Baking quick questions

squeaky

I'd have thought you needed some sugar in there to feed the yeast. Have you got a link to the recipe you used?

Temperature is quite a factor on rise times. Warmer (but not too hot) water will reduce the time, as will having the dough somewhere warm. If your house is cold your dough could take several hours to rise - even overnight.

mildredalien

Thanks for the quick reply

the recipe is here: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/09/no-knead-bread-054-recipe027-loaf.html

I used fast action dried bread yeast - it doesn't mention using sugar in the recommended recipe on the packet. Then again I just noticed that it doesn't specify what kind of yeast to use in the recipe I followed!

squeaky

Hmm... no sugar indeed. I can only think that it's cooler in your house than in his so your dough didn't have time to rise enough

Did you read all the update stuff towards the bottom of the page?

mildredalien

Yeah I followed the advice although I did use the steam bath rather than water over the surface as I was doing mini rolls rather than a big loaf. Oh well they weren't a total disaster, they came out pretty nice Not pita breads or anything! I think I just need practice to figure out how to tell whether the dough is risen enough... I've got the rest of the dough out of the fridge and in a warm place to see if it'll rise a bit more, 2nd time lucky I hope!

squeaky

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

mildredalien

Huh I was just googling bread recipes and came across this piece of advice from the BBC website (it refers to fast action dried yeast):

'Add the yeast at one side of the bowl and add the salt at the other, otherwise the salt will kill the yeast'

Wonder if that's what happened to mine, I added them both together. Maybe it doesn't kill it off once the water is added and the yeast is activated?

squeaky

Normally the idea is to give the yeast a chance to set to work, and the salt then kills it later. The separation is normally only needed if you are going to put the ingredients in a bowl (or breadmaker) but not start mixing until some time later. If they were just sat together for a few hours then yes the salt would kill the yeast and your dough would not rise.

rosie383

mildredalien wrote: »

Not pita breads or anything! I think I just need practice to figure out how to tell whether the dough is risen enough... I've got the rest of the dough out of the fridge and in a warm place to see if it'll rise a bit more, 2nd time lucky I hope!

You may even need to leave it overnight. Put a couple of tea-towels/ blankets over and around it to make it nice and cosy. Don't know about the no-knead stuff, how you know if it is risen enough. I know on great british bake off, they proved the dough in a clear bowl, then it was easy to see the air bubbles through the side.

Justamum

mildredalien wrote: »

'Add the yeast at one side of the bowl and add the salt at the other, otherwise the salt will kill the yeast'

I don't do that - it's silly advice because surely as soon as you mix them it would kill the yeast. Which it doesn't anyway. I do usually put the flour into the bowl, stir the salt in, then stir the yeast in (instant yeast), then add water. I never use sugar.

It does take different times depending on the time of year if you are leaving it out in your kitchen to rise. In the winter I usually leave it overnight as it's cold in the kitchen, in the summer I only need to leave it a couple of hours during the day otherwise it rises over the bowl.

mouseymousey99

I make bread with my hands. I always add a teaspoon of sugar. I mix the (dried) yeast water (hand hot) and sugar, wait till it has a frothy head then add it to the flour, I put the salt in with the flour. I do agree the weather and time of year affects the bread, at the moment as it is getting colder it takes slightly longer to rise.
I have tried it with honey too, its nice but better for fruit breads, (in my humble).
My 'favourite' thing at the moment is Semolina, which makes a lovely dusting. (I keep it for roast potatoes).