Cooking school: how to make the dough rise

There are few things worse in culinary art than preparing a beautiful dough, only for it to come out flat and lifeless after baking, leaving all your effort in vain. It’s frustrating and can quickly discourage even the most experienced bakers. However, making dough rise isn’t as tricky as it might seem. With the right ingredients, techniques, and timing, you could soon become a seasoned dough pro.

Firstly, it’s essential to understand why dough rises in the first place. The rising process is all about fermentation – specifically, yeast fermentation. Yeast is a living organism, and once it’s added to the dough, it feeds on the sugars in the dough and produces carbon dioxide gas. The gas then gets trapped in small air pockets within the dough, causing it to expand and rise.

To ensure that your dough rises correctly, here’s what you should do:

1. Start with the right flour

Not all flours are created equal. When making bread, for example, you’ll want to use bread flour, which has more gluten than other types of flour. Gluten is a type of protein that gives bread its structure and strength. If your flour doesn’t have enough gluten, then your dough will be too weak to hold the gas produced by the yeast. Therefore, always use the right type of flour for the specific type of dough you are trying to make.

2. Use the correct amount of yeast

It’s tempting to add more yeast to make the dough rise faster. However, too much yeast can result in a flat and tasteless bread. The recommended amount for standard recipes is one package or two and a quarter teaspoons of active dry yeast for every four cups of flour.

3. Check the expiration date

Make sure your yeast isn’t expired. Yeast that’s past its prime won’t rise, even if you follow the correct amount and steps. Always check the expiration date of your yeast package before using it.

4. Ensure the dough is warm

Yeast thrives in warm temperatures. If your dough is too cold, the yeast won’t grow, and the dough won’t rise. The ideal temperature for dough to rise is between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can achieve this by placing the dough in a warm, draft-free area in your kitchen, or putting it on top of a warm oven.

5. Add a bit of sugar

Yeast loves sugar. Add a teaspoon of sugar or honey to the dough when mixing the ingredients. The sugar will help the yeast grow and multiply, leading to a better rise.

6. Patience is key

Finally, baking is an art, and it requires patience. Allow the dough to rise enough before baking. Typically, proofing time takes between 30 minutes to an hour for dough to rise, and up to two hours for the first rise of bread. After the first proof, punch the air out of the dough and then let it rise again for another 30 minutes for bread and five to 15 minutes for pizza crust.

In conclusion, making dough rise is a crucial step in making great bread, pizza crust, or any other baked good. Follow these simple tips, and you’ll soon become an expert in the art of baking. Remember always to use the right flour, the correct amount of yeast, and a warm temperature. Add a bit of sugar to help the yeast grow, and be patient. With consistent practice and experimentation, you’ll soon be making beautiful, fluffy, and delicious baked goods.