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Yeast Bread Unit




   

Yeast Breads are the bane of my teaching existence!!

 How the HECK do I teach all 10 steps to the yeast bread method in ONE 86 min block?

 So here is what I do:

  • I mix dough for the entire class the block before. (I HAVE AN INDUSTRIAL BENCH MIXER)
  • Then that class measure for the next class. (Individual batches this time by hand no bench mixer)
  • Then the next class measures dough that we will use to sell to the faculty. (Individual batches this time by hand no bench mixer)
  • Students stay after school with me on yeast bread days to help finish our products.

Unit Plan

Day 1:

 What is yeast?

Yeast is: 
  • A living organism, on celled fungus.
  • It feeds on carbohydrates present in starches and sugars in bread dough, converting them to carbon dioxide and ethanol during fermentation.
Yeast+carbohydrates= alcohol+carbon dioxide.

Yeast Basics
  • Carbon dioxide is trapped in the dough made with yeast, leavening the bread while the alcohol evaporates.
  • Yeast is VERY sensitive to temperature and moisture.
  • Salt inhibits the growth of yeast and controls the dough’s rise. 
Temperamental Yeast
Temperature
Yeast Development
34 F
Inactive
60-70 F
Slow Action
75 F- 95 F
Best temperature for yeast activity
85 F-100 F
Best water temperature for hydrating instant yeast
100-110 F
Best water temperature for hydrating active dry yeast.
138 F
Yeast Dies

* Tip to make your notes more interactive have students fill this information in on a thermometer. 

10 Steps to the Yeast Bread Method

  1. Scaling the ingredients
  2. Mixing and kneading the dough
  3. Fermenting the dough
  4. Punching down the dough
  5. Portioning the dough
  6. Rounding the portions
  7. Make-up:Shaping the portions
  8. Proofing the products
  9. Baking the Products
  10. Cooling and storing the finished product
*Tip: Have your students create a visual recipe using the steps to yeast bread method
    Day 2:
    Mixing and Kneading

    Yeast breads are mixed using a few different methods. 
    The first is called the straight dough method. This is where all of the ingredients are added at one time and the ingredients go "straight to dough".
    Then you have a few methods that take several steps. They are the sponge method, old dough and sourdough.
    After mixing you must knead the dough. Kneading the dough is very important because in this step your are developing gluten. *see my other post.
    For more on kneading see my other post. 
Fermentation 

After kneading is fermentation. During fermentation yeast is consuming carbohydrates in the product and producing carbon dioxide which is getting captured in the gluten network that you created with kneading.

Fermentation in bread making is divided into three stages :
  • Bulk, where the entire mass rises before shaping 
  • Proofing, the rise given to shaped yeast just prior to baking 
  • Oven Spring the final rise that happens in the oven 
* See my other post 

Baking
Washes applied before baking effect breads appearance
Scoring (slashing) or docking dough before baking improves bread's appearance.
Steam in the ovens improves bread crust

Learning how to recognize when bread is fully baked is essential

Labs: 
Pizza Dough
White Bread (Shaping Lab)
Focaccia
Blog Post: http://kerrycooks.com/focaccia-bread-recipe-from-the-great-british-bake-off/
Cinnamon Rolls



Websites:


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/how-to-bake-bread.html

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