How To Make Yeast Bread

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16 Feb 201103:23

Summary

TLDRThis video script outlines the essential steps for making yeast bread, starting with proofing the yeast to ensure it's alive. It details the process of mixing warm milk with sugar and yeast, adding flour to form dough, and kneading until smooth and elastic. The dough undergoes two rising stages, with the first in a greased bowl and the second in a loaf pan, each requiring a warm, draft-free environment. The final step is baking the dough once it has doubled in size, resulting in a light and fluffy loaf.

Takeaways

🔍 Proof the yeast first to ensure it's alive and can leaven the bread.
🥛 Heat milk or other liquid to 100-110 degrees for yeast activation.
🍬 Add sugar to the warm milk to feed the yeast.
⏱ Let the yeast mixture stand for 5 minutes to observe foaming.
🌾 Add most of the flour to the liquid ingredients all at once for dough formation.
👐 Reserve some flour for kneading to achieve the right dough consistency.
💪 Knead the dough until it's smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
🍽 Place dough in a greased bowl for the first rise in a warm, draft-free place.
🕒 Allow dough to double in size before punching it down.
📏 Roll out the dough into a rectangle for the second rise.
🥖 After the second rise, the dough is ready for baking.

Q & A

What is the first step in making yeast bread?
-The first step in making yeast bread is to ensure that the yeast is alive, which is called proofing the yeast.
Why is proofing the yeast important?
-Proofing the yeast is crucial because if the yeast is dead, it cannot leaven the bread.
What is the ideal temperature for heating the milk or liquid used in yeast bread?
-The ideal temperature for heating the milk or liquid is between 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
How can you heat the milk for proofing yeast?
-You can heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove to achieve the required temperature.
What happens when live yeast is mixed with warm liquid?
-Live yeast will begin to swell and foam or bubble a few minutes after being stirred into the warm liquid.
How do you prepare the bread dough after proofing the yeast?
-After proofing the yeast, add most of the flour to the liquid ingredients all at once and stir until combined, then knead the dough on a floured surface.
What is the purpose of kneading the dough?
-Kneading the dough develops its gluten structure, which helps in achieving a smooth and elastic texture.
How long should you knead the dough?
-You should knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes or until it feels smooth and elastic but still a little tacky.
What is the first rising and how long does it take?
-The first rising involves placing the dough in a large bowl, covering it, and letting it rise in a warm place for about one hour or until it doubles in size.
How do you know if the dough has risen enough during the first rising?
-The dough has risen enough if an indentation remains when you gently press two fingers into it.
What should you do after the first rising and before shaping the dough?
-After the first rising, you should punch down the dough in the center to deflate it before turning it out onto a floured surface for rolling.
How do you prepare the dough for the second rising and baking?
-For the second rising, roll the dough into a rectangle, roll it up, place it seam side down in a greased loaf pan, cover, and let it rise until it doubles in size.
What is the sign that the dough is ready to bake after the second rising?
-The dough is ready to bake after the second rising if it has doubled in size and maintains its shape without falling.

Outlines

00:00

🍞 Making Yeast Bread: Proofing and Preparing Dough

The script outlines the process of making yeast bread, beginning with the crucial step of proofing the yeast to ensure its viability for leavening. This involves heating milk or another liquid to 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit, adding sugar and yeast, and allowing the mixture to stand for five minutes to observe if it swells and foams, indicating live yeast. The next step is to combine most of the flour with the liquid ingredients to form a dough, reserving some flour for kneading. The dough is then kneaded until smooth and elastic, which may take 8-10 minutes. After kneading, the dough is placed in a greased bowl, covered with a damp cloth, and left to rise in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles in size. The dough is then deflated and rolled into a rectangle for the second rising, which occurs in a greased loaf pan for another hour or until the loaf doubles in size. The script emphasizes the importance of monitoring the dough's rise to prevent over-rising, which can result in dense bread.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Proofing the yeast

Proofing the yeast is a crucial step in bread making that ensures the yeast is alive and active. It involves mixing yeast with a warm liquid, such as milk, and sugar, then allowing it to stand for a few minutes. During this time, live yeast will begin to ferment, causing the mixture to swell and foam. This process is vital for the bread's leavening, as it demonstrates the yeast's ability to produce carbon dioxide, which will help the bread rise. In the script, proofing is described as one of the most crucial steps because 'if the yeast is dead it can't leaven the bread.'

💡Leaven

To leaven bread means to make it rise by introducing gases, which are typically produced by the fermentation of yeast. This is a key process in making yeast bread, as it affects the bread's texture and volume. The script emphasizes the importance of live yeast for leavening, as dead yeast cannot produce the necessary gases. The term is used when discussing the purpose of proofing the yeast: 'because if the yeast is dead it can't leaven the bread.'

💡Milk temperature

The temperature of the milk or other liquids used in bread making is critical for the yeast's activity. In the script, it is specified that the milk should be heated to a temperature of 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range is ideal for activating the yeast without killing it, which could happen if the temperature is too high. The script instructs to heat the milk to this temperature before adding it to the yeast and sugar.

💡Flour

Flour is a fundamental ingredient in bread making, providing the structure and texture of the dough. The script mentions adding most of the flour to the liquid ingredients at once, which helps to combine the mixture and start forming the dough. It also advises saving some flour for kneading, which is necessary to achieve the right consistency for the dough. The amount of flour used can vary depending on the desired dough consistency, as indicated by the script's note that it's okay if not all the remaining flour is used.

💡Kneading

Kneading is the process of working the dough with hands to develop its gluten and achieve a smooth, elastic texture. The script describes kneading as a vigorous action, pushing the dough out with the heels of the hands, folding it over, and repeating the process. Kneading for 8 to 10 minutes is recommended until the dough feels smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky. This step is essential for developing the dough's structure and ensuring a good rise during fermentation.

💡First rising

The first rising, or initial fermentation, is when the dough is allowed to rest and rise in a warm environment. The script specifies placing the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, covering it with a damp towel, and letting it rise until it doubles in size, which typically takes about an hour. This rising phase is crucial for the yeast to ferment and produce carbon dioxide, causing the dough to expand.

💡Punching down

Punching down the dough is the action of gently pressing into the dough to release gases and redistribute the yeast, which can help to control the dough's rise and improve its texture. After the first rising, the script instructs to 'gently press two fingers into the dough,' and if the indentation remains, it indicates that the dough has risen enough and is ready to be punched down.

💡Rolling

Rolling the dough is a shaping technique used to form the dough into a desired shape, such as a rectangle for this recipe. The script describes the process of rolling the dough out, lifting the rolling pin slightly as you near each end to form the rectangle. This step is part of preparing the dough for the second rising and eventual baking.

💡Second rising

The second rising, also known as the final proof, is another period of rest for the dough before baking. The script mentions rolling the dough into a loaf shape and placing it seam side down in a greased loaf pan, then allowing it to rise again until it doubles in size. This final rise is important for achieving a light and airy texture in the finished bread.

💡Baking

Baking is the final step in the bread-making process where the dough is cooked in an oven. The script indicates that once the loaf has doubled in size during the second rising, it is ready to bake. Baking transforms the dough into bread through a combination of heat and time, setting the structure and developing the bread's crust and crumb.

💡Cooking spray

Cooking spray is used in the script as a non-stick agent for coating the bowl and the loaf pan. It helps prevent the dough from sticking to the surfaces during the rising and baking processes. The use of cooking spray is mentioned when preparing the large bowl for the first rising and the loaf pan for the second rising, ensuring that the dough can be easily removed and shaped.

Highlights

Proofing the yeast is a crucial step to ensure it's alive for bread leavening.

Heat milk to 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit for yeast proofing.

Use a microwave to heat milk if desired.

Add warm milk, sugar, and yeast to a large bowl and let it stand for five minutes to observe yeast activity.

Live yeast will show signs of swelling, foaming, or bubbling after being stirred into the warm liquid.

Add most of the flour to the liquid ingredients at once to start forming the bread dough.

Save some flour for kneading to achieve the desired dough consistency.

Knead the dough on a floured surface until it's smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.

Knead for 8 to 10 minutes to develop the dough's structure.

Place the dough in a greased bowl for the first rising, ensuring it's in a warm place free from drafts.

Cover the dough with a damp towel during the first rise to maintain moisture.

Check the dough's rise by pressing two fingers into it; if the indentation remains, it's ready.

Deflate the dough by punching it down in the center.

Roll the dough into a rectangle shape for the second rising.

Place the rolled dough seam side down in a greased loaf pan for the second rise.

Monitor the dough's second rise to prevent it from becoming too large and dense.

Bake the dough once it has doubled in size during the second rise.