[RandallFlagg]

Questions for bread making folks.

To make bread less dense, use less flour, right?

Also, what’s the optimum temperature to make bread to ensure maximum yeast growth? I found a recipe for burger buns that reads, “Slightly warm milk.” I don’t have a setting on my thermometer for, “Slightly Warm.”

Thanks in advance.

[Ladysmith]

http://www.thejeyofcooking.com/brioche-burger-buns/

This recipe calls warm milk 110 degrees F.

[Ladysmith]

And another one calls for cooling warmed up milk to just above body temperature.

[Coldwater Creek]

Always sift your flour. Try not to make bread on a humid day. You don’t have to use less flour.

115 degrees Slightly warm is like a baby’s bath water.

[Red_Devil 232]

No to the less flour.

Scalding the milk is an important step when using milk in any yeast dough recipes. Scalding is necessary even with pasteurized milk because of the whey proteins in milk need to be inactivated. They can weaken the gluten in dough and produce a dense final product unless the milk is scalded. After scalding you just let the milk come back to room temp. If you are looking for a high rising bread, (is that what you mean by maximum yeast growth?) Never let you dough rise beyond the double in size rule in the first rise. A big mistake a lot of people make is letting the dough just rise to its max - this uses up a lot of the yeast's energy and your second rise will never make a nice loaf or bun or roll the final bread will turn out dense.

I use a big 8 cup graduated measuring cup during the first rise to make sure I don't go past the double in size. But there are other tools available.

such as these from King Arthur Flower:

Dough-Rising Bucket

 

Dough Doubler

[bgill]

Slightly warm = baby bottle warm

[Netizen]

I think between 90-100 degrees. If it is too hot it will kill the yeast.

[Trillian]

Here’s a good explanation for both:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5732240_make-breadmaker-bread-less-dense.html

When I make focaccia bread I use leftover mashed potatoes. For whatever reasons it makes the dough less dense and more airy.

[Bizzy Bugz]

When you proof the yeast in the warm milk or water add a little sugar. If it does not bubble up a little when proofed, it is not good. Do not use it.
I test the water on my wrist. That is the best place to test if it is just warm.
Hope this helps