The magic of leavening: the secret behind the leavened products
In the baking industry, and not only, leavening represents a fundamental, almost magical step that transforms a simple dough into a fragrant and tasty baked product. What is needed to make baked goods rise is the Yeast, which is the one who manages to set this magical process in motion.
Yeast is subdivided into:
- Natural Yeast: The result of spontaneous fermentation of flour and water, it gives bread, pizza and brioche a unique flavour and unrivalled aromatic complexity.
- Brewer’s Yeast: Most quicker and easy to use, it nevertheless guarantees effective leavening and a soft texture.
The key part of optimal leavening is the control of temperature and humidity, which are the main culprits in leavening and must remain within an extremely precise range to ensure that leavening takes place in the best possible way.
THE TEMPERATURE
Yeast activity is strongly dependent by temperature:
- Below 6°C, the yeast is almost hibernating, like a bear going into hibernation. In the fridge, at temperatures of +2 to +6°C, it keeps well for 3-4 weeks.
- Between 24°C and 32°C the yeast comes into action: in 1-2 hours about, the dough rises and becomes soft and is ready to be baked.
- With temperatures above 38°C, the yeast dies and this happens when we put the dough in the oven.
HUMIDITY
The ideal humidity for fermentation varies depending on the type of yeast and dough, but is generally around 60-70%.
The yeast needs water to activate the enzymes that start fermentation; if the humidity is too low, the yeast dehydrates and dies, stopping fermentation.
This is why you should use a retarder proover cabinet for control the temperature and umidity; it becomes a valuable ally for every baker, pizza maker and pastry chef.
The advantages of a retarder proover are:
- Steady Temperature: The proofing unit maintains the ideal leavening temperature for bread, pizza and brioche, avoiding temperature fluctuations that could compromise the process.
- Controlled Humidity: The adjustable humidity prevents the dough from drying out, which favours the work of the yeast and also prevents the growth of other types of bacteria that can affect the quality of the dough.
- Flexibility and Free Time Work: Thanks to the leavening stop, you can plan the leavening process to suit your needs, optimising production times, for example by leavening at night.
- Optimal proving in any season: Thanks to the proving compartments, proving remains optimal at any time of year, be it winter, summer, autumn or spring.
Come to discover Mekano Pro, our retarder proover with temperature and humidity controlled.
