The Fresh Loaf

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The best time to add yeast to bread dough

Grandpa Larry's picture
Grandpa Larry

The best time to add yeast to bread dough

I was baking bread last week when I made a basic and serious blunder. The dough looked great, rose beautifully, and baked up into light, lovely loaves. Rose, far, far too beautifully and quickly! My first taste revealed my mistake. I had forgotten to add the salt.

Other than its' bland flavor, however, the bread was glorious in every respect, with a wonderful, light texture.

I've been baking bread for years, but it's obvious to me that many of the people on this forum are far more accomplished bakers than I am.  So I'm posing this question to the forum. The yeast and the salt are in a kind of balancing act in a loaf of bread. When is the optimum time to add the salt?

I've always added it at the beginning, right to the flour. Is there a more optimum time?

I hope some of you mavens will have an answer for me.

Maverick's picture
Maverick

It depends on the method being used, but in general you add the yeast and salt at the same time.

If you start with an autolyse then you combine the flour and water first and let it sit and add the salt and yeast afterwards. Pre-ferments are sometimes added with the water and flour if needed. But the salt isn't.

For sourdough, often the starter is added at this time as well if the autolyse time is short enough. Otherwise the salt and yeast is added after the autolyse.

Bob S.'s picture
Bob S.

If you are using an electric mixer (such as KitchenAid), delaying the addition of salt is said to reduce mixing time. I don't bother, and just mix the salt in with the rest of the dry ingredients. Just be careful not to allow the salt and yeast to come in direct contact with each other.

Bob

Grandpa Larry's picture
Grandpa Larry

That's pretty much what I've always done.  I use a KitchenAid. I mix the salt with all the other dry ingredients. I've noticed, however, that in some recipes the salt is added later and I was wondering if rhis was done in order to give the yeast a headstart.  My saltless loaf rose so beautifully and had such wonderful texture it caused me to think about it.

Maverick's picture
Maverick

There are recipes that will put the yeast in with the autolyse. Technically this will no longer be an autolyse in the traditional sense, but the end result is still hydration of the flour and gluten development. Delaying the salt is there to prevent the salt from interfering with the gluten development. What you describe in terms of texture and rise can have a lot to do with gluten development.

That said, it is possible that you are not fully proofing your dough normally and the lack of salt allowed full proofing. I would say the combination of gluten development and proofing time being correct (as it would be shorter without salt) can help point you in the right direction for reproducing this when you add the salt.

Grandpa Larry's picture
Grandpa Larry

That's pretty much what I've always done.  I use a KitchenAid. I mix the salt with all the other dry ingredients. I've noticed, however, that in some recipes the salt is added later and I was wondering if rhis was done in order to give the yeast a headstart.  My saltless loaf rose so beautifully and had such wonderful texture it caused me to think about it.

markgo's picture
markgo

I too had asked the same question. After autolyse, I tried both methods of (1) salt same time as starter and (2) salt after the starter is completely incorporated into dough.

Conclusion: I did not notice any major difference in crust/crumb/flavor. If there is a difference, it's minimal to the end user/eater. My wife and kids ate everything.

Extra: In Tuscany area, they eat salted meats frequently so they omit the salt in their traditional bread. I've been there and I initially thought they made a mistake -- until my wife gave me a quick history lesson. So, next time you forget the salt, just tell everyone you were going for the Tuscan traditional bread type and serve them with prosciutto and lots of good wine. :D

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

is...anytime, preferably from the first moment up to half an hour before the dough falls apart, before it looses it's ability to trap gas.

Salt free.... As long as you are watching the loaf (and not the clock) the lack of salt may not cause problems but timing may vary from bake to bake.  

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Salt is hyrooscopic and sucks up the moisture you want to to go into-the flour.  Salt strengthens and tightens the gluten structure so you want it in the mix when developing the gluten either by hand or with a machine

Here is a rule of thumb site for salt in bread baking.

https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/salt-in-bread-baking-how-much-and-why/

The only time you might want to add a SD starter during autolyse is if the bulk of the water is in the starter and there isn't enough dough water to do the job right.  But it is relative - bagels only have 50% water total n some recipes.

Happy baking 

 

 

Arjon's picture
Arjon

mainly on you, how you like your bread to turn out and other personal preferences. For instance, you can use a pre-ferment to get more flavor, but the difference may or may not be enough to warrant the additional amount of time / work. It's not a lot, but the flavor difference can be small too or even indiscernible depending on your palate, how you eat the bread, etc.

Similarly, autolysing may or may not be "worth it". In my case, I seldom bother, largely because almost all my recipes involve long proof times, so I don't think there'd be much benefit; I haven't done a direct comparison though, and some people with far more experience than I seem to autolyse almost every time. 

Btw, what kind(s) of bread are you asking about?

Eri's picture
Eri

I've been taught to dissolve my yeast in a small amount of water. Place your flour in the mixer and add the yeast.  Start your mixer and add as much water as you need and onlt when the water is taken up do you add the salt.

You're trying to avoid the yeast coming into contact with salt as salt will kill the yeast.

Hope this helps :)