Sourdough can take much of a day or stretch into the next one while the dough ferments. Hannah Dela Cruz has a shortcut for the days when that schedule doesn’t work: commercial yeast.
Dela Cruz, founder of Make It Dough and author of Sourdough Every Day, says commercial yeast speeds up fermentation. A naturally leavened sourdough loaf can take up to two days, while adding commercial yeast can bring the process down to a few hours. In some cases, she says the dough may rise in as little as 30 minutes.
Commercial Yeast Gives the Starter Some Help
Adding commercial yeast doesn’t require removing the sourdough component from the bread.
The yeast handles much of the leavening, speeding up a process that would otherwise depend on the wild yeast in the starter. Sourdough starter or discard can remain in the dough, so the shortcut isn’t the same as making a basic loaf with commercial yeast alone.
Dela Cruz says sourdough discard can still add more depth and complexity than a loaf made with only flour, water, and commercial yeast.
A Two-Day Process Can Drop to a Few Hours
Time is the main reason to make the change.
Naturally leavened sourdough develops on a slower fermentation schedule. Adding commercial yeast accelerates the rise, making it possible to move through the recipe within hours instead of waiting up to two days.
That can help when you want to bake the same day rather than plan the loaf around an overnight fermentation.
Faster Fermentation Changes the Flavor
The shortcut comes with a tradeoff.
Long fermentation helps develop the sour flavor associated with sourdough. When commercial yeast speeds up that process, the bread has less time to develop the same tang.
Dela Cruz says the result will be milder. That doesn’t make the loaf flavorless, since starter or discard remains part of the dough, but it won’t taste the same as bread given an extended fermentation.
Expect a Different Crumb and Crust
Texture changes along with flavor.
Commercial yeast can give the loaf more volume, according to Dela Cruz, while producing a more tender crumb instead of the chew associated with naturally leavened sourdough. The crust can also come out crisper.
Those changes can work in breads where a softer interior is welcome. Dela Cruz points to sourdough focaccia and baguettes as examples where the shortcut can make sense.
The Shortcut Doesn’t Replace Long Fermentation
Commercial yeast solves the time problem, but it doesn’t recreate everything that happens during a long fermentation.
Dela Cruz notes that extended fermentation contributes to sourdough’s flavor and texture and can make some nutrients in flour easier for the body to absorb.
That leaves the shortcut with a clear purpose. When time matters more than getting the full effect of a long fermentation, commercial yeast can move the dough along while sourdough starter or discard stays in the recipe.
Would you add commercial yeast to get sourdough into the oven sooner, or wait for the longer fermentation?
Leave a Reply