Doughs Leavened by Yeast by Prof E. W. Habermaas
There are two distinct ways of making doughs. One way is to set a sponge first, then make the dough, and the other way is to make the dough at once. The first is called a “Sponge Dough” and the second is called a “Straight Dough.” Straight dough is so called, because all ingredients such as yeast, salt, sugar, lard, water and flour are all mixed and formed into a dough. There are various reasons for making straight doughs, a few of which we will proceed to give. In the first place, it is more convenient to make a straight dough, because it does not require as much time to make as does mixing the sponge dough, because the mixing is all done at one time. Then, again, a straight dough can be taken in a shorter time than a sponge dough. By this I mean that in case of necessity the dough can be taken, in from 1½ to 2 hours after it has been made. I do not advocate taking the dough in such a short time, but it can be done, because I have done it with good results.
Straight dough requires more yeast than doughs made from a sponge, because the yeast has not as favorable a medium in which to grow, in the straight dough as it has in the sponge dough. It is conceded by some that straight dough requires a stronger flavor than a dough made from a sponge; by others that a stiffer dough is required; by others, that the finished product has a coarse texture, and that an “yeasty” taste predominates. The author made straight doughs daily for eleven years successfully. He neither made a specially stiff dough nor did his finished product have a coarse texture nor an “yeasty” taste. Sometimes when the temperature of the shop was very high or an exceptionally weak flour was sent us, then would our product have a somewhat coarse texture, but this would soon be remedied by using less yeast and reducing the temperature of the liquid used. There are advantages in using strong flour, but they are alike in the straight and the sponge dough, and they are larger yields and larger goods, but these are not the only points to be considered.
Some bakers are partial to spring wheat flour, because the yield in bread is greater than when a blend is used.
Too often is quantity preferred to quality. It seems that most bakers are working to the one end, namely, to get the flour which yields most bread. In this endeavor they are sacrificing quality for quantity.
Spring flour containing a larger per cent. of gluten than winter wheat flour naturally takes up more moisture, producing in turn more bulk, therefore more bread.
Then again the gluten in the spring wheat flour is of a tenacious character, producing a tough elastic dough. Such a dough can resist a greater gas pressure than can one made of weaker flour, and can therefore stand more proof, thus producing a larger and better appearing loaf than one made of a winter wheat flour or a blend.
If a blend is used, we will say two parts of a high grade winter wheat, and one part of spring wheat flour, and the dough is properly worked, the bread will have a fine, smooth, soft, velvety texture, and a mild, sweet taste. The loaf will not be as large a loaf as the one made of spring wheat flour, but will remain soft and moist longer than the loaf made of spring wheat flour. The reason for this is, that winter wheat flour contains a larger per cent. of natural moisture and a smaller per cent. of gluten than the spring flour, therefore it takes up less moisture, and consequently does not lose as much by evaporation in baking; thus leaving a larger per cent. of moisture in the bread.
The chemist’s test cannot decide the true baking value of a flour. A bakeshop test, made by a practical baker, is absolutely necessary to decide this matter.
The principal points to be considered when making straight dough are these: the temperature of the ingredients, the temperature of the shop, the quantity of yeast, and the quality of the flour used. If the temperature of the shop is very high, the liquid used should be cool, and the quantity of yeast should be reduced.
The most favorable temperature for fermentation is from 80 to 90 degrees Fahr., though I prefer to have the dough 85 degrees Fahr.
Before proceeding to make the dough, take the temperature of the flour and the shop, then heat the water to a temperature which will give your dough a temperature of 80 degrees Fahr. when ready. For example, if the temperature of your flour were 5 degrees Fahr., the temperature of the water would have to be 10 degrees Fahr. Now if the temperature of the shop were 70 degrees Fahr., the temperature of the water could be raised to 110 degrees Fahr. I would advise you not to get the temperature of the dough too high, but would rather that you raise the temperature of your shop. Dough chills very quickly when it is on the bench, and after a dough is chilled it will come up very slowly. When making dough in a dough-mixer, the temperature of the water should be at least 5 degrees higher than when making it by hand, because the mixers are more or less cold, while, when dough is made by hand you have the animal heat of the hands to keep up the temperature of the dough. When the weather is very warm, the temperature of the water must be changed to suit. For example, if the temperature of your shop is 90 degrees Fahr., your flour would naturally be very near the same temperature (providing it were kept in the shop), then the temperature of the water would have to be at the utmost 75 degrees Fahr., because the temperature of the dough would continue to rise while it was in the trough or mixer.