So, I finally found a bread recipe that I did well last weekend - it’s just the basic from the Joy of Cooking, but it was good for sandwiches and such, without taking lots of time.
So, I’m thinking maybe I’ll make some this weekend, enough so I can freeze a loaf or two. But I’m looking at the recipe and this question popped to mind:
If I double the recipe, do I need to double the yeast or will one package of yeast work for the doubled recipe, maybe with additional rising time?
Thanks!
Once I get this down, I’m planning to branch out into other recipes too, so if you have a wonderful bread recipe that you’re dying to share here, I’m game.
Personally, and more expert bakers may differ with me, I don’t double recipes for “sensitive” baked goods - yeast breads and such. Baking is a science and it’s too easy to screw it up. Just start with a two loaf recipe - it’s safer, IMHO.
I work as a baker professionally, and when making bread dough I keep the amounts of ingredients proportionally the same, no matter how much or how little I make. There’s a base recipe I use, and it’s mixed in a heavy duty Hobart bowl, with a dough hook, not kneaded by hand.
Whether making small or large amounts I have not noticed a difference in quality or texture.
I have, at work, also scaled up recipes from different baking books, and had good results. The challah recipe in James Beard’s Beard on Bread is what I use for garlic bread, and I’ve make up to eight loaves at a time with no problem.
By the way, that book is my absolute favorite bread book. Beard included a wonderful variety of breads and superb advice on baking bread in general. I think it’s still in print, but if not it won’t be hard to find used online. Take my word for it, if you have only one bread book, get Beard on Bread.
Yeast is an organism that will multiply exponentially given the right conditions.For your specific question,if the doubled flour volume was eight cups ,were you to make a one or two cup sponge with the doubled liquid but a single dose of yeast,aerate well with a bit of sugar or honey and keep at a temp. around 100 F. for X amount of time,you could easily raise two loaves.
X is dependant on the type of yeast.In my case,X is one half hour.
I bake almost all my own bread. When I am baking ahead, found I have had better luck making several batches of the original recipe than to double or tripple the recipe.
Also, if you are going to freeze your bread make sure it is completely cooled and well wrapped.
[slight hijack]A question that I find myself asking over and over again without success, which you bread bakers may be able to answer: I don’t like the way my pizza dough turns out. I want random bubbles ranging from very small to very large, with a fairly dense texture, but what I get is very small, uniform bubbles with a too-dense texture. It seems that the answer may lie in the difference between artisanal bread and factory bread. What am I doing wrong?[/slight hijack]
To get a more open texture (i.e. more holes) I’d suggest a wetter dough and using the “fold and stretch” method instead of traditional kneading.
I’d also look at the recipe and think about the amount of yeast versus rising time, a wetter dough, less yeast and a longer rising time are more conducive to a more open texture.
Have a look at Dan Lepard’s site: Dan Lepard and there’s a demo of the fold and stretch methods here.
If you search the eGullet site there are sure to be a number of discussions about focaccia and techniques.
The type of pizza dough you want should be made with lots of water, some oil and no milk or eggs, which give any bread a cakey texture. You should use a flour with a moderately high gluten content (most American all-purpose flours are too low for pizza dough - bread flour is better). A long, slow rise gives better texture and flavor than a short, quick rise (which means it’s better to start with less yeast, and to stay away from quick-rise yeasts). Your oven should be as hot as possible, and you should use a baking stone (high temperatures cause the gas bubbles in the dough to expand rapidly, which will help you get the big bubbles you want).
My recipe for pizza crust follows. It’s a really soft dough, but try not to add too much extra flour when handling it. Scrape the sides of the bowl to get all the dry stuff mixed in. Let it rest for a few minutes and roll out on a lightly floured surface. I prebake the crust for several minutes, so that it’s not too doughy under the toppings.
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil(vegetable oil will do)
1 cup warm water
1 packet yeast(2-1/2 teaspoons)
Dissolve the yeast, sugar, and salt in the warm water and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the yeast to begin proofing. Add the oil and stir in, then mix in the flour, working it until you have a smooth dough. Let the dough rest for a few minutes, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Drape it over the pizza pan and smooth it into place. You can make it thick or thin. Poke all over with a fork and prebake partway, in a 350 degree Farenheit oven.