[richyrich7]

 loads of tips thanks, bit of an art this bread making lark  

[agapanthus]

I know fresh is best, but I use dried as it's handier when you only get out once a week!

Its the Hovis fast acting yeast and this is one I made earlier! lol  Turned out quite nice too!



and I mix it in my kenwood too Richy!

You can always freeze fresh yeast.....lasts for ages!  

[richyrich7]

 Aggie that was my next question  

Can you grow your own from fresh so you never have to buy ??

[FCG]

Free fresh yeast -

Ask your local supermarket bakery for some! They'll give you a smallish lump good enough for 1-3 loaves of bread. I do this whenever i want some yeast from Asda.

[richyrich7]

Last time I asked at our Asda they wanted to charge for it    I'll try Tesco next time

[Poolfield2]

I'm experimenting with using a natural leaven (idea from a book by Dan Lepard - The handmade loaf) and you don't have to knead like crazy, just for a few seconds and let it rest then repeat several times and the dough just becomes silky soft, it's brilliant and makes a really rustic loaf. Trouble at present is finding a warm enough place to rise the bread :!:

[Trillium]

Trouble at present is finding a warm enough place to rise the bread :!:

I'm sure that'll be a huge problem for a lot of folk who can't afford much heating this winter. Someone I used to know kept the rising dough under an electric blanket until it rose high enough to bake.
When the going gets tough, the tough get creative  

[agapanthus]

I'm trying to remember where my friend's neighbour (who gave my the yeast) worked....that's where it came from.  This is gonna drive me mad now

[robbobnbill]

I Just came back from ASDA where my cousin is one of the master bakers he gave ma a nice big block of fresh yeast for free, he reckons its pretty standard to give yeast away to the public, its one of their helping the community things they do! so if you need some get down to ASDA  

[millymolymandy]

Hi Richy, I make bread with dried yeast (fermipan) and mix it in my kenwood, but when I've knocked it back and shaped it, I put it in the top of my double oven on the lowest setting, with a tray of boiling water underneath, the steam gives it a boost and I think it is lighter for doing this.
Fran

[richyrich7]

Hi Richy, I make bread with dried yeast (fermipan) and mix it in my kenwood, but when I've knocked it back and shaped it, I put it in the top of my double oven on the lowest setting, with a tray of boiling water underneath, the steam gives it a boost and I think it is lighter for doing this.
Fran

Ok I'm being ignorant but is that to cook it or just to make it rise again ?

[millymolymandy]

Just to rise it again, it works a treat, don't leave it for too long though. As for the tempreture  I just turn the oven knob until the light comes on so it's not even on the lowest setting,

[richyrich7]

 thanks I'll give it a go.

[GrannieAnnie]

That was a good tip millymollymandy!! Thanks!

I defrosted some ciabatta rolls I'd made this morning, was supposed to be for lunch, but they didn't defrost and rise in time, so I left them on windowsill while we were out.  then put them in oven when we got home.  Just went  to see if brooder was okay, but then realised that Brian hadn't filled the turkeys water this morning, then went round to do all the watering buckets, got back an hour later to 4 VERY well done bread rolls!!!!   :roll:  :roll:

[Aidy]

I am no expert at making bread, I am lazy and chuck the stuff in me breadmaker but I did encounter a problem with a particular brand of yeast in that during proving it looked ok but then collapsed at the bake stage, I emailed the company who made the yeast (Dove Farm) and they kindly wrote back with a possible answer that may well give you an answer, add 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid to the mix.