February 27, 2010 - 10:11am
Sunflower seeds impact on gluten
Greetings bakers. I am a baker with a grocery store chain in the southeastern US. I've noticed that the addition of sunflower seeds to dough results in the dough needed less yeast and the dough becoming more silky than without the seeds and the bread crumb more tender than the same bread without seeds. Does anyone know why this change? Seems there must be some enzyme in the seeds or their oil, but that's just a hunch. Any clarification please is welcome.
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in the seed and that it migrates to the dough rather easily. No science statement, also observation.
Can't say I noticed any need to reduce yeast. I do it anyway with most recipes.
Don't know about the "needing less yeast" part though? Maybe some the bakers with more expertise on this can chip in?
Certainly understandale about tenderizing the crumb, from the gluten network interference of the nuts themselves, along with the oil contribution possibilities.
Are you using the same mixing time for dough? If you are adding seeds at the end of mixing and mixing additional time, you will have greater gluten development and most likely better oven spring. Seeds should be added at the end of mixing, but in the last minute or so. If they are being added from the beginning, I agree that possibly oil is being squeezed out of them and softening crumb.
John
John,
I agree about the addition of the seeds at the end versus the beginning. Perhaps I wasn't clear that I like the effect the seeds have on the dough, I just want to know why. The additional oil makes sense, but still nowhere on the yeast working faster. I still hold that it is enzyme action, but that is speculation.
Final Dough Temperature has a great affect on fermentationand proof times. Ideally, dough should be in the 75-80 degree range when it comes out of the mixer. with a 1 1/2 -2 Hour Fermentation time. This dough temp will also affect your proof time. As far as the chemistry of any kind of reaction of the seeds on yeast, I can't say in my experience I have ever heard or experienced anything to make me believe that it is a factor.
John