Kahm Yeast used in baking bread?

[blissful]

Kahm yeast forms on fermenting sauerkraut or other ferments when the PH drops and there is oxygen available. It looks like a white foamy substance on the top. Kahm yeast is also formed a a foamy layer on wine. I'm betting it would form on fermenting vinegar too, so I might be able to gather some that way.

I don't make wine but I wonder if anyone here uses Kahm yeast in baking bread?
I learned that in biblical times (old or new testament, I don't know) the yeast was harvested and used in baking bread. They mostly made wheat bread and barley bread.
Anyone with experience with that or anything similar?

 

[pepperhead212]

I've never made sauerkraut, so never had any experience with Kahm yeast, but I did get some yeast from a friend, that was dabbling in beer making, whatever that yeast is called. I was hoping for better, but it didn't really produce any "keeper" flavor, and it was slow, so it didn't make it on it's own. I also tried making a 3 day sponge - something done in my favorite rye bread - and the flavor was better, but still not as good as bread yeast.

 

[blissful]

Thanks so much @pepperhead212
Some of the sources say it is the stuff foaming on top, on things like beer. Some sources say it is the same kind as bread baking yeast and others say they are wild yeast.
In a pinch, without bought yeast, it's good to know it's a possibility and also that it might not be ideal (slow might take days, off tasting).
I'm probably going to have a couple buckets of vinegar growing this winter. I'll have to give it a try if I get some foamy yeast to collect.

 

[larry_stewart]

I'm very curious to see how it goes.

 

[pepperhead212]

If the sauerkraut "yeast" is just the natural, wild yeast (which it usually is), and not an added yeast, it's probably like a sourdough, made from the natural, wild yeast that settles in the region. The question is, would it be different organisms that end up doing the fermenting of the cabbage, than what ends up in a sourdough, when fermenting grains? Seems there are probably different organisms, in the end.

Here's an idea - if you have, or are going to have, some of that foamy yeast on the sauerkraut, take a little bit of it, and mix with a small amount of flour, for a firm ball, about 10g, then add some filtered or bottled water (Cl can kill these natural yeasts/bacteria used in fermentation) - just 25 g, plus 45 g more of flour. Mix it together, and roll it in your hands, until smooth - I always roll it into strings, about 1/2" or less, then fold into a short ball, then roll again. Usually takes 3 times to totally mix it. Cover in a container, and set to room temp, or a little warm. I don't know how quickly it will work with this, at first, but let sit until doubled, or 24 hours, to start. Then take 10 g of the mix (which will be sticky now - I usually put the rest in a recipe of bread or bread sticks, just so I don't waste it), 25 g water, and 45 g, and repeat the process. If it doubles in 8 hours, or less, it could be used in a bread, to see what the flavor is like; if still not doubling quickly, repeat the process. Once active enough, very little is needed, with the usual sourdough starter - 2 or 3 tb to a recipe with 6-7 c of flour.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I’m wondering if this is similar to the wild yeast made with grapes.

This sourdough starter from LaBrea Bakery was all the rage years ago.

Nancy Silverton’s Grape Sourdough Starter | Food.com

www.food.com

 

[blissful]

The future vinegar has a little kahm yeast on top but I stirred it in. I forgot I was going to collect it this time. So I took a slotted spoon and parchment paper over by it and took off maybe a teaspoon. I'll start paying attention and then scraping it off and drying it. My brain seems like it is on slow-motion lately.

 

[blissful]

@pepperhead212 I will be trying some yeast to make bread, since we are running low at this time anyways.

I have Kahm yeast forming on top of the vinegar.

This is a slotted spoon but I can pick up yeast with it.

And then I dump it on some parchment paper to dry.

 

[blissful]

I used all that yeast in some whole wheat flour and water, let sit the first night. It was bubbly.
The next day I added more flour and water, mixed and let it stay warm in the dehydrator for 3 hours, it was bubbling.
Then today, I added more flour and water and made dough and packed it in two loaf pans. I covered it with moist cotton towels and then let it stay warm in the dehydrator at 100 deg F for 3 hours. It was doubled so I baked it for 40 minutes at 350 deg F. AND....I have two loaves of bread. They weren't tall but I just split what I had between 2 loaves and they were only about 1 inch in the pan, but 2.5 inches when baked.

The taste is like a sour dough. We don't use salt but to us it had a little bit of a taste of salt but not strong. It was good with some peach jam. We'll be using it for toast and sandwiches.

I set some of the starter yesterday kind of a liquidy dough in the fridge, added more water and flour. I'll be taking it out tonight to warm up and I'll use it to make some blueberry pancakes, mr bliss's request.

I skimmed the yeast off the tops of the vinegar, to let it dry to save.