Why does this recipe call for so much yeast?
Kindred’s milk bread is delicious. (Here's an alternate link in case that link doesn’t work for you.)
I’m curious though: the recipe calls for two tablespoons of yeast (for 5 cups of flour), more than I’ve ever put into a dough before. Why does it call for so much yeast?
Does an enriched dough always require more yeast? Or is it that this recipe kills most of the yeast by stirring it into hot liquid? Or is it probably just a typo, and 2 teaspoons would be fine?
Best Answer
Having that much yeast is doing two things for this recipe:
- It will give it a nicely yeasty flavor
- It will shorten the rise time.
Yeast requires water to be active. This recipe, as is often the case with enriched doughs, has very little water in it. There is water in the cream and the eggs but not much and the yeast will be competing for it with the sugar. Because of this rich doughs often take a long time to rise.
This recipe was used by a restaurant that probably needs faster rises. The cost of the yeast is cheaper than the cost of the extra time to rise. The extra yeasty flavor is a bonus.
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Quick Answer about "Why does this recipe call for so much yeast?"
This recipe was used by a restaurant that probably needs faster rises. The cost of the yeast is cheaper than the cost of the extra time to rise. The extra yeasty flavor is a bonus. Show activity on this post.What happens if I use too much yeast in a recipe?
Too much yeast could cause the dough to go flat by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand. If you let the dough rise too long, it will start having a yeast or beer smell and taste and ultimately deflate or rise poorly in the oven and have a light crust.How do you reduce the amount of yeast in a recipe?
Increase the salt to 2.2% of the flour used in the recipe. Salt helps to control the yeast. Lower the temperature of the dough.Does more yeast mean more rise?
Adding extra yeast in bread can cause it to rise too much and produce large holes. Too much yeast in bread may cause various problems. Follow your bread recipe closely, so you can have the pleasure of eating delicious homemade bread.Does it matter how much yeast you use?
The amount of yeast you use in your bread dough has a significant bearing on how quickly it'll rise, and thus on your own schedule. By reducing the yeast, you ensure a long, slow rise, one more likely to produce a strong dough able to withstand the rigors of baking.The 7 Most Common Breadmaking Mistakes You’re Probably Making
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Answer 2
The amount of yeast in a recipe is a bit deceptive, as the yeast will multiply as you prove the dough if things are working properly anyway. In other words you end up with quite a bit more yeast through the various rise stages.
Most recipes, however, start with less yeast for two reasons:
- less yeast is cheaper
- less yeast increases the prove time (where flavours are developed)
For this recipe, it may be aiming for a faster rise time for effect (or just to be quicker), or it may be reducing risk of failure (as adding more older yeast will perform better than less).
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