I’m going to be running a 13-18 minute knead/mix using Tom Lehmann’s oft sanctioned and distributed dough handling process. Off the mixer at 75-78F, portion and roll, cross stack 2 hours, downstack overnight, temper 45 to 90 minutes then open and dress. Looking at All Trumps high protein, hydration at 58-60%.
So, my question is . . . is there a difference, practically in the finished product I get whether using compressed, active or instant yeast? I intend to dissolve/hydrate whichever yeast to jumpstart the program. My small batch experience is that slower and more controlled fermentation gives a more complex and richer flavor profile. Does the yeast also imprve the profile by using compressed to moderate the growth and fermentation cycle? I am inclined to steer away from instand just because it’s ‘instant’ until someone clubs me and says I’m an idiot and it makes no difference.
It’s kinda fun having a new line of learning and experimentation to go with. I get to feel like that first few months on the Think Tank and relish all your vast and glactic experiences. wish I’d been yeast and doughing it from the start, but now I get to do it all.
I switched from compressed to instant about 8 - 10 years ago … I noticed a very slight difference in flavor of the product (no customers did). Reason for the change was inconsistency in the compressed yeast - sometime the dough would rise toooo much, sometimes it would be toooo flat, other times it would be juuust right (obscure Goldilocks reference). If you decide to use compressed, make sure your supplier is going through enough that you’re always getting fresh stuff (suspect that was my problem with it) Good luck!
Nick…years ago, I, too, experimented with the different yeast option…seeking the holy grail of crusts…
I learned with ADY, but it can be a little tricky, as many will tell you…
When I started my 1st shop, I tried fresh yeast…what a mess…
I switched to IDY & haven’t looked back…
I use a greatly modified Tom process…the dough uses cold H2O from the walk-in…under mixed (10 min) and I don’t cross-stack nor oil the DB…
We use them 2 days later and they can last up to a week…we can use them sooner, if we pull them out for several hours to floor proof…
We have made up to 5 batches/day and would never do it any other way…
I think it’s a state law in Georgia that if you’re not using IDY, you have to make dough dressed in re-enactment clothing and knead it by hand.
Nick;
When used at the correct substitution levels, there is no difference in performance or finished product flavor between any of the three yeast types/forms mentioned. For overall consistency and ease of handling/storage, I would recommend using IDY, but don’t suspend it as this will only add a dimension of inconsistency to the yeast. Suspending IDY or CY prior to addition to the dough will not speed things up, there is a process for doing that which involves putting the yeast into a small portion of the flour, adding water and allowing this to ferment for 45-minutes, then adding this preferment starter back to the dough (where was the time savings?). I would suggest just adding the IDY dry as part of your dry ingredients.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor