Vermin8
Cook
If I want to double a bread recipe to make 2 loaves instead of 1 - do I need to double the yeast, also (to about 4 tsps vs. 2 tbsps for one loaf, which is standard) or will the 2 tbsps be sufficient?
Doubling a Bread Recipe
- Thread starter Vermin8
- Start date
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miniman
Executive Chef
You double all the ingriedients.
Petek
Cook
You also should double the kneading time.
Petek
Petek
JoeV
Washing Up
I would be careful with that advice. Bread dough will toughen up with excessive kneading, and you could end up with a dense bread. I would only knead long enough for the dough to pass the "spring back" test. Press two fingers into the dough about 3/4" deep, and if the dimple springs back, it's kneaded enough. Soft and elastic like a baby's bottom is how I was taught.
Like JoeV said, that develops gluten making a "rubberier" dough.
JoeV
Washing Up
Is that a real word or did you just make that up?
JoeV
Washing Up
rub·ber·y 
(rŭb'ə-rē) Pronunciation Key
adj. rub·ber·i·er , rub·ber·i·est
Of or resembling rubber; elastic.
I guess it is.
(rŭb'ə-rē) Pronunciation Key adj. rub·ber·i·er , rub·ber·i·est
Of or resembling rubber; elastic.
I guess it is.
Petek
Cook
The source for my advice is Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book, p. 37: "If you want to make two [loaves], double all the measurements and the kneading time." However, I agree that an experienced baker will rely on other factors to determine when the dough is sufficiently kneaded.
Petek
Is that a real word or did you just make that up?
I believe it is part of Tatt's unique lexicon.
JoeV
Washing Up
Thanks for citing your source. I'm at a loss to disagree with an author of a baking book, but it's not something I would do. Can a veteran baker chime in on this? I'm open to learn another method.
I know that it takes longer for the mix to come together, but is that effectively doubling the knead time, I dunno....most experienced bakers know when a dough is good to go. So long as it is pulling clean from the bowl, and slightly tacky, it is good to go for me.
PieSusan
Washing Up
I think that link points out a very critical point in baking....go by weight, and not by volume.
JoeV
Washing Up
Good reference, Susan. Most of my bread recipes will make two loaves of bread (3# +/- of dough), and that's about the max for my KA mixer. If I need 4 loaves of bread I make two batches. The best points brought up reference using a scale (I now own two of them) and watching your baker's percentages. Those two points will virtually guarantee success when doubling recipes.
PieSusan
Washing Up
Exactly but it really doesn't help the home cook unless they want to use these professional techniques and we were not taught to bake that way. Perhaps we should have been.
My grandma just knew. She didn't always measure. A bissel (little) of this, a glass of that...and it always turned out perfectly.
My grandma just knew. She didn't always measure. A bissel (little) of this, a glass of that...and it always turned out perfectly.
JoeV
Washing Up
But since we were NOT taught in these methods, and with the price of scales being within most people's reach, I think we should promote these professional methods more and more. They are not difficult to learn, and it's really more a matter of including the weight of ingredients along with the volume in our recipes that we publish on our websites or places like DC.
Every day this site gets new people joining, and from what I read, many are entering the world of cooking and baking for the first time. This is when we can make the greatest impact on them, and to teach them the best practices in the industry before they develop other habits. Teach them in the most repeatable methods, and they will be successful and be able to teach other. Over half of the bread baking class that I taught a few weeks ago have gone out and purchased a scale, or dug out an old weight watchers scale to use with their bread baking. It works! All we have to do is to promote it.
Vermin8
Cook
Thanks, everyone. Since the doubling is per volume I ended up doing an internet search for a honey wheat until I found one that made 2 loaves and had the ingredients I want. I will try and do this for some of the less common recipes (like rosemary olive oil bread).
Good tips, though, for a beginning cook!
Good tips, though, for a beginning cook!
Professional?
Golly, I started using the scale because it's quicker, easier and more consistent.
Did you know 1 cup of Karo Dark weighs 11 ounces? Net being able to set tare and put it directly in the bowl, no more fiddling around trying to scrape it out of a measuring cup.
Far as bread, flour, water and honey are weighed, sugar, yeast and salt are by volume (measuring spoons).
Russellkhan
Senior Cook
Laurel's book does point out that the methods in that book are developed specifically for whole grain breads and that those methods are different than what one would do with white flour. It's also worth noting that Laurel's methods are based on hand kneading, and I've heard it said many times that it's hard to overdevelop your gluten while kneading by hand. This is not necessarily true when using a mixer or other machine to do your kneading.
