Jul 10, 2007
To the reviewer before this post, this is how I do yeast bread. Your yeast must be fresh, dried in separate sachets or a container. If it is a little old, it might lose its rising ability. I always warm the liquids up - if the recipe calls for milk or water, I heat them in the microwave until blood temperature. When you stick your finger in the liquids it should neither feel slightly cool or overly warm, as yeast cannot activate with cold liquids and hot liquids kill yeast. You sprinkle the yeast into the warm liquid and let it sit there in a warmish place for 10 mins until it goes frothy. It is okay to add the sweetener to the yeast mix but do not add salt directly on top. Salt tends to kill yeast as well. Add oil to the yeast mixture after it's become frothy and the eggs are beaten lightly with a fork. Then, I add the required flour and salt on top of that. You knead the dough until it becomes elastic, I do this in a bread machine or with a dough hook. Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm place. Warm as in a warm, sunny spot or beside a hot oven, on top of a working dryer, even an oven turned down to its lowest setting (remember too hot and the yeast dies - no rising). If you are going to rise in the oven, you're better off rolling the rolls out first. If you want to have a golden brown top with seeds, use lightly beaten egg, or butter and smear tops after they have risen because they do not rise as much with this on top.
—AUSSIEMUM1
