Any Home Bakers Here?

[N F C]

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if you guys could help me out with a baking related science experiment. I may have done this experiment before, but I might not have.

It involves the growth of yeast in bread. Here is my theory. Yeast grows and expands bread at a specific rate. To test this Theory, I'm going to bake bread and chart the growth of the bread as it rises every 5 minutes.

In the scientific method, I am in the collecting data part. This is where I need your help. What do you guys know about yeast that may be useful in this experiment?

Again, if I posted this before, I apologize. I have a bad memory.

Jared

It might be interesting to observe the rise rate of different types of yeast.

 

[igorsMistress]

I know that yeast creates carbon dioxide through the process of fermentation which is what makes bread rise.

 

[R2elk]

I know that yeast creates carbon dioxide through the process of fermentation which is what makes bread rise.

Yeast also converts sugar into alcohol.

 

[jnicholes]

A lot of good information so far. I will be conducting the experiment today. If my theory is correct, I may have something interesting to share.

 

[jnicholes]

Well, here are the results of the experiment.

my original theory was that yeast causes bread to rise exponentially. I created some french bread loaves, and let them rise.

To my surprise, the bread did not rise exponentially. Rather, the opposite happened. The bread began to rise at a slower rate as time went on. It kept slowing down.

The dough was originally 1 and 1/2 inches tall. After 5 minutes, it rose 1/2 an inch. After five more minutes, it rose 1/4 of an inch more. After that, it started slowing down drastically to the point where it wouldn't even show that it was rising.

I can only conclude through this experiment that the yeast does not cause the bread to rise at an exponential rate. It does cause the bread to rise, but it slows down at an exponential rate.

Interesting.

Going to repeat the experiment later on this week. If the same thing happens, then I know that the rate bread rises decreases exponentially.

Any input will be appreciated.

Jared

 

[Aria]

Well, here are the results of the experiment.

my original theory was that yeast causes bread to rise exponentially. I created some french bread loaves, and let them rise.

To my surprise, the bread did not rise exponentially. Rather, the opposite happened. The bread began to rise at a slower rate as time went on. It kept slowing down.

The dough was originally 1 and 1/2 inches tall. After 5 minutes, it rose 1/2 an inch. After five more minutes, it rose 1/4 of an inch more. After that, it started slowing down drastically to the point where it wouldn't even show that it was rising.

I can only conclude through this experiment that the yeast does not cause the bread to rise at an exponential rate. It does cause the bread to rise, but it slows down at an exponential rate.

Interesting.

Going to repeat the experiment later on this week. If the same thing happens, then I know that the rate bread rises decreases exponentially.

Any input will be appreciated.

Jared

NEAT,,,,Thanks for sharing. Interesting. I did also notice...after
the bread rises...if you continue to let it keep going....it will start
to go "flat" and the bread WILL NOT RISE after placed in the oven. Too much Rise...NOT GOOD. Looking forward to more of what you discover. Would have liked to have in one of my classes.
Aria

 

[wyoDreamer]

@Aria, is right.
If you let the bread rise too far, it will break the gluten strands that are formed by kneading. Once they break, they will not hold the air bubbles anymore and the bread goes flat and the texture is different.
When I lived in Wyoming, I was a such a high elevation that the bread would rise too fast - so I had to punch it down twice instead of just once before forming the loaves. So my bread would rise 3 times instead of just 2 before baking. Once I learned that trick, my bread was so much better.

 

[wyoDreamer]

@jnicholes One factor you may not be looking at in your experiment is the limited amount of sugars in the bread for the yeast to feast on. Once the food (sugar) is gone, it will produce less gas bubbles, hence, less rise.

 

[R2elk]

Well, here are the results of the experiment.

my original theory was that yeast causes bread to rise exponentially. I created some french bread loaves, and let them rise.

To my surprise, the bread did not rise exponentially. Rather, the opposite happened. The bread began to rise at a slower rate as time went on. It kept slowing down.

The dough was originally 1 and 1/2 inches tall. After 5 minutes, it rose 1/2 an inch. After five more minutes, it rose 1/4 of an inch more. After that, it started slowing down drastically to the point where it wouldn't even show that it was rising.

I can only conclude through this experiment that the yeast does not cause the bread to rise at an exponential rate. It does cause the bread to rise, but it slows down at an exponential rate.

Interesting.

Going to repeat the experiment later on this week. If the same thing happens, then I know that the rate bread rises decreases exponentially.

Any input will be appreciated.

Jared

Yeast depletes its food supply as it grows. Once the food supply is gone, the yeast will stop growing.

 

[WthrLady]

It does rise at an exponential rate, to a point. Once the level of food consumed, and the amount of food needed is met, the rate slows to were there is more gasses produced by more yeast than there is food to consume.

Kneading re-distributes this food and allows more yeast to form and feed and more gas to be made and more rising to be done, to a point.

Elasticity of the dough can also inhibit expansion.