Application Guide

not as sensitive to temperature as regular active dry yeast; it can grow and multiply at
lower temperatures in the machine’s bread pan. Bread machine yeast is sold in 4-ounce
jars, and is readily available at supermarkets.
Quick-rise yeast was developed in 1984 in response to the large
amount of home baking done using powerful electric mixers. Both Red Star and Fleis-
chmann’s (patented as RapidRise) have quick-rise yeasts on the market. Quick-rise
yeast is another strain of very fine, low-moisture yeast that is able to be activated in a
dough without first being rehydrated in a warm liquid. It raises dough about twice as
fast as regular yeast. This strain is fed with phosphorus to increase enzyme activity,
and RapidRise yeast is coated with emulsifiers and antioxidants that boost activity.
You can use quick-rise yeast in place of bread machine yeast for the recipes in this
book. Replace the given quantity of SAF yeast with the quick-rise yeast.
Whatever type of yeast you are using, always check the expiration
date stamped on the package. Fresh yeast works best, and outdated yeast may not work
at all. If you question whether a yeast is viable, test it by filling a measuring cup with 1
cup of lukewarm water. Sprinkle in 1 table spoon of the yeast in question and 1 tea-
spoon of sugar. Mix the three together and, if the yeast is active, it will bubble immedi-
ately. If it does nothing, or if there are only a few bubbles, the yeast is dead and should
be discarded.
SALT
Salt is very important in bread not only as a flavor enhancer, but in controlling the rate
of yeast fermentation. In the presence of salt, the dough rises at a slower rate and the
salt strengthens the gluten. Loaves with no salt collapse easily. The addition of salt re-
sults in a good crumb, better keeping qualities, and more flavor. When using the Delay
Timer, avoid having the salt come in contact with the yeast, which would slow its ac-
tion; in these cases add the salt with the liquid. When you are going to mix and make
the bread immediately, it really doesn’t matter what ingredients come in contact with
what others, and I actually prefer to add the salt close to the end, near the yeast, as I
think it gets distributed better that way.
LIQUID
To make bread, you must have some type of liquid to moisten the flour, activate the
gluten, and begin the action of the yeast. Liquid transforms the ingredients into a pli-
able dough ball that will bake into a loaf of bread. Pure water, milk, buttermilk, fruit
juice, yogurt, sour cream, beer, or coffee all work, but each gives a different crumb.
Nonfat dry milk powder and dry buttermilk powder can be used in conjunction with
water to replace their fresh counterparts. Some bakers don’t like the flavor of the dried
milk powders and always use fresh milk, but for bread machine baking using a delayed
cycle, the use of powdered milk eliminates concern over spoilage. Sometimes you will
see the addition of baking soda when acidic liquids like buttermilk and sour cream are
called for; the baking soda neutralizes the acid. If you have a Welbilt machine, please
note that it usually requires an additional 2 tablespoons of liquid in every recipe; you
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