appreciated.
Hi Helen, great video, as usual. I'd like to add couple of comments for readers with scientific inclinations. *Flour strength does not depend only on the amount of protein. A small addition of vitamin C (like 0.01%) can help gluten development and that is done to produce bread flours. I was recently comparing data sheets for two flours produced by the same company: AP and bread types. Both had the same protein content (10.5%). Yet the W values were about 150 and 240 for the AP and bread flours respectively. This differece is too big to be explained by usage of vitamin C alone, so there must be someting else going on there. For those interested, the W value is an objective way of measuring the strength. Conceptually, it is the energy needed to inflate and pop a dough bubble. The more energy, the higher the W, the stronger the flour is. Bread flour sacks used in industry typically have the W value printed on it. Goggle for "Chopin alveograph" for more info. That said, there is not only one flour that will work and K.A. AP is one very good choice among others. *Another small comment to Helen: the fact that the size of a cup is not well defined is somewhat irrelevant for the issue with Chef John's recipe. Both flour and water amounts are given in volume, so the volumetric proportions are the same no matter the cup size. You are right about the compressibility issue and YES measuring by weight is the way to go. *Finally, I'd like to recommend the FoodGeek channel. This guy will test everithing. We will try out different hydration levels, white/whole flours ratios, proofing and shaping techniques, adding salt before/after autolyse, baking temps etc. Then he will do a side by side comparision of the results. Cheers and happy baking
Back to watch again, didn't comment before but your content needs more notoriety! You taught me how to use my Shun chef knife I'd had for YEARS and never used enough to even have to hone 😆 Thank you 🤗🥰
Dear Helen, Thank you so very much for this tutorial. I’m new to bread making (along with half the country), and you answered many of my questions and solved some problems.
Thank you so much for this very informative video - I was actually thinking about writing you regarding yeast, there were so many types & I didn’t understand the differences. Many months ago I purchased the SAF red label yeast, based on your recommendation, but I didn’t understand how to use it, so it sat in my refrigerator all these months. Thanks to this video I’ve learned so much and I finally get it!!
all my recipes use SAF yeast, so just follow instructions in the recipe :) SAF yeast is very flexible. it can be added to either wet or dry ingredients.
No yeast anywhere so I tried sourdough. Starter came out nice, frothy and boozy after 10 days. Made dough, overnighted bulk fermentation--next morn 2x in size but shaping was a disaster--could not manage and was a total mess. I savaged it into sweet potato pancakes that were great but have not made bread since. (FYI: my pasta skills are vastly improved thanks to your Rookie mistakes vid) I will try again when I get the courage but I found Lesaffre - SAF Instant Yeast on Ebay for less than 1/2 the price on Amazon!! Love your straight forward style, rich content and cute accent!
A very old American cookbook described how people would start their yeast growing and then mix it with mashed potatoes, spread it out thinly, cover with cloth and then let it dry. Now you had all the dried yeast you would need for the future !
I find that it is way easier active dry if I dehydrate it first. I use to buy big blocks of Fermipan Yeast (Instant) and it would last a very long time stored in a glass sealer jar in the fridge. And air tight jar is better than a plastic anything as plastic is way too permeable which as I deduced after storing Pesto in a freezer - the plastic one spoiled where as the one in the glass jar was fine . I started using active dry because after an experiment I thought it develops a better tasting bread. I am currently using Fletcher's Active Dry and it has been kicking around my Kitchen for a long time without any issues. I don't proof it, I just mix it in with the water and when it is hydrated I add it to the flour mixture. My lead back into bread making was pizzas but now with covid-19 I am baking bread every week. I want to thank you for passing on your knowledge as It is much appreciated as it helps me up my game.
Thank you so so so much for answering my questions and many more. Now I’m off to try and bake something good. If it fails at least I know more details on what to fix and try again
Interesting. During the Great Yeast Shortage I was only able to get the gold label yeast. I couldn’t figure out the difference but it seemed to work fine so I was happy. Good to finally know what the difference is. Thanks!
Many years ago, I bought a 2lb bag of Red Star Active Dry yeast at Costco. I store it in the refrigerator and have used it as you describe using instant yeast, without issue. I actually didn’t realize that there is a difference between Active Dry and Instant. Now, perhaps my yeast has declined in potency over the years, but because I usually make my dough on the wet side and let it sit overnight to work/activate, I don’t experience deficient rising and only use a teaspoon of yeast at a time.
There is beer bread, that replaces the yeast with the beer, add in Baking powder and salt. Or use self-rising flour and some sugar. The basic recipe, 3 cups flour, a couple tablespoons of sugar, one 12 ounces can of beer (Can even be expired and still work), and one and a half teaspoons of salt mix and bake for 1 hour at 375 F internal temp of 200 F. (If using self-rising flour omit the baking powder and salt).
I am relatively new to your channel and absolutely love your videos. I recently returned from a 3 week trip to Southern Italy and have been obsessed with making pasta ever since. I've almost mastered the orecchiette shape but still quite slow at it. Now I would like to try my hand at some breads. Your Bread Q&A is extremely helpful and I was hoping you could possibly recommend a good traditional Italian bread recipe, preferably with a video to view. Thanks in advance!
Thank you ... good video and you have an excellent personality for what you are doing. I have been braking my own bread for about 3 years - a lot of trial and error. I have also received at lot of nonsense advise. I learned some new things from this video and had some of my own findings confirmed especially with relation to yeast and flour. Again .. thank you.
Well, I've never had anyone tell me that I have a "yeast free environment" before! LOL A couple of months ago, I would have taken that as a compliment. I've tried 4 different sour dough starters, and now I'm just using quick yeast! Life is grand.
I build starters with a low protein flour, a spoonful of brewers malt, a generous pinch of yeast, and kefir and/or cultured buttermilk, This gives a nice kick start to the complexity. It gets better over time, but this will give something that can be used fairly quickly.
Just brilliant. Can you get an award for this? I have a modest talent for baking -- it's a sort of DNA thing from my mother, her mother, and even my paternal grandfather -- but there were some things I wasn't aware of, and can't wait to experiment, once I can get some damn yeast. Just superb!
Another option for a sourdough starter could be if you know someone who is experienced they might be willing to give you a little bit of their starter that they have in order to get your starter going. If you have a friend who is experienced with sourdoughs then just ask them. I got my starter started on my own but for my cousin who wanted to get into it I just gave them a small amount of my starter to get them going.
Thanks for a very informative video. I've always wondered why a sweet bread took forever to rise compared to regular. My logic was that more sugar would hasten he process, I didn't realize the sugar robbed moisture from the dough(yeast). Not only are you homeschooling your kids but us as well, Thank You.
This excellent video just popped up in my feed. In the southern US baking powder biscuits are a goto quick bread for no time/yeast situations. Much easier to me than making a tortilla without a press.
I buy bulk yeast, homemade bread is my downfall but you COULDN'T find a pack of yeast or a bag of flour to save your life around here. I vaccuum seal my yeast and have used it for about year with no problem. I don't even know if I need to vacuum seal it but I figured it couldn't hurt. I love your channel ...my favorite recipe you ever made was the farro and mushroom. I literally make that once a week! It is one of my favorite grains and I had never heard of it before about 18 months ago. I also think the hardest part about making bread is a mental part people get so hung up about worrying about their yeast and their flour that they make making bread a whole lot more confusing and difficult. Sometimes the art of bread making is just knowing what a dough should be like. So you may need to add a little bit more water or milk or liquid in general or you may need to add a little more flour. If you know the dough is a sticky dough then you certainly don't want to dry it out but a lot of it just comes from experience and the only way you gain experience is to just dive into it and make bread! I've never made a rock or a really hard loaf of bread or one that didn't rise not once. I've shown lots of people how I make bread and they go on and make bread all the time and they say how easy it is now. I'm not a professional, so maybe my standards are lower but I think we will just take making bread way too serious and it should be an enjoyable process, and I think everybody should know how to make a loaf of bread and have that recipe that they feel confident making that turns out every time.
I couldn't agree more. Practice makes perfect. I actually find bread way easier and less messy (or labor intensive) than pasta. Once you get into the rhythm of it, it's really no big deal.
Hiya Helen, Fresh Yeast can be obtained quite often from home brewers who make speciality beers. I live in England but I'm sure that it will be the same elsewhere. Thanks for the great video, stay safe and well.❤️🌞🌻🍞🌾
Love your videos, and this one is very informative. I did not know the difference between Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast. I recently purchased a new jar of Active Dry Yeast, and I always store it in the fridge. I have found that if I don't wake up the yeast in water at a temp of 105-110 F with sugar (as the manufacture suggests), it does not rise properly. When I do wake it up ahead of time, it works much better. Going forward I will purchase the Instant Yeast, now that I know what it is. Thank you!
#realcomment We've been baking our own bread for about 40 years, but we are still learning new things! A few years ago we bought a Panasonic bread machine that produces a decent English-style loaf, but it takes the right flour and additives (seven grains) to pull it off. Recently, we became interested in producing a better French baguette using the Julia Child method and that's coming along nicely. We bought proofing baskets and proper French flour from King Arthur. Unfortunately, during the pandemic we have a flour shortage at the grocery and only managed to get a bag of Masa this morning. So, corn tortillas and tamales it is! Thanks to you we are more successful in making our own pasta. Ramen noodles are next!
A Freezer is good place for yeast. I tend to by my yeast in the big vacuum bricks. (that look like a pound of butter) From there to a mason jar and into the freezer. I've certainly had them work for 2+ years . . . Same for baking powder. I've never had a yeast fail yet. Now that I've said this . . . who knows . . . it might happen. I am very very much enjoying your channel . . . trying to get over that deep Boston accent :)
I think you are Amazing!!! Soooo much knowledge and such an Amazing teacher...Thank you thank you thank you!!! I wish I had your instruction as a young adult!!
European fresh yeast user here. In my country, you can get it at any supermarket (during non-Corona times) and it's genuinely the cheapest option (like 8cts for 42 g) and what is called for in most recipes I've seen. I've learned to proof it in warm liquid(I don't know what other people do) because it doesn't mix well with flour. I feel like it tastes yeastier than dry yeast, so if you like the taste (I do), use that, especially for these cakes where it's just a leayer of yeast dough and fruit/streusel. It does die or get moldy after a few weeks, but I have previously frozen it and it still worked. Might take longer to rise, though. You can also use it for American recipes - it has worked for me to use half a cube when the recipe calls for one packet of dry yeast. But watch your dough, obviously. Hope it helps!
There's another flour with more protein than bread flour called high gluten flour. It's got around 14% protein and used for things like bagels, challah, and pizza. Also, for certain pizzas like NY style, high gluten flour is necessary to achieve the characteristic chewiness.
Not only that, it's essential to make proper panettone or pandoro, blended with weaker flour it's also used for croissaints! It's called "Manitoba" in Italy/France, it comes from american winter wheat, it can go from 14 to 16% protein, milled to a Tipo 0 or 1 configuration usually.
This is the best summary of yeasts I have seen. Thanks. I happen to be using SAF Instant (from Whole Foods) so I'm happy to hear it is your favorite brand.
If you have a Costco in your area you will find they have active dry yeast, however they don’t have instant variety. The tip about making good use of your yeast us to buy smaller bottles .
Don't forget after you borrow some yeast or find a small amount, you can keep reproducing it indefinitely until supplies restock. Check out some of the recent bread recipes from Glen and Friends for examples. Basically, just rip off a small chunk of dough (about the size of a large olive or small walnut) and mix it up with 1 cup flour (or ~5 ounces) and 1 cup water. Then, when you use that in place of yeast for your next bread, just deduct that much flour and liquid from the recipe. Repeat the process with that dough.
In my part of the world it is actually quite easy to find fresh pressed yeast and it is my preferred type of yeast. I find that the dough is somehow better and nicer to the touch when kneading. I also think that it tastes slightly different and it is my preference. And this one you have to activate for it to work. I think this additional fermentation time is the cause for the little differences. But thank you for the fridge information, I will now keep instant yeast for on the spur baking there.
I just wanted to mention Irish Soda Bread. I make it regularly with just flour, salt, butter, baking soda and buttermilk. 1 hr beginning to end and my family loves it No rasins!
My advice for firing up a new sourdough starter would be to feed it with 50-100% rye flour, particularly from the Whole Foods bulk grains department. Also, irish soda bread doesn’t need yeast (but does turn out quite dense compared to most other breads).
This was fabulous knowledge and thanks so much. I love how you talk so passionately about food in general. Even tho' this message is way late, I had to comment how much I learned. If I could, I would asked about adding vital gluten to my bread. What is your advice?
In my experience, (your mileage will vary): Paste Yeast: This is a "live" pet! You feed it, you talk to it, you NEED to care for it. Instant Yeast: More like a good, close friend, you call and they answer (every time). Dry Active Yeast: A dormant form of "Instant". You must "wake it up" before using. Rapid-Rise Yeast: A "turbocharged", hyperactive child for recipes that need speed. (Bread machines WITH a "hurry up" option) For the most part, Yeast is yeast. Wine, beer, bread ALL use the same yeast. However, yeast is a LIVING ingredient. It has an agenda of its own!
I bought some instant yeast on Amazon, last month some time. I bought what I could find. I am supposed to get next month. Coming on a slow boat from China, I think. (I have made flatbread and Irish soda bread---haven't felt I was qualified to make sourdough--sounds smart I didn't start.)
Yeast is available again, but was scarce 10 months ago, therefore sourdough. As with everything in yeast baking, Patience is king. A new starter in my house took over 10 days to get going, and a month or so to get really strong. It's ready to bake with IF it will double (or more!) in less than 5-6 hours. Mine will now triple in that time. Patience, patience, patience.
Not only Chef John, but many others use cup measurements. I have stopped making those breads because of inconsistency. I even had to contact Red Star to find out their measurements in weight instead of cups they use in their recipes.
#realcomment Helen, thank you so very much for this video, I have long been confused by Instant and Active Dry yeast, and I’ll be buying some instant yeast! However, on Amazon U.K. there are some companies which are going with instant active dry yeast, or active dry instant yeast just to confuse things further!
Thank you for your videos! I was wondering about the folding technique you described at 21 minutes in. Will the bread behave better if I do this multiple times? This is after a 4 day period in the fridge.
I congratulated myself for having the sense to get some yeast and AP flour. Then I watched your video and immediately deflated. I chose your least favorite yeast and flour. It will still work, but not as well. I love your videos..
I know the yeast scare is over now, but something I use just as another method - but will also save on yeast (sourdough starter does it, too, but I’m not that often in a sourdough mood) - it’s called an “old dough” method, which you can find if you look it up. I think Erin McDonald on food52 has a recipe. I use Steve Sullivan’s from Acme Bakery, but I got his from a Julia Child PBS series, and then her “Baking with Julia” book. In a nutshell, when you make bread, save a walnut sized piece of dough in the fridge, and within a couple or few days, use that in your next batch (& then you can use just a little yeast).
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS:
Hi guys,
Thank you for your fabulous comments. I learned (or remembered) a whole lot from them.
1) use bottled or filtered water for a sourdough starter. chlorine in the water can kill yeast.
2) tortillas need baking powder
3) King Arthur white whole wheat flour is not just a different grind, it's milled from hard white spring wheat - a lighter-colored grain than traditional red wheat. Here is a tip from King Arthur website: "If you substitute some whole grain flour in a yeast bread recipe calling for white flour, let the dough rest for 15 minutes before kneading." I imagine that whole wheat flour takes longer to hydrate.
Hi Helen, love n thanks for this video. Even the questions is not fr me, but all the answers you have does teach me.
I hv a question too 😊
@Some recipes put a lot of yeast, some just very little.
1. What's the purpose or different?
2. Is that any bad or good for health?
Thanks Helen
I’ve found that any whole grain flour content (above say 30 percent) benefits greatly from an autolyse. Esp if the flour is not milled super finely. The little bits of bran and germ absorb a lot of water. I always let the dough rest and helps tremendously.
I never comment on videos but I just want to say that Helen Rennie is a fantastic youtube cooking instructor. I would PAY for some of these videos.
You can support her on Patreon :)
www.patreon.com/helenrennie
I totally agree she is great at explaining everything in a way that's easy to understand.
Helen,
You are a natural teacher, your videos are consistently lucid and thorough, and you are distractingly beautiful. Please keep up the wonderful work.
Sourdough starters are both Yeast and Lactobacillus. Lactic acid makes the "sour" part. These starters are DEFINITELY livestock (not a pet)! You feed them, you talk to them, you massage them, you harvest some (every month?). They are a balancing act between yeast and bacteria, that NEED attention.
On the subjects of kneading, no-knead bread, surface tension of gluten structure in a wet bread dough, longer fermentation equating to flavour, etc., Helen’s explanation is so good! Thank you very much.
how do one know for how long it can ferment?
can't just leave dough for a week
Most no-knead bread recipes that I've seen online (some as old as from 2010), immediately after mixing together the dough, they fold the outsides of the dough lump in, a few times, and repeat that after awhile, often while stretching the dough, and they call it 'just forming a ball'. I think it's basically the same principle as letter folding.
Thanks for all your videos!
I have baked bread for a very long time. I researched all things related to bread over the years and you answered all the questions but in one place. People will greatly benefit from all your wonderful experience. I grew a sour dough started about 4 years ago and it continues to be active. Now it is like a family member…..☺️. We eat that more of the time, but my mother-in-law (95 years old) prefers a softer bead when toasted as her teeth are very fragile now. So a bread flour or white wheat flour bread has been a life saver. Love your videos!
Ms Rennie, I very much enjoy your cooking tips. Even old grannies can learn new tricks 😉
I’ve been trying all kinds of new things thanks to TH-cam.
I’ve been baking bread for almost 6 decades and have learned that home made bread is like sex: when it’s good it’s great, and when it’s bad it’s not that bad. (I have had some inedible failures I admit.)
I learned that adding a sponge stage to my bread recipes improves the results-that’s leaving the dough wet like cake batter and letting it bubble for a couple of hours before adding the remainder of the flour and kneading. I got that tip just a few years ago from a Julia Child’s book.
Wild yeast for sourdough is more sensitive to chlorine. For that you need filtered or bottled water. Chlorinated water will kill native cultures. Also, I buy my yeast in one-pound bags and freeze it in clean jelly jars. Lasts for years. I have a good twenty recipes-worth on hand, if only I can get the flour. I learned that from my mother, who taught me baking. We pinch pennies until they scream. My loaf shaping technique comes from The Joy of Cooking. I’ll have to try the letter fold and see how that works for me. Thanks, from Maureen
I'm so glad I discovered this channel. This video has answered several questions about why my bread can be hit or miss. Also, it's nice to see someone echo frustration at the number of US recipes that use 'cups' as a measurement; they're never precise enough for baking. Finally, with her simple, clear and detailed instructions (and page-boy haircut), Helen reminds me of a young Delia Smith, a British cooking legend who also helped make cooking approachable -though Helen is considerably less stern : )
A suggestion about Chef John's Country Bread and/or similar no-knead recipes... I use a clean 8" cast iron (but anything about that size that is oven safe would work) skillet as a "mold". I let the dough rise overnight in a big bowl as suggested. Then I kinda cram/smoosh/fold a sheet of parchment paper into my skillet so that it pretty much conforms with the shape. I trim off the edges of the parchment paper so it's not sticking out every which way. It doesn't need to be an Art Class trim job. I do a moderate slather job of olive oil to the parchment paper after it's been more-or-less form fitted to the skillet. Plop your dough into the paper-lined skillet and you'll get a dome shaped loaf. I just finished a loaf I made about a week ago that was a good 4" tall at the top of the dome. Cheers and be safe!
Thanks for answering my questions! I have never heard this explained so well. I love watching your channel. Stay safe. :)
Loved all yours! & her answers
Thank you for this valuable, in-depth information - most especially on the types of yeast, which are so confusing in the supermarket. One bit of info I'd like to add is about "white" whole wheat: it is another sort of wheat altogether, and has a different color and lighter flavor. Although I don't bake much anymore, many years (lifetimes!) ago, I would buy wheat berries to grind into flour for bread. The white berries were a golden color, less bitter in flavor than the the "normal" red wheat berries, and even had a different aroma. Whole wheat flour from red wheat was pretty much all that could be found in stores back then. I was told that white wheat was more common in other countries, and it certainly seems easier to find nowadays than when I was using it so long ago. In those days, the white wheat berries I bought were called "Montana Gold" or something like that, and had to be ordered on line. Although the bread was not as tall and fluffy as that made with all white flour, even the totally whole-grain loaves had a really nice, mild flavor that appealed to kids as well as adults. Of course, the protein content of the flour varied in the same way as other wheat varieties (i.e., depending on whether it was made from a hard or soft type, grown in spring or winter, etc.). No idea what kind King Arthur uses. Thanks again for the Q&A, and good luck with the home-schooling! :)
Wow loved your post so interesting only worry about MA. Water where daughter lives chemicals in city murders my starters but there a way leave it out&it disapates
I have used instant yeast for over 5 years, kept in the fridge, and it still worked perfectly.
Many bread bakers I’ve watched or read do use fresh yeast, so just now I looked up why you’d use it. This was my first hit (& I didn’t research any further): “Fresh yeast is ideal for use in breads that require a long, slow fermentation and rise, as their active reaction lasts longer than that of dried yeast. It always works out very well when a recipe calls for multiple proofs.”
I appreciate how genuine and sincere you are! You are so knowledgeable and share that knowledge with us. Thank you!
I think you are the French Julia Child - as good, as charming, easier to follow, and full of info that is not easy to find.
Thank you for caring so much!!! The more you love your subject the better you teach and you are a wonderful teacher
This is amazing. I’ve been baking bread since I was a teenager, but it’s alway just... fine. It’s never been transformative. But now I have a lot better knowledge and context.
I learned sooo much watching your Q&A video. Especially about the flour types. Thank you.
Just a comment on active dry yeast. To extend it's life keep it in the freezer. I've had a large pack of it for 2 years and it still works. Helen thank you for your great videos!
The cold doesn't kill it?
This is a fantastic Q & A. I thought the reason that you should "proof" the yeast before making the bread mix was that if your yeast is "dead", you end up throwing away cups of flour, instead of a tablespoon! Or rushing to the store to buy yeast and then trying to add it to the dough....
My mom had instructions for testing the baking powder too. All of those ingredients wasted are expensive.
I have been learning much from you. Thank you. Have been baking different kinds of bread for over a year now, but still learning.😎
I am usually grinning when I listen to you. Thanks, Helen!
Hi Helen, I love your videos and have learned a lot from you considering I”m quite a bit older and have been cooking for decades.
I love making bread and now with the long fermentation making bread is so much easier and satisfying.
I was hoping you had more about sourdough breads, I don’t like the very bitter sourdough but the long fermentation breads seem to have a mild sourdough taste to them.
I’ll keep watching your videos because I’ve found you can teach an old dog new tricks. Woof
This was the most useful video on bread I've seen. I have watched a LOT of bread videos lately. Exactly the right amount of non-professionalism. Not slick. Not trying to Brand. Just comfortably useful. Thank you! :-X
Dear Helen, what I do love about your videos is that you explain the science that supports the methods and ingredients and you do it in a very honest way. I began baking only 4 years ago and am doing ok....but I have learned a lot from different videos on the web and what I see is that some tells you all about flour but not about folding......others teach you how to work with the dough, but at some point, the camera goes fast and you cant see that little thing that makes de difference.....anyway, everyone tells you a lot but no one tells you it all or tells you why or warn you about the mistakes everyone does. You have surprised me no only because you do want to teach and also because you (maybe because of your smart MIT husband) research the chemistry and physics of bread making and share it......bread, as far i can see up to now, depends on about everything surrounding the bread maker.....the climate (air humidity, temperature), atmosphere pressure, the flour, the yeast, the size of the egg, the type of milk, the fat (butter, lard, etc), the material of the pan, the color of the pan, the size of the pan, the length of the raising, and, most of all , the oven (oh, the oven!) and the kneading and shaping...........kneading and shaping seems to be the key for a good bread and that, requires time, practice and, yes, a natural gift. About everyone can make bread......in old times, every woman did.....but good amazing bread, is for a few. We try.........I am doing OK .......some times I bake amazing bread and next week it goes wrong......I am.trying to improve.....and practice does miracles for sure...........but bread making is a gift......some people have it in their veins, others just do OK. Thanks a lot for your videos. I use to watch Bake with jack (lots of bread science) , Chef John (amazing Lebanese mountain bread that comes great every time) , John Kirkwood (the best and easiest foccacia to make) ....a simple but quite good Brazilian guy from youtube "amo pão caseiro" - that means "I love home made bread" (I am Brazilian and live in BR).....and from some time now i also watch your.videos From you five guys I have learned a lot. Yes, I did and do watch some famous ones and we can always learn some from them, but they normally don't really teach what home bakers need to learn. Thank you ! I wish you great success and may God bless you and your family,
You brought back my enthusiasm for baking, I can’t knead because of arthritis in my thumbs, and I don’t have a stand mixer, but I’m very happy to leave my dough to rise in the fridge for 5 days, and that has me chomping at the bit to make it! I’m replaying your video to check the protein content of the flour, I live in the U.K. and King Arthur flour isn’t available so, I’m debating my options with myself!
Thank you Hellen for another fantastic helpful video. I have been following your video recipes since the start of COVID crisis and I have been getting better at my baking skills, specially breads! You are a very good teacher.
15:28- The King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour is excellent. Recently tried it for the first time in a white bread recipe (Alex's white bread, to be specific) and it's definitely my favorite.
Trader Joe's has their own brand of White Whole Wheat flour that is very good😉!
I love your channel and how awesome you are as a teacher, mom, and you tuber Look forward to seeing you live one day
great video, clear info.
I use the same brand of yeast - I've had it become useless in a year, but also last for more than 4 years. So I do always check the yeast first just to be sure. It only takes a few minutes. But I let it bloom for a lot longer.....
The taste of 'yeasty' breads are very yummy, I think. So I usually use MORE yeast than called for, and sometimes let it "bloom" for a long while before adding to the bowl. Raising in the fridge (much slower) also builds more yeasty flavor.
Lastly, I always use filtered water for baking for the reasons shown in your clarification; yeast don't like chlorine or fluoride.
Thanks for your great, videos. Much appreciated.
Hi Helen, great video, as usual.
I'd like to add couple of comments for readers with scientific inclinations.
*Flour strength does not depend only on the amount of protein. A small addition of vitamin C (like 0.01%) can help gluten development and that is done to produce bread flours. I was recently comparing data sheets for two flours produced by the same company: AP and bread types. Both had the same protein content (10.5%). Yet the W values were about 150 and 240 for the AP and bread flours respectively. This differece is too big to be explained by usage of vitamin C alone, so there must be someting else going on there. For those interested, the W value is an objective way of measuring the strength. Conceptually, it is the energy needed to inflate and pop a dough bubble. The more energy, the higher the W, the stronger the flour is. Bread flour sacks used in industry typically have the W value printed on it. Goggle for "Chopin alveograph" for more info. That said, there is not only one flour that will work and K.A. AP is one very good choice among others.
*Another small comment to Helen: the fact that the size of a cup is not well defined is somewhat irrelevant for the issue with Chef John's recipe. Both flour and water amounts are given in volume, so the volumetric proportions are the same no matter the cup size. You are right about the compressibility issue and YES measuring by weight is the way to go.
*Finally, I'd like to recommend the FoodGeek channel. This guy will test everithing. We will try out different hydration levels, white/whole flours ratios, proofing and shaping techniques, adding salt before/after autolyse, baking temps etc. Then he will do a side by side comparision of the results.
Cheers and happy baking
Back to watch again, didn't comment before but your content needs more notoriety! You taught me how to use my Shun chef knife I'd had for YEARS and never used enough to even have to hone 😆 Thank you 🤗🥰
Dear Helen,
Thank you so very much for this tutorial. I’m new to bread making (along with half the country), and you answered many of my questions and solved some problems.
Ms. Rennie,
You do excellent work! Thank you.
I followed your advice on using SAF Yeast and never looked back - Thank you!
Thank you so much for this very informative video - I was actually thinking about writing you regarding yeast, there were so many types & I didn’t understand the differences. Many months ago I purchased the SAF red label yeast, based on your recommendation, but I didn’t understand how to use it, so it sat in my refrigerator all these months. Thanks to this video I’ve learned so much and I finally get it!!
all my recipes use SAF yeast, so just follow instructions in the recipe :) SAF yeast is very flexible. it can be added to either wet or dry ingredients.
No yeast anywhere so I tried sourdough. Starter came out nice, frothy and boozy after 10 days. Made dough, overnighted bulk fermentation--next morn 2x in size but shaping was a disaster--could not manage and was a total mess. I savaged it into sweet potato pancakes that were great but have not made bread since. (FYI: my pasta skills are vastly improved thanks to your Rookie mistakes vid) I will try again when I get the courage but I found Lesaffre - SAF Instant Yeast on Ebay for less than 1/2 the price on Amazon!! Love your straight forward style, rich content and cute accent!
A very old American cookbook described how people would start their yeast growing and then mix it with mashed potatoes, spread it out thinly, cover with cloth and then let it dry. Now you had all the dried yeast you would need for the future !
I find that it is way easier active dry if I dehydrate it first. I use to buy big blocks of Fermipan Yeast (Instant) and it would last a very long time stored in a glass sealer jar in the fridge. And air tight jar is better than a plastic anything as plastic is way too permeable which as I deduced after storing Pesto in a freezer - the plastic one spoiled where as the one in the glass jar was fine . I started using active dry because after an experiment I thought it develops a better tasting bread. I am currently using Fletcher's Active Dry and it has been kicking around my Kitchen for a long time without any issues. I don't proof it, I just mix it in with the water and when it is hydrated I add it to the flour mixture. My lead back into bread making was pizzas but now with covid-19 I am baking bread every week. I want to thank you for passing on your knowledge as It is much appreciated as it helps me up my game.
Thank you so so so much for answering my questions and many more. Now I’m off to try and bake something good. If it fails at least I know more details on what to fix and try again
The best part of bread or pizza baking is kneading. Get a lot of satisfaction out of working the dough getting it to the elastic and smooth.
Love watching your videos. You are very thorough with your instructions 💕
Helen, you are amazing. Easy to follow and clear instructions. Thank you)
Interesting. During the Great Yeast Shortage I was only able to get the gold label yeast. I couldn’t figure out the difference but it seemed to work fine so I was happy. Good to finally know what the difference is. Thanks!
Many years ago, I bought a 2lb bag of Red Star Active Dry yeast at Costco. I store it in the refrigerator and have used it as you describe using instant yeast, without issue. I actually didn’t realize that there is a difference between Active Dry and Instant. Now, perhaps my yeast has declined in potency over the years, but because I usually make my dough on the wet side and let it sit overnight to work/activate, I don’t experience deficient rising and only use a teaspoon of yeast at a time.
There is beer bread, that replaces the yeast with the beer, add in Baking powder and salt. Or use self-rising flour and some sugar. The basic recipe, 3 cups flour, a couple tablespoons of sugar, one 12 ounces can of beer (Can even be expired and still work), and one and a half teaspoons of salt mix and bake for 1 hour at 375 F internal temp of 200 F. (If using self-rising flour omit the baking powder and salt).
I am relatively new to your channel and absolutely love your videos. I recently returned from a 3 week trip to Southern Italy and have been obsessed with making pasta ever since. I've almost mastered the orecchiette shape but still quite slow at it. Now I would like to try my hand at some breads. Your Bread Q&A is extremely helpful and I was hoping you could possibly recommend a good traditional Italian bread recipe, preferably with a video to view. Thanks in advance!
Thank you ... good video and you have an excellent personality for what you are doing. I have been braking my own bread for about 3 years - a lot of trial and error. I have also received at lot of nonsense advise. I learned some new things from this video and had some of my own findings confirmed especially with relation to yeast and flour. Again .. thank you.
Well, I've never had anyone tell me that I have a "yeast free environment" before! LOL
A couple of months ago, I would have taken that as a compliment.
I've tried 4 different sour dough starters, and now I'm just using quick yeast!
Life is grand.
I build starters with a low protein flour, a spoonful of brewers malt, a generous pinch of yeast, and kefir and/or cultured buttermilk, This gives a nice kick start to the complexity. It gets better over time, but this will give something that can be used fairly quickly.
Just brilliant. Can you get an award for this? I have a modest talent for baking -- it's a sort of DNA thing from my mother, her mother, and even my paternal grandfather -- but there were some things I wasn't aware of, and can't wait to experiment, once I can get some damn yeast. Just superb!
Thank you so much for this video. You have answered so many bread making questions I’ve had.
Another option for a sourdough starter could be if you know someone who is experienced they might be willing to give you a little bit of their starter that they have in order to get your starter going. If you have a friend who is experienced with sourdoughs then just ask them. I got my starter started on my own but for my cousin who wanted to get into it I just gave them a small amount of my starter to get them going.
Thanks for a very informative video. I've always wondered why a sweet bread took forever to rise compared to regular. My logic was that more sugar would hasten he process, I didn't realize the sugar robbed moisture from the dough(yeast). Not only are you homeschooling your kids but us as well, Thank You.
This excellent video just popped up in my feed. In the southern US baking powder biscuits are a goto quick bread for no time/yeast situations. Much easier to me than making a tortilla without a press.
I buy bulk yeast, homemade bread is my downfall but you COULDN'T find a pack of yeast or a bag of flour to save your life around here. I vaccuum seal my yeast and have used it for about year with no problem. I don't even know if I need to vacuum seal it but I figured it couldn't hurt. I love your channel ...my favorite recipe you ever made was the farro and mushroom. I literally make that once a week! It is one of my favorite grains and I had never heard of it before about 18 months ago. I also think the hardest part about making bread is a mental part people get so hung up about worrying about their yeast and their flour that they make making bread a whole lot more confusing and difficult. Sometimes the art of bread making is just knowing what a dough should be like. So you may need to add a little bit more water or milk or liquid in general or you may need to add a little more flour. If you know the dough is a sticky dough then you certainly don't want to dry it out but a lot of it just comes from experience and the only way you gain experience is to just dive into it and make bread! I've never made a rock or a really hard loaf of bread or one that didn't rise not once. I've shown lots of people how I make bread and they go on and make bread all the time and they say how easy it is now. I'm not a professional, so maybe my standards are lower but I think we will just take making bread way too serious and it should be an enjoyable process, and I think everybody should know how to make a loaf of bread and have that recipe that they feel confident making that turns out every time.
I couldn't agree more. Practice makes perfect. I actually find bread way easier and less messy (or labor intensive) than pasta. Once you get into the rhythm of it, it's really no big deal.
@@helenrennie I absolutely agree!
You are awesome.... thank you! I’m still using your vodka pie crust recipe, to everyone’s enjoyment.
Hiya Helen, Fresh Yeast can be obtained quite often from home brewers who make speciality beers. I live in England but I'm sure that it will be the same elsewhere. Thanks for the great video, stay safe and well.❤️🌞🌻🍞🌾
Love your videos, and this one is very informative. I did not know the difference between Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast. I recently purchased a new jar of Active Dry Yeast, and I always store it in the fridge. I have found that if I don't wake up the yeast in water at a temp of 105-110 F with sugar (as the manufacture suggests), it does not rise properly. When I do wake it up ahead of time, it works much better. Going forward I will purchase the Instant Yeast, now that I know what it is. Thank you!
Another source for flours is your local co OP, they usually have a good variety of different types of flours. Even white whole wheat.
#realcomment We've been baking our own bread for about 40 years, but we are still learning new things! A few years ago we bought a Panasonic bread machine that produces a decent English-style loaf, but it takes the right flour and additives (seven grains) to pull it off. Recently, we became interested in producing a better French baguette using the Julia Child method and that's coming along nicely. We bought proofing baskets and proper French flour from King Arthur. Unfortunately, during the pandemic we have a flour shortage at the grocery and only managed to get a bag of Masa this morning. So, corn tortillas and tamales it is! Thanks to you we are more successful in making our own pasta. Ramen noodles are next!
A Freezer is good place for yeast. I tend to by my yeast in the big vacuum bricks. (that look like a pound of butter) From there to a mason jar and into the freezer. I've certainly had them work for 2+ years . . . Same for baking powder. I've never had a yeast fail yet. Now that I've said this . . . who knows . . . it might happen.
I am very very much enjoying your channel . . . trying to get over that deep Boston accent :)
I think you are Amazing!!! Soooo much knowledge and such an Amazing teacher...Thank you thank you thank you!!! I wish I had your instruction as a young adult!!
European fresh yeast user here. In my country, you can get it at any supermarket (during non-Corona times) and it's genuinely the cheapest option (like 8cts for 42 g) and what is called for in most recipes I've seen. I've learned to proof it in warm liquid(I don't know what other people do) because it doesn't mix well with flour. I feel like it tastes yeastier than dry yeast, so if you like the taste (I do), use that, especially for these cakes where it's just a leayer of yeast dough and fruit/streusel. It does die or get moldy after a few weeks, but I have previously frozen it and it still worked. Might take longer to rise, though. You can also use it for American recipes - it has worked for me to use half a cube when the recipe calls for one packet of dry yeast. But watch your dough, obviously. Hope it helps!
There's another flour with more protein than bread flour called high gluten flour. It's got around 14% protein and used for things like bagels, challah, and pizza. Also, for certain pizzas like NY style, high gluten flour is necessary to achieve the characteristic chewiness.
Not only that, it's essential to make proper panettone or pandoro, blended with weaker flour it's also used for croissaints! It's called "Manitoba" in Italy/France, it comes from american winter wheat, it can go from 14 to 16% protein, milled to a Tipo 0 or 1 configuration usually.
Excellent video, thank you for sharing this information. Fun to watch. Love all of your videos.
This is the best summary of yeasts I have seen. Thanks. I happen to be using SAF Instant (from Whole Foods) so I'm happy to hear it is your favorite brand.
If you have a Costco in your area you will find they have active dry yeast, however they don’t have instant variety. The tip about making good use of your yeast us to buy smaller bottles .
Thanks for the explanation. I will try your suggestions. Great channel!
Thanks so much...I'm needing to knead....
i love you Helen! So precise and informational!
I always look forward to your videos, I learn something new every time.
I really enjoy your videos. They are informative and very helpful and easy to follow thank you very much
My favourite breads ... focaccia, sourdough, Turkish, Danish rye
Thanks for all the great advice! I’ll be switching from KASL Bread flour to KASL AP for my pizza dough.
Love your videos. So clear and informative.
I’m so happy you didn’t do this live. Live TH-cam is usually disorderly. I’d rather just listen to a good lecture.
Don't forget after you borrow some yeast or find a small amount, you can keep reproducing it indefinitely until supplies restock. Check out some of the recent bread recipes from Glen and Friends for examples. Basically, just rip off a small chunk of dough (about the size of a large olive or small walnut) and mix it up with 1 cup flour (or ~5 ounces) and 1 cup water. Then, when you use that in place of yeast for your next bread, just deduct that much flour and liquid from the recipe. Repeat the process with that dough.
I showed this video to my mum just because of the comment about homeschooling - she's now an avid follower
In my part of the world it is actually quite easy to find fresh pressed yeast and it is my preferred type of yeast. I find that the dough is somehow better and nicer to the touch when kneading. I also think that it tastes slightly different and it is my preference. And this one you have to activate for it to work. I think this additional fermentation time is the cause for the little differences.
But thank you for the fridge information, I will now keep instant yeast for on the spur baking there.
I just wanted to mention Irish Soda Bread. I make it regularly with just flour, salt, butter, baking soda and buttermilk. 1 hr beginning to end and my family loves it
No rasins!
I think that’s called a quick bread.
Quick bread is the culprit of gluten intolerance. Not enough fermentation.
My advice for firing up a new sourdough starter would be to feed it with 50-100% rye flour, particularly from the Whole Foods bulk grains department.
Also, irish soda bread doesn’t need yeast (but does turn out quite dense compared to most other breads).
If you can't find SAF yeast in the supermarket King Arthur sells it to.
Yaaaay you read my question 😁
This was fabulous knowledge and thanks so much. I love how you talk so passionately about food in general. Even tho' this message is way late, I had to comment how much I learned. If I could, I would asked about adding vital gluten to my bread. What is your advice?
In my experience, (your mileage will vary):
Paste Yeast: This is a "live" pet! You feed it, you talk to it, you NEED to care for it.
Instant Yeast: More like a good, close friend, you call and they answer (every time).
Dry Active Yeast: A dormant form of "Instant". You must "wake it up" before using.
Rapid-Rise Yeast: A "turbocharged", hyperactive child for recipes that need speed. (Bread machines WITH a "hurry up" option)
For the most part, Yeast is yeast. Wine, beer, bread ALL use the same yeast. However, yeast is a LIVING ingredient. It has an agenda of its own!
That yeast was available at costco for $2.50 per 16 ounce sealed bag. Fully stocked shelf (last week, in phoenix..)
I bought some instant yeast on Amazon, last month some time. I bought what I could find. I am supposed to get next month. Coming on a slow boat from China, I think. (I have made flatbread and Irish soda bread---haven't felt I was qualified to make sourdough--sounds smart I didn't start.)
Yeast is available again, but was scarce 10 months ago, therefore sourdough. As with everything in yeast baking, Patience is king. A new starter in my house took over 10 days to get going, and a month or so to get really strong. It's ready to bake with IF it will double (or more!) in less than 5-6 hours. Mine will now triple in that time. Patience, patience, patience.
Very informative. I use SAF yeast too.
Thank you for your videos!!!.... being home, now I'm finally using my kitchen.... a viewer from HONDURAS....
Absolutely awesome advice. Thank you.
Wow!!! What a great video thank you so much. Ciao franco
Not only Chef John, but many others use cup measurements. I have stopped making those breads because of inconsistency. I even had to contact Red Star to find out their measurements in weight instead of cups they use in their recipes.
Gordon Food Service (GFS) has SAF yeast. I bought several packets at Aldi’s about two weeks ago. They have their own brand.
#realcomment Helen, thank you so very much for this video, I have long been confused by Instant and Active Dry yeast, and I’ll be buying some instant yeast! However, on Amazon U.K. there are some companies which are going with instant active dry yeast, or active dry instant yeast just to confuse things further!
Thank you for your videos! I was wondering about the folding technique you described at 21 minutes in. Will the bread behave better if I do this multiple times? This is after a 4 day period in the fridge.
I congratulated myself for having the sense to get some yeast and AP flour. Then I watched your video and immediately deflated. I chose your least favorite yeast and flour. It will still work, but not as well. I love your videos..
I just found your channel . It's Fantastic !!!!! Of course I subscribed . Thank you TZ
I know the yeast scare is over now, but something I use just as another method - but will also save on yeast (sourdough starter does it, too, but I’m not that often in a sourdough mood) - it’s called an “old dough” method, which you can find if you look it up. I think Erin McDonald on food52 has a recipe. I use Steve Sullivan’s from Acme Bakery, but I got his from a Julia Child PBS series, and then her “Baking with Julia” book. In a nutshell, when you make bread, save a walnut sized piece of dough in the fridge, and within a couple or few days, use that in your next batch (& then you can use just a little yeast).
my instant SAF Yeast is from 2014..making bread today, in 2022..and, it's plenty frisky.😃