William Penn Life, 2007 (42. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2007-01-01 / 1. szám
Yhe d Kitchen with Főszakács Béla Sweet Yeast Breads These baker’s delights are perfect for breakfast, for dessert or with coffee with friends FÁRAD JON BE A MAGYAR KONYHÁBA. A Happy New Year to you, your family and friends. This should be an exciting year as we have a new look and more information to pass your way about Hungarian food. Thank you to all who sent cards during this Christmas season from Chef Vilmos and me. We were both putting in kitchen time testing new recipes and trying new things. Each year it's nice to offer more and more to you readers. Think of how much we have all learned over the last few years and how much better we have gotten with our kitchen skills. This year will be no exception as we learn more and more about Magyar food, traditions and customs. This month the topic is sweet yeast When boiling any vegetables in water for a meal, save the water and use it for a vegetable soup or meat stew. The extra flavor in the water adds a better taste to your final product. breads we can enjoy for breakfast, dessert or with coffee and friends. First, here are two trivia questions for you: (1) What is the only yeast that when used for its intended purpose does not cause the product to rise? And, (2) can you name the two most popular unleavened breads consumed by many people? As always answers are at the end of the column. Bread making has been around since prehistoric times and is mentioned quite often in the Bible. Most of the ancient bread was unleavened bread because leavening agents had not been discovered or invented. Imagine the expression on the faces of the bakers the first time they saw bread rise up like magic. They probably didn't know what to think and were truly amazed. The Egyptians used yeast as a leavening agent 5,000 years ago. Science has provided us with the answer to the yeast question: where does it come from? Wild yeast is in the air all around us all the time. All yeast needs to grow is a food source of starch or sugar, some moisture and a nurturing temperature (70-85 degrees Fahrenheit).Yeast is a living microorganism that, as it grows, converts its food to alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process is called "fermentation." The first thought that comes to mind would be winemaking and beer making and, you're right, yeast is used in both processes. Winemakers and beer makers count on the yeast to create alcohol and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide gives the effervescence to beer, champagne and sparkling wines. But fermentation in baking takes on a different task. As the yeast ferments the dough, it creates carbon dioxide bubbles within the dough that make it rise up. As heat is applied in the oven, the dough rises a bit more, the alcohol is burned off and you're left with a very tasty product. The gluten in the dough traps the air bubbles created by the carbon dioxide. Gluten is a product created when you mix water with wheat flour and the proteins glutenin and gliadin. More specifically, it is the name given to the combination of glutenin and gliadin. This gluten product is pliable and can be kneaded, which stretches the gluten into elastic sheets trapping even more carbon dioxide. Okay, enough of the science lesson for now. I'm sure you understand how it works. A test for yeast activity to make CHEFS TIP *7 To insure the liquid used in your yeast recipes is the right temperature, between 95 and 110 degrees, buy yourself a digital kitchen thermometer. You can also use it to measure the internal temperature of your finished products, making sure they are done properly. 10 William Penn Life,January 2007
