Bread Making Tips

SAF Instant Yeast:  (or SAF Instant Premium Yeast)

Facts:

• Now you can use the yeast preferred by the World’s Top Professional Bakers. For over 125 years, Lesaffre has produced premium quality, high performance yeast that is now used by more Gourmet Chefs and Commercial Bakeries worldwide than any other yeast.
• No need to "proof" or dissolve SAF; just add along with your other dry ingredients.
• SAF-Instant Dry Yeast reduces the amount of yeast used in your recipe by 25% compared to Active Dry Yeast.
• OR, Use in any recipe calling for active dry yeast; no need to adjust the amount, use just as the recipe says.
• An incredible value: SAF Red instant costs 75% LESS than supermarket active dry yeast, AND works better.
• Makes about 96 loaves of bread.
• Gluten-free.
• Instant Yeast, also known as "fast-rising" or "fast-acting" dry yeast, can shorten the rising time in traditional baking by as much as 50%.
•  Instant Yeast is not recommended for use in refrigerated or frozen dough baking methods.
• Keep out of direct contact with ice water.
• RED STAR® Quick-Rise™, RED STAR® Bread Machine Yeast, SAF® Gourmet Perfect Rise, SAF® Bread Machine Yeast, bakipan® Fast Rising Yeast and bakipan® Bread Machine Yeast are all instant yeast products.
• If your yeast is stored in the refrigerator or freezer, we recommend allowing the dry yeast come to room temperature before using.  (Let it sit about 30-45 minutes.)

·       Use liquid temperatures of 120°F-130°F (the normal 110º-115º seems to work as well).  Tip for Successful Baking:  (Using a thermometer is the most accurate way to determine the correct liquid temperature. Any thermometer will work as long as it measures temperatures between 75°F and 130°F.)  

• Yeast activity may decrease if it comes into direct contact with salt or sugar.

Dry Yeast Storage Tips:

• To prepare your dry yeast open packages for refrigerated or frozen storage:
• Fold the package down to yeast level (this removes the extra air).
• Seal with some tape or a clip before putting into storage.
• If you have a large opened package, separate dry yeast into multiple zipper bags and push out any air before sealing.
• Label bags with "Best if used by" date and date package was opened.

Shelf Life:

SAF Instant Yeast comes in vacuum sealed 1 lb. packages. The yeast is granulated and until the package is opened it feels almost like a solid brick because of the airtight vacuum seal. The packages are printed with the date of production as well as a "best if used by" date. The "best if used by" date is set 1 year from the date of production, and in doing this, SAF assumes that you open the package as soon as you get it and keep the entire opened package at room temperature. Instead, we recommend that you open the original container and pour a portion of it into a small resealable container to keep in your cupboard (not out in the light) for daily use (a babyfood jar works fine.) Then roll the top of the SAF container down, clip it so it doesn't unroll, and store it in your freezer. Kept this way, the yeast in the cupboard will be good for a least 1 year and the remaining yeast in the freezer will remain good for a minimum of 5 years. We know from experience that SAF yeast, stored frozen in a re-closed container, retains its potency for several years. If you have a small airtight container for the frozen yeast, that can be used in place of rolling and clipping the foil pouch. When you transfer more yeast to your cupboard container, that yeast will remain good for another year in the cupboard. Unopened, vacuum-sealed containers of SAF yeast stored in the freezer actually remain potent for 10 years or more.

Bread Machine Baking:

• In bread machine baking, liquids should be used at 80°F. 
• For regular cycle bread machines - use 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast for each cup of flour in your recipe.
• For one-hour or express bread machine cycles - Instant Yeast amounts must be doubled or tripled; suggested liquid temperatures vary with machines - follow your manufacturer's instructions.

Instant Yeast can be dissolved in liquids before using, if desired:

• Rehydrating Dry Yeast before using gives it a "good start" - the yeast feeds on the sugar allowing it to become very active and ready to work in your dough.
• Water is recommended for dissolving yeast.
• Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1/2 cup 110°F-115°F water.
• Add up to 3 packets of yeast, depending on your recipe, to the sugar solution.
• Stir in yeast until completely dissolved.
• Let mixture stand until yeast begins to foam vigorously (5 - 10 minutes).
• Add mixture to remaining ingredients.
• Remember to decrease the total liquids in your recipe by 1/2 cup to adjust for the liquid used to dissolve the yeast

Dough Enhancer:

• OR:  Grind 500mg Vitamin C tablets with your wheat.  (500mg per 3 cups of wheat flour.) 

Facts:

• Dough enhancer gives the bread loft, is rises lighter.
• Dough enhancer will help make fluffier baked goods, enhance the natural flavor, and increase dough strength and shelf life. It's perfect for…. *breads *pizza dough *cakes *rolls *scones *muffins *and much more. Add dough enhancer to your favorite recipes for...*softer texture *longer shelf life *better flavor *increased strength Ingredients: Whey, soy lecithin, Tofu Powder, Citric Acid, Dry yeast, Sea salt, spice blend, corn starch, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), natural flavor.

Vital Gluten Wheat Flour:

Facts:

• Gluten is a natural protein in some grains, particularly wheat.  It is this protein which, when combined with water, make dough elastic and able to hold the gas from yeast and steam during baking which causes bread to rise.  Gluten Flour is made from hard wheat that has had both the bran removed (as in white flour), and the starch, leaving it with proportionately more gluten protein.  So much in fact, that the protein in Gluten Flour generally ranges about 75-80% (measured dry basis) – compare that with Bread Flour, with protein ranges of 12 to 14% protein. 
• Gluten Flour is generally used in bread recipes where you need to boost the gluten content of the flour being used – whole wheat, for instance – or to give them gluten content, period – flours such as rye or soya, so that they can hold yeast gases and rise.  It can also be added to make very crusty bread or crusty pizza doughs. 
• You generally only need Gluten Flour in small contents – for Whole Wheat Bread for instance, a few tablespoons is often called for.
• Store refrigerated, or in a cool place, or frozen even – protein goes rancid, and there is a lot of it in Gluten Flour to go rancid.

Wheat Flour:

Note: 

• Use Hard White Spring Wheat, you can use 100% wheat flour and it will still make a light loaf.  It has a somewhat higher protein value (stronger gluten) and a milder taste.
• Grind and use immediately.

Temperature of bread when cooked minimum of 180º