Yeast dough is considered a bitchy journeyman and many keep their hands off it. This may be because the yeast dough does not rise and you should avoid these mistakes.
For many hobby bakers there is a fear opponent: it is the yeast dough. Why is that? Because yeast dough has a life of its own and grows? Because sometimes he doesn't do that? Whatever the reason, fear is unfounded. If the dough is treated with love and the necessary tricks, it opens all by itself and becomes fluffy.
That is why yeast dough rises
The fact that yeast dough rises is due to the yeasts that are processed in it. If they are fed with flour and, ideally, some sugar, they release carbon dioxide gas and make the dough so airy.
The basic recipe for yeast dough is very simple. For a baking sheet you need:
- 500g flour
- 75 g of sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 cube (42 g) of fresh yeast
- 200 ml lukewarm milk
- 100 g soft butter
- 2 eggs (size M)
What does the yeast dough need to rise?
Before you start, you have to give the yeast a jump start . This little preparatory step is not mentioned in all recipes for yeast dough, but it can make the crucial difference for a good result. There is often talk of a pre-dough, but it is also a bit easier.
How to start yeast easily and correctly
You will see how bubbles form and the yeast "works". This way she is in a good mood before you even start with your yeast dough. In the meantime, you can melt the butter and let it cool down again.
How to properly prepare the yeast dough
When the yeast is ready, put half of the flour in a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the sugar, salt, eggs (so that they open properly) and yeast. Rinse out the container in which the yeast was and add the milk as well. So you don't waste valuable yeast. Now knead the whole thing by hand or with the food processor. Gradually add the remaining flour until you have processed everything.
Cover the bowl in which you kneaded the dough with a clean tea towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 35 to 40 minutes . This can be a classic thing about heating. In the meantime, however, many ovens have a special fermentation stage, in which the dough can rise optimally. This trick from grandma's time has a special charm: just lie down in bed with your yeast dough and take a nap. This way you have used the necessary waiting time sensibly ...
When did the yeast dough rise enough?
As soon as the yeast dough has at least doubled in size , it is ready for further processing. Depending on how intensively you work the dough, you may have to let it rest again afterwards.
Continue baking: Bake fresh baguette with only four ingredients? This is how the classic works
That is why the yeast dough does not rise
The "mistakes" you can make at a glance:
The yeast dough was not warm enough
Yeast needs warm. The ingredients have to be lukewarm, your workplace has to be warm and not drafty. Let the yeast dough rise at warm temperatures and also pay attention to it when processing: Knead yeast dough on a warmed wooden board and not on the cold work surface of your kitchen.
The yeast was too old
Regardless of whether you just bought the yeast fresh in the supermarket (where is the yeast actually located there?) Or still had a cube at home: check the best before date before baking. If this is exceeded, it can happen that the yeasts have already lived their lives and your dough no longer rises. You can handle that with dry yeast, but more on that later.
You haven't kneaded the yeast dough long enough
Yeast dough must first be kneaded and drummed with the food processor and then by hand (or exclusively by hand) until it is elastic. This can take a long time and this is probably also a source of errors. The yeasts only work when there is no more oxygen in the dough. That is why experienced hobby bakers also box and beat the yeast dough as if it had insulted them.
You have not let the yeast dough rise a second time
In addition to warmth, yeast dough needs one thing above all: time. It may be tedious to let the yeast dough rise again after the first going out and processing, but it is imperative. Kneading, rolling out and the like means that the dough loses a lot of volume and fluffiness. Give the mushrooms time to make up for this loss. You will be rewarded for your patience with a wonderfully airy result.
Which works better: fresh yeast or dry yeast?
Now that you know the mistakes you can make with yeast dough, it's only half as bad, isn't it? Now there is only one basic question left to answer: dry yeast or fresh yeast? Puritans, of course, swear by the fresh yeast and in fact fresh is actually better in most cases. With yeast you can also use dry yeast. The advantage of this is that it has a much longer shelf life and you do not have to activate it before processing. So you save some time.
Dare the yeast dough and you have a whole world of wonderful baked goods: yeast braids, rolls, cinnamon buns ...
Read also: How to bake fresh bread quickly and easily - with the five-minute method
ante
Homemade food for children
To the photo gallery
Rubric list picture: © picture alliance / Waltraud Grubitzsch / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa