A guide to Flour Types and uses.
This bakers guide will answer all your questions about flour. Types and grades of flour are explained. Along with a range of alternative flours. See our tips on baking and using different types of flour.
Tag: baking
Making Bread at Home.
Making bread at home? All your questions answered here. Together with hints and tips to help you.
What is yeast? A Baker’s guide.
What is Yeast? Yeast is all around us, in different forms. It’s a single cell organism without which life would be all the poorer. We know that bakers use it to make a dough ‘rise’. Without it, our bread would be like flat, hard cakes. A little understanding of how yeast works and what it needs will improve our baking. And reduce our failures.
In the days when people made their own bread, they would go to a brewer and get a jug of fluid and yellow brewer’s yeast.
Nowadays, yeast is made commercially on a large scale. The yeast you buy at the shops is compressed into moist blocks of a grey / yellow plasticine like mass. Fresh yeast like this is my favourite form of yeast. It produces a better flavour in the bread and is easy to use, but its shelf life can be a problem if you don’t bake frequently.
Also, if you don’t live in or near a city you may have problems buying fresh yeast. For that reason, all the recipes in the blog use yeast in a dried form.
Yeast types.
As far as our bread is concern, we have four options we can use: –
Fresh, or ‘wet’ yeast.
As I’ve said great to use, but a problem to find and store. If your local wholefood store doesn’t sell a lot of yeast, it may be deteriorating before your get your hands on it. Also, as the wastage can be high, so shops will charge a premium for fresh yeast. fresh yeast can be crumbled directly into the flour or used to make a ferment (my preference).
Freezing fresh yeast.
You can freeze fresh yeast. Wrap it in tinfoil and if you have it pop the parcel into a small bubble wrap bag then freeze. The bubble wrap will protect the yeast from the harshness of the freezer and prolong its life.
The yeast will be fluid when defrosted and you will need to add a little more to the recipe when making the dough. This is because some of the yeast cells may have been damaged during the freezing.
Natural yeasts – sourdough.
This is a simple basic process where we mix flour and water together and allowing the natural airborne yeasts begin to ferment the batter. This is then cleaned and fed each day for five to seven days to make our ferment, or sourdough starter as it is known. Look up our post on making your own sourdough starter.
The long slow proving needed for sourdough produces a bread with great flavour and keeping qualities. Nothing beats sourdough toast!
Dried yeast.
This is fresh yeast dried and compressed into pellets. Usually sold in a small tin and needs to be mixed with water before use. DO NOT add it directly into the flour as it will not dissolve in the dough. Works fine, I would always recommend making a ferment to make sure the yeast is properly dissolved.
Fast Action Yeast.
This in the one you buy in the little tin foil pouches. Originally developed for bread making machines this is a finer grain. This means it will dissolve in a dough without pre-mixing with water. The ‘Fast Action part is because vitamin C has been added to the yeast to supercharge it and help the machine produce a lighter loaf.
Changing from fresh to dried yeast.
Both are fine to use at home and there is a basic rule for converting a recipe from fresh yeast to dried or visa vera. Use half the weight of dried yeast to the fresh quantity. And of course, use double the weight of fresh yeast to dried in the recipe.
How yeast works.
Yeast requires sugar (glucose) before it can ferment. Luckily, yeast contains enzymes which are capable of changing both cane sugar, (sucrose) and malt sugar (Maltose) into Dextrose. So almost any sweet material (except milk sugar) will assist in fermentation.
The problems with sugar
As wheat flour already contains 2.5% of these sugars. Any mixture of flour and water will readily ferment without the addition of any extra sugar. What’s important is the concentration of sugar that the yeast has to cope with. A dough with more than 12% sugar will be inhibiting the actions of the yeast. This must be remembered when doughs are made which are very rich in sugar. The yeast content must be increased to compensate for this effect. I would always use a ferment as well to give the best chance of success.
High fat breads.
Excess, fat, salt, sugar, and spices all slow down the progress of the yeast. Where we have a dough with very high concentrations of fat like a brioche dough. The majority of the fat is added to the dough at the ‘knocking back stage’. This give the dough time to prove and develop before the fat is worked in.
Salt.
Direct contact with salt will kill yeast. 7-10g of salt per 0.50kg of flour should be plenty for the dough without inhibiting the action of the yeast too much.
Making a ferment.
This is something a like to do. And is beneficial for the dough, particularly rich doughs like my walnut bread.
Take the yeast and mix to a smooth paste in a small dish using blood temperature water. The mix should be the consistency of double cream. Add a good pinch of the flour you will be using and mix in. over the dish with a tea towel and leave to stand for a while. When the yeast is bubbling and has risen in the dish your ferment is ready to use.
And that’s where the term ‘Proving’ comes from. Many years ago, before modern cold storage you couldn’t be sure if the yeast was still active enough to make bread. Mixing the yeast with flour and water and seeing it ferment and grow proved the yeast was fit for use. Today we still do this but for a different reason. It allows the yeast to get a head start. And begin to multiply before having to cope with concentrations of fat or sugar.
Temperature.
How many times have you seen ‘warm’ water specified in a bread recipe or prove in a warm place? The problem here is our interpretation of ‘warm’. You may have noticed above I specified ‘blood temperature water’ for making the ferment. We are warm blooded, so anything warm feels neutral to us.
Yeast is dormant at (0°c) but as the temperature increases so too does the activity of the yeast until at (49°c) it becomes killed. The best working temperatures are between (21-28˚c).
Without understanding this, it is easy to be tempted to ferment yeast at too high a temperature. Even 28°c) feels comparatively cool to the touch. Too high a temperature causes the dough skin ove and spoils the formation of the interior of the bread.
If you’re not sure how warm your water should be, here’s a simple baker’s trick.
Take the temperature you want your dough to be, let’s say 26˚c then double it, that’s 52˚c.
Take the temperature of the flour you are using. Let’s say it’s been in the larder and is only 18˚c.
Take that from the target temperature, and that’s the water temperature you need- 52˚c-18˚c =34˚c.
So, when you are making your bread remember it’s a living thing. Using yeast is not unlike growing a plant. You start with a few cells that need to cared for in the right way.
Not too hot, some moisture, be careful with the minerals and your yeast will grow and flourish. And of course, so will your bread.
Enjoy life!
John.
©John Webber. 2023
Quick and Easy, Ricotta Hotcakes.
Quick and easy Ricotta hotcakes. perfect for breakfast with honey butter and berry fruits. Alternatively serve them to enhance a full cooked breakfast.
Easy Soda Breads to Make at Home.
Make these easy soda breads at home. It’s so satisfying and rewarding everybody should be doing it.
Make Your Own,- Welsh Cakes.
These homemade Welsh Cakes are easy to make and are a great addition to an afternoon tea spread. They are a variation of a griddle scone and shortbread, lightly spiced and finished with a coating of sugar.
How to use perforated tart rings
How to use perforated tart rings, this method is ideal for contemporary, straight sided tarts. And in my view, this suits the smaller sizes perfectly. The pastry rings I am using are stainless steel 7cm x 2cm perforated rings. The holes allows any moisture to ventilate away and heat to penetrate providing a crisp finish to the pastry. These are ideal served for afternoon tea or as a smaller dessert.
They are also great as a picnic item using basic savory shortcrust or parmesan pastry for a cheese and leek quiche, or red onion and goats cheese tart.
Lining perforated tart rings
For this technique you need a workable pastry such as our sweet rich almond shortcrust pastry which can be used to make a chocolate tart, lemon curd tart, caramel tart etc. Do read our post Blind Baking Made Easy to line a larger tart tart shell for a larger number of people
You will need :-
Pastry rings
A plastic cutting board that fits into the fridge
Rolling mat (optional)
Rolling pin (polyurethane preferably)
Small teaspoon
Small pastry brush
1 Egg yolk beaten with a dash of water
Baking beans (I used dried peas, cheaper, and better)
Greaseproof paper
If it’s a warm day pop your rolling pin into the fridge. I always use a silicone rolling mat, which can go into the fridge, but dry off any condensation before using. Your work surface can also be chilled simply by using a shallow oven tray with some ice and a little water added. Place it on the work surface where you want to work, and it will be chilled down in a few minutes. It’s also a great help to have a small cutting board that will fit into the fridge to rest the pastry later.
Take about two thirds of the chilled pastry and roll it out roughly the thickness of a £1.00 coin. This will be the base of out tarts so make sure the shape will fit four tart rings. Try not to go overboard with the flour when rolling out, a light dusting should be plenty. If you can see flour on the surface of the pastry, brush it off with a soft paint brush. Position the ring on the pastry and press down to cut through the dough.
Remove the scrap pastry between the rings then using a pastry scraper carefully lift the rings on to a lined baking tray and place them to rest in a cool place.
Now for the sides.
Take the reserved pastry and begin to roll it out the same thickness as before but this time we need strip of pastry about 22cm long and cm wide. Using the rolling pin transfer the rolled dough to the cutting board then place the whole board in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to rest and firm up.
Once it’s ready take the board from the fridge and using a cook’s knife cut 2cm wide strips down the length of the pastry. Once that’s done square off the ends to give you 22cm long strips.
Now for the tricky bit. Have a thin blunt ended tool to hand, a small teaspoon is good. Lift one of the strips and feed it into the ring wrapping it around the inner surface of the ring and sitting on the pastry base. As the pastry comes together trim off any excess, and join the two ends of the strip together.
Gently push the pastry strip down into the base, but be careful not to press the pastry hard against the ring or the pastry may be forced through the perforations and become welded to the ring.
Using a small brush apply a little of the beaten egg yolk to the bottom seal and press the join together with the tip of the spoon. Again, be gentle or you will break through the pastry. Place the lined shells into the fridge for at least 15 minutes to rest, then we are ready to bake.
Baking the tarts.
Getting ready to bake.
Heat the oven to 180˚c (fan) 200˚(conventional). Remove the tarts from the fridge and transfer them onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. You will also need discs of greaseproof at least double the diameter of the tart rings you are using.
Take each disc and scrunch it up in your hands. Give it a really good bashing as this allow it to bend into the shape of our tarts. With a pair of scissors make cuts inwards all around each disc leaving an uncut center roughly the diameter of the tart. Line each tart with a disc of paper pushing it down well into the corners then fill each tart with baking beans. I always use dried peas for this, they are cheap and can be used many times.
Bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes when they should be golden brown on top. Remove them from the oven and take out the baking beans and paper disks. Return the tarts to the oven for three minutes to dry out the insides, then let them cool on the baking sheet.
To simplify things all this can be done the day before they are needed. Make sure they are completely cooled and store in an airtight container. Alternatively, the shell could be frozen in the box to use at a later date. Just be careful not to shake the box about and break up the contents. To defrost place then on a cooling wire in a warm place.
Enjoy Life !
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
©John Webber. 2023
Blind Baking Made Easy, perfect results every time.
Blind baking made easy. make you own tarts and pies at home without fuss.
Pear and Blueberry Frangipane Tart with the best custard sauce.
How to make a pear and blueberry frangipane tart with fresh custard sauce.
Getting to Grips with Pastry
It’s not as hard as you think
Getting to grips with pastry can be a joy or a nightmare. But with a little confidence and a sprinkling of technique the whole process becomes easy and will allow you to make more interesting and enjoyable pastries and desserts. This blog provides you with my favourite recipes for basic sweet and short pastry. Do look up the Food Files page Demystifying Perfect Pastry for a greater insight into the craft.
The best sweet pastry
This recipe was given to me many years ago by Nico Ladenis, a big bear of a man, daunting to work for but with kind heart. This dates back to his restaurant in Pimlico London. He didn’t suffer fools gladly and was known for asking guest to leave. I have used this recipe ever since, and never had need to change it and use it for most sweet blind baked tarts. It freezes well so while you can reduce the quantities given, its best to make the full recipe and freeze it until needed. If fact it impossible to work with it until it is well chilled. Ideally overnight.
This is referred to as sable pastry, a light slightly sandy pastry not dissimilar to shortbread that produces a crisp tart shell that will hold its shape without been tough. Anything you have leftover, make into biscuits, great with morning coffee.
Sable Pastry
Ingredients, enough to line 4 x 23cm tart shells (3 if your not too hot with the rolling pin).
250g good quality unsalted butter
250g icing sugar
4 large eggs – beaten in a jug
3-5 tbsp double cream
650g plain flour
Pinch salt
I always make this in a food processor, but it’s not essential, you can use a food mixer or even do it by hand but it’s a lot of work. One crucial thing, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Get everything out well ahead and if the room is cold warm everything near a radiator for a while.
The creaming process.
This is made by the creaming method not unlike some cake mixes. Pop the soft butter into the machine then sieve the icing sugar over the butter. Turn on the machine and process to a smooth buttercream, pulse control is best.
Slowly start adding the egg in a steady stream, if you see the mix beginning to look curdled stop adding egg. This is a sure sign that the mix is too cool and the butter is separating out.
If this happens slightly warm the mix by standing the bowl in some warm water. Don’t overdo it or you will have a butter milkshake.
When all the egg is added, work in 3tbs of the cream then add all the flour in one go and mix in using the pulse control again. Don’t overwork the pastry the last bit of flour is best worked in with a spatula once you have removed the blade from the bowl. If you are having trouble combining it all together add a little more cream.
The mix will be very soft and impossible to work with at this point. Ideally portion out the dough into the amount you will use at one time I make 4 x 350g balls of dough to line a 23cm x 3.25cm flan tins. If you’re not too hot with the rolling pin just break the dough into 3 equal parts.
Basic shortcrust pastry
A great everyday pastry for savoury bakes
To make roughly 350g of pastry
225 unsalted butter
100g plain flour
Pinch table salt
2-3 tbsp very cold water
For savoury pies try using 110g butter with 110 lard to give a crisper finish.
In contrast to the sweet pastry recipes the most important thing here is to keep everything as cold as possible. As luck would have it on the day, I chose to cover the making of the pastry it was quite warm. To combat this, I diced the butter then returned it to the fridge and put the mixing bowl into the fridge to chill before starting.
Rubbing in.
Weigh the flour into a bowl and place the diced cold butter and salt on top. Using the tips of the fingers rub the butter into the flour until you have a fine breadcrumb texture. If your not overly nimble fingered using a pastry knife will both speed up and keep things cool, improving your pastry.
Make a well in the mix and add the water. Don’t add it all at once, leave a little behind, the exact amount of water will depend on the flour you are using and the whey content of the butter. if you are using lard you will need a dash more but may not need it all, it possible a dash more is required. Form a ball of about 5 cm in diameter. Wrap the dough and refrigerate or freeze until needed.
Make now, use later.
Give both of these a try, it’s well worth having some in the freezer. having the pastry ready made will encourage you to try out more recipes and it’s so much better that the bought in versions. i will add more pastry recipes and techniques in later blogs lots more baking to come so don’t forget to subscribe for regular blog updates.
Enjoy Life !
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
©John Webber. 2023