Hey Chefs -
I work in a company making yeast breads and I'm trying to create some new processes. The problem is: each product has a different yeast amount and then the products proof until the oven is ready to bake them! No rhyme or reason.

I was wondering: is the any ratio that that spells out

Example:
yeast % (on flour) x air temperature/humidity= x # of minutes?
2% yeast x 75 degrees/80% humidity = 2 hours

Some additional information for you.

1 - This is scratch baking. Down to basic ingredients.
2 - We use 13% high gluten flour, salt, instant yeast, invert sugar, oil, and other seasonings and flavorings.
3 - Our batches can be quite big (200# of flour) and we end up using more than 30% water (some are much higher due to the other ingredients such as wheat flour).
4 - We like the bread denser, not quite to a bagel density, so yeast SHOULD be around 2% of flour, but we often add more to help proof faster.
5 - So, we got a new beautiful proof box ... and I'm trying to figure out what to set it at for each type/flavor. (we have about 20). And different sizes.

6 - Of course, I have one week to do this, and will be creating policy on the fly. I was just looking for some start-up guidance so I can adjust from that.

I appreciate your thoughts and comments! Thanks!

I love this place but am way over my head. I'm just starting to delve into bread baking as a whole. And this site has so much inspiration.

I am having problems with my bread since I moved. I was in central Germany and all of my bread turned out fabulous. Now I am in Central TN and none of my yeast breads turn out. My sourdough is denser than rocks and I'm getting discouraged.

JMonkey,

I had some thoughts on all this rise time stuff.

Everyone's starter is different, but I find that a 10% inoculation of starter takes about 10-12 hours for the first rise at about 70 degrees, and then another 2.5 to 3 hours or so for the final proof. But many professional bakers, I think, like to underproof (well, by my thinking anyway) their sourdoughs so that they get tremendous oven spring and a milder flavor. Then again, it may be that I'm overproofing!

hello,

has anyone had a chance to make the "vermont sourdough" recipe in the bread book by jeffrey hamelman.   i believe he gives about one to two hours for the final rising time which seems ridiculously short.    most basic sourdoughs that i've made (e.g. from Rose's Bread bible) take upwards of 4-5 hours for the final rise.    am i missing something with hamelman's recipe? 

david