Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Yeast can be a tricky substance

It looks like marmite is all set to return to New Zealand shelves.  We still have an unopened jar, as well as a jar of vegemite 'just in case'.  I was rationing more than usual as I didn't think I'd be able to get a replacement.  It took a year for the factory to be up and running and then several months to get the yeasts right.  

I've been having difficulty with my yeasts recently too.  I think I got a bit blase about the rising process and have subsequently killed two separate whole wheat sour dough loafs as well as a naan bread.  I think I gave them too much rising time and did the different foldings and restings at inappropriate times.  You leave dough to rise too long, and the yeast dies.  The temperature of the room was probably another factor: too cold and the dough needs a lot longer to rise.  Or maybe I didn't handle the starter properly, allowing it time to activate after aerating it.  Or that I have inadvertently killed the starter.  Mostly, I think I need to go back to following the instructions exactly as they are written because I have been too cocky, expecting myself to remember the stages and times, but not getting them quite right.  It is pretty annoying to spend so much time making bread just to have it go wrong, but I should take it as I always tell my students: we learn best through the mistakes we make. 

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