Comments on: Yeast 101: a required course for new grads http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/ Hot Stuff from King Arthur's Hearth Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:44:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: KJ http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-32576 KJ Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:52:53 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-32576 I have some SAF Instant yeast that has been around awhile. Is there a good way to "test" it before I waste a whole lot of time and ingredients just to find out that the yeast had had it? Do I proof it to see if it's still active? A long time ago I used cake yeast and you can tell by looking when it's beyond the pale. Regular (active) yeast shows its value every time I proof it. Now, what about instant yeast? <strong>Any time you are uncertain about your instant yeast you may check it by proofing it the same way you would proof your active dry yeast. Joan D@bakershotline</strong> I have some SAF Instant yeast that has been around awhile. Is there a good way to “test” it before I waste a whole lot of time and ingredients just to find out that the yeast had had it? Do I proof it to see if it’s still active?

A long time ago I used cake yeast and you can tell by looking when it’s beyond the pale. Regular (active) yeast shows its value every time I proof it. Now, what about instant yeast?
Any time you are uncertain about your instant yeast you may check it by proofing it the same way you would proof your active dry yeast. Joan D@bakershotline

]]> By: Karen from Poquoson http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-31388 Karen from Poquoson Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:37:04 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-31388 Now this is going to sound so funny but from a very new, although almost 58 years old, home baker, these came out just like the ones from a commercial bakery, only better. Of course I still like Cinnamon buns over sticky buns, more sweet gooey stuff inside and outside (could eat cream cheese frosing with a spoon). This is the best place for recipes, retail, etc, I am so glad I googled looking for something and found KAF. I am going to visit some day and maybe take a baker's class some day. Now this is going to sound so funny but from a very new, although almost 58 years old, home baker, these came out just like the ones from a commercial bakery, only better. Of course I still like Cinnamon buns over sticky buns, more sweet gooey stuff inside and outside (could eat cream cheese frosing with a spoon). This is the best place for recipes, retail, etc, I am so glad I googled looking for something and found KAF. I am going to visit some day and maybe take a baker’s class some day.

]]> By: Janice http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-29020 Janice Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:49:41 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-29020 Hi PJ, Really enjoyed the blog about Nik's new found interest in baking. It made me smile as my son (age 29) also started learning to bake yeast doughs about a year ago. We shared the same experiences...shopping together via cell phone and text, email recipes and lots of pictures of doughs in progress and final products. It has been such fun and I am so proud, I know how you feel. Kevin jumped right in too....white and whole grain breads and rolls; cinnamon rolls, pizza (baked on a stone) and he's now ready to try Grandma's nut rolls. All his co-workers in the OR love his efforts! <strong>How wonderful for you Janice, and for Kevin's friends. Everyone loves a baker, and it's a great life skill. Good job Mom! </strong> Hi PJ, Really enjoyed the blog about Nik’s new found interest in baking. It made me smile as my son (age 29) also started learning to bake yeast doughs about a year ago. We shared the same experiences…shopping together via cell phone and text, email recipes and lots of pictures of doughs in progress and final products. It has been such fun and I am so proud, I know how you feel. Kevin jumped right in too….white and whole grain breads and rolls; cinnamon rolls, pizza (baked on a stone) and he’s now ready to try Grandma’s nut rolls. All his co-workers in the OR love his efforts!
How wonderful for you Janice, and for Kevin’s friends. Everyone loves a baker, and it’s a great life skill. Good job Mom!

]]> By: linda d. davison http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-25296 linda d. davison Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:22:47 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-25296 wondering if you could par baked the rolls, freeze and bake later? Isn't it a long time to bake rolls? It looks like they are overly brown. Just wondering. Thankyou for being here. <strong>Linda, bake till they're as brown as you like. I usually bake mine about 24 minutes, so I'd probably parbake for 15-18 minutes or so, then finish browning later... PJH</strong> wondering if you could par baked the rolls, freeze and bake later? Isn’t it a long time to bake rolls? It looks like they are overly brown. Just wondering.
Thankyou for being here.

Linda, bake till they’re as brown as you like. I usually bake mine about 24 minutes, so I’d probably parbake for 15-18 minutes or so, then finish browning later… PJH

]]> By: OLIVE http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-24702 OLIVE Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:16:20 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-24702 YAAH GOOD ONE , BUT THE STOVE I put it in what? the fire from up or down???? "the stove" tell me about it? <strong>Bake the bread in a hot oven (425°F-450°F), Olive - middle or lower (not lowest) rack. Should turn out fine - PJH</strong> YAAH GOOD ONE , BUT THE STOVE I put it in what? the fire from up or down???? “the stove” tell me about it?

Bake the bread in a hot oven (425°F-450°F), Olive - middle or lower (not lowest) rack. Should turn out fine - PJH

]]> By: Reuben Morningchilde http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-20470 Reuben Morningchilde Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:47:10 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-20470 Thanks so much for sharing that story about your son, it really made my day. I haven't got kids yet, but I'm currently going through that cellphone-teaching phase with my parents learning how to use the internet, so I can really relate to the feeling. I just hope my kids will call and ask me for help one day as well... <strong>Reuben, I hope someday you DO have older "kids" who call you for help - they eventually get past the phase where they think you're a total idiot, and realize, hey, maybe Mom and Dad DO know something! :) PJH</strong> Thanks so much for sharing that story about your son, it really made my day. I haven’t got kids yet, but I’m currently going through that cellphone-teaching phase with my parents learning how to use the internet, so I can really relate to the feeling. I just hope my kids will call and ask me for help one day as well…

Reuben, I hope someday you DO have older “kids” who call you for help - they eventually get past the phase where they think you’re a total idiot, and realize, hey, maybe Mom and Dad DO know something! :) PJH

]]> By: Sue http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-20402 Sue Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:56:37 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-20402 Would you mind giving me some advice? I made these once and they were terrific. This time I want to make them for brunch for twelve friends at an event that is about 4 hours from my home. I have the option to totally make them there, starting the afternoon before I want to serve them. Or I can make the dough here form into rolls and then freeze them. Then pack them in a cooler and bake them the next morning once I'm there, or I could make the dough and pack it in a cooler and then form the rolls and proceed as usual once I'm there. The first time I made them with what I had on hand. This time I will make them with the sticky bun sugar and filling you suggested. It should arrive from KA flour today. They were GREAT the first time I made them and no doubt they will be better with the stuff I ordered from KA Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this. <strong>Sue you can use any of the methods you suggested with great results. Choose the method you feel will be easiest and go with it! Joan@bakershotline</strong> Would you mind giving me some advice? I made these once and they were terrific. This time I want to make them for brunch for twelve friends at an event that is about 4 hours from my home. I have the option to totally make them there, starting the afternoon before I want to serve them. Or I can make the dough here form into rolls and then freeze them. Then pack them in a cooler and bake them the next morning once I’m there, or I could make the dough and pack it in a cooler and then form the rolls and proceed as usual once I’m there. The first time I made them with what I had on hand. This time I will make them with the sticky bun sugar and filling you suggested. It should arrive from KA flour today. They were GREAT the first time I made them and no doubt they will be better with the stuff I ordered from KA
Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.
Sue you can use any of the methods you suggested with great results. Choose the method you feel will be easiest and go with it! Joan@bakershotline

]]> By: Maritick with it, Mari :) PJH http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-19064 Maritick with it, Mari :) PJH Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:46:53 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-19064 PJH, The sticky buns were all gone! As I read my post above, I meant flattened out the dough too big. I did cut them into 8 pcs. and there were still big spaces in between. Next time I will try it right after it rises... I used a 9" round pan as you indicated... after putting the filling, I let the dough rise overnight because I ran out of time that night. Brought it out the next morning and tried to let it poof more...but it really didn't poof anymore. So there were big gaps in between rolls but got hidden when I turned it over because I really had a lot of the topping. Anyway, will not give up. <strong>Stick with it, Mari :) PJH</strong> PJH,

The sticky buns were all gone! As I read my post above, I meant flattened out the dough too big. I did cut them into 8 pcs. and there were still big spaces in between. Next time I will try it right after it rises… I used a 9″ round pan as you indicated… after putting the filling, I let the dough rise overnight because I ran out of time that night. Brought it out the next morning and tried to let it poof more…but it really didn’t poof anymore. So there were big gaps in between rolls but got hidden when I turned it over because I really had a lot of the topping. Anyway, will not give up.

Stick with it, Mari :) PJH

]]> By: Mari http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-18994 Mari Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:34:01 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-18994 PJH, I just baked the sticky buns...they looked good. My only problem, it didn't rise as much as what you have in the pic. Don't know what I did wrong...is it because I rolled it a little bigger than what you said? I should've used a smaller pan. Hopefully the buns are a success... Thanks again. <strong>Hi Mari - Lots of reasons your rise might be different. Rolling bigger shouldn't have made a difference, so long as you put the specified number of buns in the specified size pan. Do you think they rose well, but spread more rather than going vertical? That would definitely be the pan. Not to fear - I'm SURE they'll taste good! PJH</strong> PJH,

I just baked the sticky buns…they looked good. My only problem, it didn’t rise as much as what you have in the pic. Don’t know what I did wrong…is it because I rolled it a little bigger than what you said? I should’ve used a smaller pan. Hopefully the buns are a success…

Thanks again.

Hi Mari - Lots of reasons your rise might be different. Rolling bigger shouldn’t have made a difference, so long as you put the specified number of buns in the specified size pan. Do you think they rose well, but spread more rather than going vertical? That would definitely be the pan. Not to fear - I’m SURE they’ll taste good! PJH

]]> By: mari http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-18946 mari Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:34:37 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2009/06/15/yeast-101-a-required-course-for-new-grads/#comment-18946 I am attempting to make this tonight...actually, I've already made the dough and froze it. Last night took it down to thaw it out in the fridge. I am really greatful that you have shared all this no-knead breads. It's like heaven for me... now, are you going to try to do a no-knead brioche too? Thanks. <strong>No-knead brioche - it's on p. 189 in <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/artisan-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day" rel="nofollow">Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day,</a> Mari. YUM - PJH</strong> I am attempting to make this tonight…actually, I’ve already made the dough and froze it. Last night took it down to thaw it out in the fridge. I am really greatful that you have shared all this no-knead breads. It’s like heaven for me… now, are you going to try to do a no-knead brioche too?

Thanks.

No-knead brioche - it’s on p. 189 in Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day, Mari. YUM - PJH

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