Submitted by box255 on March 21, 2008 - 7:55am
Not getting a good yeast taste in my breads. Called the yeast maker and they tell me that the old time yeast is not being produced anymore. What they have now is for ease of use and shelf life. Even tried some yeast cake type and still no good taste in the bread. Help Please!!! How do I get that old time yeast taste in my breads???
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Yeast has no taste? Hmm...
I think that saccharomyces cerevisiae has been unchanged as far as humans are concerned for 10,000 years. Unless you are theorizing some mutation or genetic engineering of the yeast itself I don't think it is any different now than it was 50 years ago, nor is it any different dry or in moist chunks.
The improvements in the granulation of dry yeast, plus the dough enhancers that some yeast mfgs add to the coating, may be producing a rising cycle that doesn't develop the flavors you prefer. Have you tried creating a long liquid poolish, say with 150 g flour, 345 g water, and a pinch (1/16 or 1/32 tsp) of active dry yeast left covered for 18 hours? Or a poolish with a bit more yeast (1/8 or 14 tsp active dry) left out for 4 hours at 72-82 deg.F then in the refrigerator overnight (or a 63 deg.F space if you have one)? You will get plenty of "yeasty" aroma from such poolishes.
sPh
Yeast has no taste
I totally agree the the flavor of the bread has changed due to something done to the yeast. I use the same brand of yeast, ingredients, oven, and method, but the bread and rolls I bake now do not have the old fashioned taste. It is so frustrating to me. While looking for an answer, I found this website and just had to comment. I just finished baking dinner rolls and I'm disappointed with the flavor again.
I'm not
a big fan of the "yeasty" taste - but I do recall from my old Betty Crocker cookbook that "she" claimed that a yeasty taste came not from using large quantities of yeast, but from the bread being "too warm" during rising.
Certainly recipes in older cookbooks have higher baker's percents of yeast than what I would use today and recommend higher temperatures for rising and proofing than I would use today.
Something to consider.
I will say that during the mix, it is much easier to taste and smell the yeast when fresh yeast is used - but all things being equal this levels out as the dough is fermented. I just had an opportunity to spend a week baking with nothing but fresh yeast. I can't say that the final result was all that different, but I liked the process better with fresh yeast.
Not a definitve answer - just something to think about.
totally agree
I agree completely with Pat, yeast quantity and rising temp are important if you're trying to get your bread tasting yeasty.
Want really yeasty flavor? As others have mentioned, double the yeast. Your bread will rise really fast (probably 1/2 the specified time, or less) and maintain that "yeasty" character.
Personally I don't like that flavor at all, and I consider it a baking defect...but whatever floats your boat.
Thanks for your
Thanks for your information. I know that the breads I am producing do not have the aroma or flavor of the breads my mother made years ago. Will try the poolish and feed back the results. A call to Fleischmann's helpline offered up they do not make yeast like they did years ago. Adviser there says she gets a number of calls per day with the same complaint, no taste in the yeast. Off to make the poolish. Thanks again.
Try a good baking book
Let me first say that I'm no expert on baking and it's a continual learning process. Having said that, it sounds as though you need to understand the fermentation process, which produces aroma and flavor. Using yeast (direct method) is only one method of leavening bread. My advice would be to get yourself a good artisan bread book and read it carefully so that you can begin to understand the leavening process and how it works, along with the 11 steps to baking (Step 1: scaling/measuring through Step 11: Baking.) I know that I didn't really enjoy and begin to have succees with baking until I understood the process. Good luck.
Howard - St. Augustine, FL
Yeast taste!?
If you're expecting yeast to give your bread flavour then you are not making it properly (unless of course you like the flavor of yeast). The flavor is developed from the starches in the wheat (or other flour) that are broken down into simple sugars after long periods of fermentation.
Breads made with minimal bulk fermentation, high quantities of yeast, and short proofing times will tend to derive most of its flavor from the yeast itself-- hence the 'yeasty' flavor. But if that's what you prefer, go crazy. Have you tried different brands as well as instant, fast rise, and active?
Cheers
Thanks for the input.
Thanks for the input. Guess what I am trying to produce is from long ago. When I would be out in the field on the tractor, I could smell that great aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven at the house. This bread was very "yeasty" tasting and that is what I am trying to make. Unfortunately, the ones that did that baking are all gone. Yes, I have tried several different yeasts but none yield the taste I am looking for. Even hunted down some yeast cake type and it too failed the taste test. None of the old bakers I knew used any Poolish, long fermetation times, etc. Was the basic flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar. Will get there in time but it will take more work on my part. Everyone wants to bake the bread they remember they had in the past someone made for them. When the rep at Flieschmann's admits freely that their yeast is made differently than long ago, that is probably where the taste I am looking for went. Thanks again for your suggestions and input.
Yeasty tasting bread
Greetings, did you ever succeed in making bread that tastes like your mother's? For me it was my grandmother. I have tried to reproduce that wonderful flavor and aroma for years. If you have learned how to do it, perhaps you would share the secret with me. Thanks
Yeast versus taste???
In my experience yeast flavor is maximized by using lots of yeast - so try doubling your yeast. It will rise a lot faster and you will get a less complex bread flavor but you will get more yeast. To counter it, mix the flour and water (loosely) the night before and let it soak overnight. Then add the yeast and salt the next morning. The soak will allow the enzymes to do some flavor enhancement before you quick proof it.
Yeast Flavor
Thanks for your suggestion longhorn. I will try using two packs of yeast the next time I make bread, probably in a day or two. BTW, your username makes me think you may be located in Texas? I am. ;D
Sho Nuf
I am in the San Antonio area.
You will probably find that your dough with extra yeast will rise a bit further than "slower" doughs with less yeast so you may want to let it rise a bit more (say 2.5X instead of doubling. I would suggest you follow your normal procedure first try but to expect it to behave a bit underproofed and potentially to "burst" on you a bit which would tell you to extend the proof. If the bread is fine then...no problem!
Good luck!
Jay
Yeast flavor
Knew it! No one but a Texan would call his self "longhorn." ;D I'm a 4th generation Texan and my granddaughter makes six straight generations born in Tarrant County.
I REALLY appreciate all your suggestions - I'm baking again tomorrow. I've noticed that with each loaf, my quality is getting better. My son gave me the bug again. Years ago, I tried a few times, but could never come close to my grandmother's bread so I gave up. A few months ago, my son and daughter-in-law started making all their own bread. Now I'm back at it with a vengeance. No way can I let those young-uns make better bread than Grandma. Hah !!
Thanks again Jay,
Annie