Instant/rapid rise YEAST
i understand that instant yeast can be mixed in with dry ingredients without needing to be proofed, but it can't be good that im seeing the granuals of yeast in the dough as im rolling it out.
i am making croissant dough and i always give the dough a thorough beating as well as some kneading by hand. i have made many many batches, and i came to a method where i add the yeast to a small bowl, pour the milk on top of the yeast (as it seemed to be more effective than pouring the yeast on top of the milk), then pour that into the other dry ingredients.
i also can never seem to get a full batch of croissant dough as good as a half batch.
so, i am in the process of making a full batch today, and i finish the dough, let it rest 30 minutes, and then start rolling it out for lamination. but then i look down very closely and i see hundreds of little specks of the yeast inside the dough.
so here is what i believe.
one: the reason i even came to that technique of pouring the milk on top of the instant yeast was because that was the most effective in terms of dissolving it and therefore i got my best results from it.
two: the reason i could never get a full batch of dough (3 cups of flour) to turn out as well as a half batch (1 1/2 cups of flour) was because the increase in mass and amount of material exponentially increased the inability of the dough to absorb and disolve the yeast.
with both fresh yeast and active dry which i have both used, the yeast disolves into a gooey brownish paste.
instant yeast does not disolve in liquid unless you physically stir and smear it in the liquid until it disolves.
i am going to test this on my next batch of croissants but i just wanted to know what you guys know about this.