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Fermentation Atlas

Cereals and bread from worldwide

Yeast-leavened breads (family entry)

Flour, water, salt and baker's yeast are kneaded into a dough, which rises as the yeast ferments sugars into carbon dioxide. The dough is shaped, proofed again and baked, which sets the crumb and browns the crust. This family entry covers breads leavened mainly by commercial yeast rather than a sourdough. Made in 7 steps over 9.4 h – 18 h. The longest step, pre-ferment (optional), takes 8–16 h and runs at 18–24 °C. Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), which makes carbon dioxide and other metabolites that raise the dough and shape its texture and taste does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step8–16 hTypicalPre-ferment (optional)
Temperature18–24 °CTypicalPre-ferment (optional)
Fully documentedCereals and bread9.4 h – 18 hMore cereals and bread

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceOne K-State Research and Extension recipe (from the Kansas Wheat Commission) that makes about 3 3/4 pounds of dough, or three loaves. It is an enriched dough; simpler breads use only flour, water, salt and yeast.
1 package (2 1/4 tsp)Active dry yeast[ksu2020]
1/2 cupLukewarm water (110–115 °F) · With 1/2 tsp sugar, to dissolve the yeast[ksu2020]
1/2 cupVegetable shortening or butter[ksu2020]
1/2 cupSugar[ksu2020]
1 largeEgg, beaten[ksu2020]
1 1/2 tspSalt[ksu2020]
2 cupsMilk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm[ksu2020]
7 1/2 to 7 3/4 cupsAll-purpose or bread flour · Or 4 cups whole wheat flour plus 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour[ksu2020]
Starterdefined culture (commercial baker's yeast)

Total time across the recorded steps: 9.4 h – 18 h

Start
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38–43 °Cshapes, not to countYeasts

What changes: Dry yeast dissolves in warm water and starts to work

Step 1 of 7
Wake the yeast
Time
5 min
Set
Temperature
38–43 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Yeasts

Output: dissolved, active yeast.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

Leavened by commercial baker's yeast added in a known amount, not by a sourdough of wild yeasts and lactic bacteria, so the bread is not sour unless a sourdough is added.

Related ferments

Variants

  • Barm bread (historical)Leavened with barm, the yeast skimmed from brewing ale, before commercial yeast.
  • North Indian curd breadsBhatura, kulcha and naan doughs soured with curd and or old dough as well as yeast; see their entry.

Safety

Milk is scalded and cooled to lukewarm before it goes in. Yeast breads are done at 195° to 210° F (about 91–99 °C) inside and yeast rolls at 190° to 195° F; covered dough can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

Before commercial baker's yeast, breads were leavened with sourdough or with barm from brewing.

  1. [ksu2020] K-State Research and Extension 2020, Kansas 4-H Project Challenge, Foods and Nutrition, Quick bread vs. yeast bread, publication 4H1135 (yeast bread recipe used with permission of the Kansas Wheat Commission)gov
  2. [struyf2017] Struyf N., Van der Maelen E., Hemdane S., Verspreet J., Verstrepen K.J., Courtin C.M. 2017, Bread dough and baker's yeast, an uplifting synergy, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 16(5):850–867, doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12282 (abstract)paper
  3. [wp] Wikipedia, Sourdough (history outline only)wiki