The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Bread won't rise with alcohol soaked fruit

FinancingBread's picture
FinancingBread

Bread won't rise with alcohol soaked fruit

I was feeling creative and wanted to add some bourbon-soaked cherries to my usual brioche dough. I had been soaking the fruit for three days and drained off all the alcohol before adding the cherries to the dough.

I just took the dough out of the refrigerator after 8 hours of bulk fermentation and it hasn't risen at all. 

I'm assuming that any remaining alcohol from the cherries made its way into the dough and killed all of my yeast. Any one have any similar experience with something like this? Is there any other way I could go about making this happen? What if I rinsed the fruit before adding to the dough? 

 

Thanks!

LindyD's picture
LindyD

I'm guessing your timing was off in that you added the fruit before the bulk fermentation, not after it.

From the brioche recipes I've seen, heavy fruits and such are added after the dough has fermented, just prior to the shaping and final proof.

PaddyL's picture
PaddyL

I've used beer and even champagne in breads and they rose beautifully, so I wouldn't think the alcohol was the problem.  I'd agree with LindyD on this one.