Whey: How to use it and why
There has been discussion of whey in baking German bread so herewith are the results of some of my researches on the topic.
1-How to use dry whey for baking:
-Whey is heavy in protein and so has a tendency to toughen the texture of baked goods, so you may need to adjust your recipe accordingly.
-Don't over mix- add whey to the other dry ingredients in your recipe before blending with the wet ingrdeients. Once combined, mix batter just long enough to ensure that the dry ingrdients have been moistened by the wet ingredients.
-Replace all-purpose flour with equal amounts of pastry flour. For a more healthful twist, try using whole wheat pastry flour
-Add about 10% more vegatable oil, butter or margarine to the recipe. These fats tenderize the batter and will help to counteract any toughness or chewiness that adding extra protein to the recipe may cause
-Start off with 1/2 cup of whey and add more if desired
-Note the high protein content of whey may promote more rapid browning in baked goods. Monitor the last few minutes of baking time for browning and adjust as needed.
2-Results of use of whey:
It should make for great color and a creamy flavor.
Hope this helps.
I make both cheese and bread and your posting made me think. What about making bread with the liquid whey left over from the cheese making process? Have you tried that? I might experiment this weekend but would love to know if anybody has done it. On the other hand, any particular tricks on drying whey?
I've used the whey left over from making cheese or bean curd as the liquid for my dough in a straight 1:1 substitution for the amount of water called for. The dough rises slightly faster with whey as opposed to plain water, so it must contain nutrients that yeast likes. It makes little difference whether the whey was from milk or soy beans.
If I'm not going to use the whey for bread dough within 1 or 2 days, I freeze it.
I just finished baking four loaves of rye bread with the addition of 1/2 cup of whey and found that the crumb is definitely smoother than without whey. In my next round I will probably use 1 full cup of whey for 4 loaves of rye bread.
FYI: Since denatured whey proteins exhibit good water-binding properties, they can be used in whole-grain bakery goods to control water management and prevent accelerated staling. Gumminess problems associated with the use of high levels of soluble fiber in some types of whole grains can be resolved with the addition of whey proteins.
Some of the discussion here suggests a cup of whey is being used in bread dough. I am seeing it sell for $15-$20/lb and wonder if I am are seeing the same thing.
Has this become "Bread at any price"?