Sounds right to me. I tend to use less yeast and go for a longer slow rise. This makes for a more developed flavour and texture.

Ann

Most of my recipes that call for 1 package (2 1/4 t.) of yeast will require 5-6 cups of flour and make 2 8x4" loaves. IMO, 2 1/4 t. yeast in a recipe that only calls for 3-4 cups flour is too much yeast and I would cut back. The white bread recipe sounds fine to me. Just give it plenty of rising time and it will be enough yeast.

Teresa

Oh man.
I use Annie's Honey Whole Wheat bread all the time, and it calls for 2 pkg yeast for 6 cups flour.

AnnT posted hamburger rolls that calls for 2 1/4 tsp yeast for 4 1/2 cups flour, and another roll recipe that calls for 1 tbsp yeast for 3 3/4 cups flour.

So you can understand why I'm confused that 7 1/2 cups flour and using only 2 1/4 tsp yeast is correct.

As the yeast "eat" the sugars, they release gas and your bread rises (I know, not a very appealing thought).

They will eat.
It will rise.

Just a matter of how many yeast there are and how fast the gasses are created as to how long it takes.

Deanna

I agree, the question isn't whether it will rise, it's how long it will take to rise.

Ann T likes bread that rises slowly, which gives a different flavor to the bread than adding more yeast and getting a quick rise. She often keeps dough in the refrigerator for a couple of days and gets an even more developed flavor. I find that similar to sourdough, which I don't care for if it gets too "sour" but Elery loves it, the more sour the better.

That Honey Wheat calls for a lot of yeast, my family likes the sweet and yeasty flavor in that loaf, but if I'm making a plain white loaf I use less yeast and get a different flavor.

My family also loves Sol's Honey Rolls and those are soft, puffy, sweet, yeasty rolls too.

So, the bread will rise, it will just take longer and you'll get a less definitive "yeast" flavor. Some people like that, some don't. As usual, taste is subjective, not objective, so whatever you and your family likes.

Annie

I've tried to bake bread, always get a sunken lump. The last recipe I used called for a first rise, punch it down, get a second rise, shape and bake at something like 375.

Can I just mix and knead the dough, put it right into the baking pans for the first rise, which is always the best rise, then bake it at 400 or 450? I could put the pans in the oven to rise, then when it's puffed up, just turn on the heat.

Am using 9x5 loaf pans, have non-stick metal and cast iron. How long would I bake it?

The cast iron loaf pans are new and seasoned black but I should still wash them before using the first time, right? Like a rinse with water, not soap.

I am always amazed that NYT No Knead bread rises so well with only 1/4 tsp. of yeast. It's a long rise of course.

Jim

Annie, I think you explained it well. More yeast in the dough means a faster rise and also a yeastier tasting bread product. Less yeast means a slower rise and the development of more complex flavors. Again, as you already said, neither method is "right." It's all subjective. And a lot depends on how much time you are willing to devote to letting the dough rise.

I would venture to say that most lean or artisinal style breads need a long, slow rise to develop flavor. Breads that include sweeteners, eggs, or dairy products taste fine with that yeasty undertone.

I'll cut back on the yeast in my honey whole wheat and white bread, as advised. It doesn't matter to me, how much longer it takes to rise, for the most part.

I'll try your method Teresa, using 2 1/4 tsp yeast for the 6 cups. Perhaps I should use a bit more yeast, because I use 4 cups whole wheat and 2 cups white flour.

No "knead" to use more yeast when using whole wheat flour - I use the same amount of yeast even when making 100% whole wheat bread. I actually don't really even measure the yeast exactly....I just scoop out the SAF instant yeast with a tablespoon measure, to give me a scant one tablespoon.

Teresa

The first time I ever tried doubling a bread recipe, I doubled the yeast, and recreated "The Blob" from Steve McQueen's movie. That's when I learned that large amounts of yeast aren't necessarily necessary. I have made Annie's bread, though, and it turned out wonderful. I've made AnnT's recipe, also, and loved it too. I love that bread baking is so forgiving, flexible, and magical.

Happy Day, when I bake my usual loaf bread, I do the first rise in a bowl (Although after Christmas, I'll get to use a dough rising bucket!). Then I make the loaves, let them rise in their pans, then stick them in the oven when they've risen enough to put into the oven. There are much more accomplished bread bakers on this forum, though.

Sally

Oh, you're using instant yeast, Teresa. Accordingly, I should use a bit more yeast than your tbsp.

I'll play around with it this weekend and see how it works out.
I'll put a sticky note, I'm so used to just using my 4 1/2 tsp, which is 1 tbsp and 1 1/2 tsp. I can just use 1 tbsp, and see how it fares. (My honey whole wheat).

I really don't mean to be over-thinking this, and agonizing over the measurements. Just seems to be contradicting amounts.

There is not a lot of difference between measuring instant yeast and active yeast. I wouldn't worry about adding more. If you decide you really want to "get into" bread making, I would suggest you order some SAF yeast online and keep it on hand for your bread making. So much more economical than the little envelopes! I buy a pound package, pour part of it in a glass jar to keep in the fridge, then seal up the bag and keep the rest of the yeast in a zip bag in the freezer where it can stay a long, long time.

Teresa

Annie, Like you I'm not a big fan of sour dough breads. I only grew a sour dough starter so I could make bread for Matthew. He loves sour dough.

One of the reasons I like a long slow rise is for the more developed flavour but without the "sour".

Ann

I buy my yeast at the bulk store and put in smaller jar(s) in the freezer. I bought the little jar from the store once, and now keep my yeast in the frig in that. The rest goes in the freezer.

I don't like sourdoughs either. I've made the no-knead bread where it rises in 18 or so hours. That is good!!

I also love Bumblebeez' buttermilk rolls that rise in the frig overnight.

So I'll cut back on the yeast, and let it rise, however long it wants to.

Sally, thanks for the tip. I'll try that next time.

Happyday, I'm guessing, by your words "a sunken lump" that the bread has over-risen.

If you put them in your loaf pans after shaping, don't let them rise to the size you want them to be, after baking.

Let them rise to the top of the bread pans, or a little higher. They will rise higher, when they hit the heat of the oven. This is "oven spring".

If you let them rise far higher, before baking, they will rise even higher, with the heat of the oven, then fall.

Happyday, I agree that you are overproofing your bread, probably. If you let it rise too high it will collapse on itself and you'll get that sunken lump. Ask me how I know. (grin)

Ann T, I do bread dough overnight and it's good, I've done it up to two days in the fridge and it's good, but I keep it more than that I it seems to develop a flavor that I find similar to mild sourdough. Elery loves it, so he's always hoping that I don't have time to bake that dough, LOL.

jasdip, you won't find a consistent yeast amount in bread recipes. Some have more and some have less, depending on the flavor the originator of the recipe was shooting for and liked. As has been mentioned, bread is simple and forgiving, you can use more yeast or less, you can use whole wheat or white or off brand flour, oil or butter or none, milk, water, coffee, whatever and it will usually come out just fine.

I just made a loaf for Elery that took a cup of liquid, I used 3/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of Sriracha sauce, along with a bit of dry mustard and some black pepper. White whole wheat in place of all purpose. He loved it, I'm not even tempted to try it! I had seen a similar recipe on the internet, but I didn't feel like looking it up, so I made it from what passes for my memory and it was still just fine and an absolutely beautiful color.

Annie

Yeast is a loving thing....given food (flour and/or sugar) it grows. More yeast "fills" the bread with yeast faster and it rises faster, less yeast takes longer to grow to "fill"t he bread and make it rise. Temperature also affects how fast the yeast grown....warmer and it grows faster....too hot and you kill it, too cold and it hibernates. It has been said yeast is like a a baby it needs to be kept warn out of drafts and fed often, so it will grow and flourish.
Asking how much yeast is enough to make your bread rise is a little like asking how many rabbits it will take to populate a meadow....it depends....just 2 will do the job but it will take longer.
That's why no knead bread can be made with just 1/4 tsp fo yeast!
Linda C

Great comments Annie and Linda.

Srirachi Sauce Annie??? Wowzers!

Jasdip, here's a good primer on yeast from King Arthur Flour. You seem to bake bread quite frequently. That also makes a difference. Your bread will rise faster due to the wild yeast present in your environment. Somebody making their first loaf of bread may experience a slower rise. If they keep baking bread though that rise period will lessen.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: KA Yeast Primer

Jasdip and Annie, thanks for the tips. I was following this recipe and blog
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/lessons/yourfirstloaf

It rose well the first time, punched it down, then either didn't give it long enough to rise the second time before baking, or maybe it ran out of food and died off/quit rising. It seems more likely that it failed to rise, than that it rose too much and collapsed. Now I have an oven window so I can watch and find out.

I washed my new cast iron loaf pans and have them seasoning in the oven now, will try putting the dough right in them for the first rise, then bake, and see if that fixes it. This time I also have bread flour and gluten flour, instead of just the cheap all purpose flour. Maybe I'll throw in some Sriracha sauce too, that stuff is great, it cures rheumatism!