Yeast Breads
Learning and
Performance Targets
• LT: Understand that yeast breads are leavened by
yeast. Activated yeast goes through a process
called “fermentation,” where the yeast releases
CO2 and alcohol, causing the dough to rise.
• PT: Demonstrate understanding of correct
ingredients used in baking, as well as measurement,
mixing, shaping and baking techniques for different
types of yeast breads.
Essential Questions
• What makes a yeast bread different from a quick
bread?
• What are the different kinds of yeast doughs?
Standards
• PLC 5.0 – Food Safety
• PLC 6.0 – Kitchen Safety
• ACF 7 – Basic Baking
Basic Types of Yeast
Dough
1. Lean Dough
o Aka Hard dough
o Most basic type of dough
o Flour, yeast, salt and water
o Spices, herbs, dried nuts and fruit
may be added, but very little sugar
and fat is added
Lean Dough Examples
• Pizza dough, hard rolls,
Italian-Style Bread and
slender French
Baguette
• Whole wheat, rye,
pumpernickel and
sourdough are also
variations of lean
dough
• Can be hard to handle
because little or no fat
Basic Type of Yeast Dough
2. Soft Dough
o Aka medium dough
• Lean dough with sugar and fat added
• Examples: Pullman loaves, soft pretzels
Basic Type of Yeast Dough
3. Enriched Dough
o Aka sweet rich dough
• Dough is sweet and rich
• Fat and other ingredients = softer
texture and more difficult to handle
• Eggs and butter not only tenderize, but
create a soft crust and golden color
Enriched Dough
Examples
• Finished product
should have a
cake-like texture
• Examples:
cinnamon buns,
hot cross buns,
brioche, challah,
etc.
Mixing Methods
• Straight Dough Method
• Simplest and most
common way of mixing
yeast dough
• Mix all ingredients
together at the same
time
• Although not difficult,
you must pay attention
to the following details -
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• Scaling ingredients
o Most accurate way to measure is to
scale or weigh ingredients
o Precise measurement is important –
wrong measurements affect product
outcome
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• YB use Yeast, an organic leavener , to make the
dough rise.
• This is one difference between YB and QB.
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• Gluten Development
o Protein in flour
o Kneading causes web of gluten strands to stretch
and expand
o Important because it enables dough to hold in
the gas bubbles formed by yeast, without
breaking dough. Gas bubbles allow dough to rise
o Overmixing (bad) = “let down” (ingredients in
dough break down) Dough is warm and sticky
and falls apart easily
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• Gluten continued
o Dough is properly kneaded when it is shiny and
elastic
o To test strength and ensure proper development,
tear off piece of dough and pull it
o It should stretch w/o tearing and when you hold
it up to the light it should be thin enough for
some light to come through – this is called the
“gluten window test”
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• Fermentation
o Fermentation (production of CO2 and
alcohol) makes dough rise until double or
triple in size.
o Underfermented Dough
• Bread hasn't risen enough, will be flat
o Overfermented dough
• Yeasty, sour taste
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• Bulk Fermentation Continued
o Surface should be oiled so dough doesn’t dry out
o Container oiled so dough doesn’t stick to sides
o Cover dough w/ plastic wrap or clean cloth and
leave it to rise in a warm area until rising is
complete
o Fermentation takes time. It may take an hour or
more for the dough to rise. That is another
difference between a YB and QB.
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• Punching dough
o Press fist into middle of dough, then fold
outer edges to the middle
• To release CO2
• Helps distribute yeast evenly
• Creates uniform overall temperature
o Dough then scaled for size consistency
Straight Dough Mixing Key
Points To Remember!!!!
• Rounding
o Divided dough is made into balls to prevent
drying/loss of CO2
• Bench Rest
o Intermediate proofing – allows gluten to relax, dough =
lighter, softer, easier to shape
• Shaping
o Forms dough into distinctive shapes
Modified Straight Dough Mixing
Key Points to Remember!!!
• Enriched yeast dough
o Very rich dough may need to be kept cool even during
fermentation so the extra butter stays in the dough rather
than melting and separating out of the dough
o Ingredients should be mixed in particular order
• Hydrate the yeast, add flour
• Add liquid ingredients and sweetners
• Mix dough until all flour evenly moistened
• Add additional butter gradually until evenly blended
• Continue to mix/knead until it is properly developed
Summary
• Write 3-5 sentences summarizing what you learned.