My First Dry Yeast Bread Loaf...

Ever since I started baking bread (read - bread loaf, garlic loaf, dinner rolls) I've always worked with Fresh Baker's Yeast.
I was once told by someone who makes bread, that Fresh Yeast is the best yeast for breads, so ever since I'd been following the advice and using fresh yeast.

Though fresh yeast is not so readily available, however with a little effort one can find it in markets like INA, but these packs come with screaming instructions that the yeast should be used up within 15 days from the date of manufacturing. It was never possible for me to use even half of the 500g block of fresh yeast (they don't sell it anything smaller than 500g) in 15 days and invariably I'd end up wasting it or realizing that the yeast is not rising and my plans for baking the bread would be shelved for until I went to INA to buy new yeast.
As usual this Friday when I wanted to bake a loaf I realized the fresh yeast was a bit old and I might not get the best results, but I had to had to bake the loaf and so this time I decided to get a little experimental and bake with dry active yeast.
Dry Active Yeast is readily available in most Departmental Stores, hence making life so much easier for us bakers.
This recipe that I'm sharing with you today is adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Best Buns. I've made a loaf instead of burger buns and have used dry active yeast instead of Instant Yeast.
One cannot find instant yeast in Delhi NCR. However the results with dry active yeast seem as good. (Do read the verdict at the end of the post)




Ingredients:

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, plus more as necessary
¼ cup whole-wheat flour
1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast ( I used 2 tsp of Dry Active Yeast)
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt ( I used regular salt)
1 1/3 cups room-temperature water
1 teaspoon mild honey
¼ cup olive oil ( I used regular vegetable oil)
¾ cup toasted mixed seeds, such as cracked flax, sesame, poppy, sunflower and pumpkin, or 1 tablespoon sesame seeds for the topping (optional) ( I used poppy seeds)
Milk or water, for brushing the tops of the buns (optional) ( I used an egg wash)

Directions:

  1. It is wisest to always test your yeast before mixing all other ingredients. Hence sprinkle the dry yeast on 1/2 cup or 100ml of lukewarm water . add a teaspoon of sugar, cover and keep in a warm place (I usually leave it in my turned off microwave) for 15 minutes.
  2. Once the yeast is activated or risen, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, whole-wheat flour and the salt. 
  3. Add the yeast, honey and oil. and knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand, adding water little by little as required, until smooth and springy. The dough should be soft and just sticky enough to cling slightly to your fingers. If it is still very sticky, knead in a little flour. If it is too stiff, spray it with a little water and knead it.
  4. Set the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled. (The indentation from a finger stuck into the center of the dough should remain).
  5. When ready to shape the dough, set it on a very lightly floured work surface and form it into a log. and transferring it into a loaf tin lined with parchment paper (Its easier to remove the loaf from the tin). Make sure the loaf is even and smooth on the top. 
  6. Brush the dough lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover the loaf tin with an inverted larger plastic box or loosely wrap with cling film and let it rest for another 45 minutes or until almost doubled; when the dough is pressed gently with a finger, the depression should very slowly fill in.
  7. 15 minutes before your dough is ready to go into the oven, preheat the oven on 220 degree centigrade and once preheated place the loaf tin into the oven. Bake at 220 degree centigrade for about 20 minutes and at 180 degree centigrade for another 10 minutes.
  8. Once the bread is golden brown on the top remove from the oven and transfer the loaf on to wire racks until it is completely cool.
  9. Slice and serve as it is or toasted or make a sandwich !!!

The Verdict: Very tasty. Crusty on the outside and very soft inside. Leaves a sweetish pleasant after taste. Excellent for sandwiches or when toasted.






Comments

  1. Its all greek n latin to me......all I know is that I have sampled a slice n I loved it....the look and feel was sooooooooo professional....it was very soft from inside and tasted yumm with a spread of butter :))

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  2. It was perfect coloured & shaped,delicious,loaf.Very well done my little chef.!!!!!!! Love Maa.

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  3. just looks amazing babes!:) i wont even try to attempt it myself..too lazzzyyy but let me know when r we going to meet for a potluck meal in which i want the dinner rolls or bread on the table!!!:D
    Rads [http://www.rhythmsofflavour.blogspot.com/]

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  4. Perfect loaf! Loved the colour and texture.

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  5. Awesome. I don't know how a bread is baked, but, I do know that I can have bread for at least two meals a day.Garlic bread being my favorite.

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  6. Nimitz and Rinku.......
    Thank you so much.
    Keep in touch . :-)

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  7. Hi Gauri, thanks for stopping back and happy to know you are following me - but I think your setting may be "annonymous" since I am not seeing you on my blog follower list - could you please set it to public and inspire me :)
    thanks dear! priya

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  8. Having a lot of allowances and uses, garlic can do wonders for a animal physique abnormally acting as a aggrandize infection home remedy.

    candida

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  9. Its Lovely!! where exactly u got the yeast from??

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  10. Hi !!
    Well if you stay in Delhi then you can get fresh yeast from INA Market and the dry yeast is readily available in any departmental store. I work with Solar Dry Yeast. it works well for me.

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  11. hi!!! Thx for getting back. I do live in del. n wanna make pita bread n need dry yeast but havent found any in the stores around hea. Any particular departmental store...

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  12. Hi !!
    Where in Delhi do you stay?
    Solar is a brand you could look at.....

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  13. I.P.Extension..solar is a brand yea, any store u know that has it as that could save my search!! Thx..

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  14. Which department store did your buy the yeast from?

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  15. the instant yeast can be bought online from zansaar.com the brand they have is gloripan and many indian food bloggers use it and its cheap.

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  16. I'm searching for a place where I can get dry active yeast, like u said its readily available in departmental stores in Delhi. But I couldn't find in Big Bazaar, Reliance fresh, even the bakery's around my place :( ... Will you please specify any place, departmental store, nearest landmark where I can get yeast in delhi??

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  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. A fine topical blog Ms. Did I miss it.... Or where can I find fresh yeast in Noida.

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