Poolish Yeast - how much is too much?
My go-to loaf is a essentially a baguette with my own twists. I use 1/3 spelt flour and whatever bread flour I can get my hands on (we're remote - I mail order my spelt - bread flour options are sparse).
I always bake with a poolish. I'm not a diligent measurer - I just do what feels right. I scoop, but don't scrape or sift.
I've added more yeast to my poolish due to the added spelt. I recently reviewed poolish recipes just for kicks and realized I'm using waaaay more yeast than the "pinch" that is recommended. My normal batch is two loaves - one baguette and one in a cast iron regular loaf pan - using a total of about 5 cups flour - maybe 5 1/2 after kneading additions including the poolish. My poolish is one cup flour and 2/3 cups water and about 1/2 tsp yeast.
Finishing the loaf, I'll use 1 1/4 cup of water and four cups flour. I'll make a slurry using the water and 1 1/2 ish cups flour, and 1 1/2 tsp yeast ADY and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then I'll add the poolish and fully integrate and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Then add the remaining flour. Proofing is usually one hour (plus 30) plus one hour in-pan proof/rise. It took me a while to learn to let my dough rest for 30 more minutes after final deflate (I don't punch).
Sorry about the long winded intro - I'm just looking for feedback on the amount of yeast used in the poolish. The "books" all stress much smaller amounts.
Curious on the coast.
Comments
A long standing definition of a poolish is equal weights of flour and water. In other words, its at 100% hydration. Just guessing at your hydration level with your ingredients, you have about 140 g of flour (1 C.= 140g) and at least 150 g of water (1C.= 228 g), which means you have somewhere near 150% hydration. I've seen cup of water weights range from 225 g to 238 g so my guess is just that.
That's still a legitimate preferment and if its working for you, don't change a thing. You can stay with the 1/2 tsp ADY if you're comfortable with that but you might also try using less yeast,1/8 to 1/4 tsp, in your next bake's preferment. The preferment will take longer to mature but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. All you need to recognize is that it will require an adjustment for your time management skills.
If you've been spending time here on TFL, you've probably noticed that most measurements are in weights rather than volume measurements are you're presently using. If you switch to using a scale, you'll be able to save time, attain more consistent results, and have greater access to recipes from around the world. Scales are highly recommended.
thanks again for the tune up.
I'm interested in 2 things in this discussion. First that you don't weigh things. I don't either. The second is that your method is close to mine. My weekly baking starts with 250 ml/g of water (about 2 cups) and 2 cups of flour (about 250 ml) with 1 tsp of yeast if I have to bake in 24 hours, 1/2 tsp if I have an extra day.
Variation depends on time available. If I have 3 days or more, another 250 ml of flour and water and let that mature again. if not, might add the 250 flour/water and another 1/2 or even 1 tsp of yeast. 1 tsp means I could be baking in 5 or 6 hours. No extra yeast means the day after tomorrow, or even in 10 days if I put it into the fridge. I get 3 very big loaves from this. The flours used are Canadian hard flours which always are higher in gluten and protein than UK or USA flours.
I bake at home in a convection oven, but about half the time at our cabin where it is with wood or on a propane barbeque outside. I don't have anything approaching technology out there, so it is all by feel, and I started doing the same things at home. It makes me feel old timey, like a pioneer.
Uncle Goose,
you're doing what one of my "let's have another glass of wine and think about it" mentors does. Isn't that a variation on the autolyze theme? He hasn't been patient enough to go multiple days. He also gave up on sourdoughs as did I - counter space/fridge space. I get by with an overnight poolish. Judging from what I've read here, I'm going to back off my water content and go with a larger poolish. I'd like to get my hands on some of that harder Canadian wheat. I've tried some out of Idaho that was darn good, but spendy. It's bad/good enough that I mail-order my spelt 25lbs at a whack. If I have to splurge, it'll be on spelt.
Best
other than trying to get 1 packet of yeast to last a whole year is to get it to double in 12 hours, Usually a pinch of yeast will do that. More time to make the poolish means mir flavor supposedly even though I can'lt tell the difference. Spelt just means that things move along faster do your pinch of yeast might double in less than 12 hours.
Happy poolish baking
I've gotten lazy (old?) and have backed away from preferment/polish. I'm running quite low on yeast, so, back to prefermenting a yeast conservation. I tried to Amazon.my 2lb brick of Red Star, and it disappeared from my cart. Found one on eBay for $45....instead of $11. Suburban preppers no doubt.
Stay sane out there.