How Much Yeast To Use With Flour | Best Gourmet Flours
Best gourmet flours
The question of the correct yeast flour ratio can be ubiquitous. The lists below show you how much yeast to use for the given amount of flour. I also provide recommendations for the best flours to use in gourmet recipes. The provided yeast ratios apply to Focaccia, pizza, and pastry dough you plan to use with same-day fermentation and are suitable for the flours recommended. Same-day fermentation means the dough does not undergo a long fermentation process, such as a cold-fermented pizza dough that is refrigerated for several days. Another way to define same-day fermentation or short fermentation is less than 24 hours. Doughs requiring long fermentation times would necessitate a reduction in yeast quantity.
Dry Yeast and Flour Weight
These general quantities are suitable for many purposes, including Focaccia, pizza, and enriched dough. In pastries made with enriched dough, the fats and sugars may be higher than in other doughs. This often requires additional yeast, so consider the provided yeast quantities as a starting point for enriched doughs. The list below is for dry yeast and is based on a nominal weight of 3 grams per 1 tsp. The cups of flour are based on an average weight of 130 grams per cup. However, the flour weight can vary depending on how the flour is loaded into the measuring cup, typically ranging from 120 grams to about 140 grams per cup. Using 3 grams of dry yeast per 130-gram cup of flour is about 2.3% by weight. This 2.3% dry yeast percentage is on the higher side for quick fermentation, but simple at 1 tsp per 1 cup of flour. Be sure to use level amounts when measuring with the measuring spoons, not heaping. The best is always measured by weight in grams for accuracy.
Dry Yeast To Flour In Cups
How much yeast for 1 cup of flour is 1 tsp, or 3.0 grams
How much yeast for 2 cups of flour is 2 tsp, or 6.0 grams
How much yeast for 3 cups of flour is 1 tbsp, or 9.0 grams
How much yeast for 4 cups of flour is 1 tbsp + 1 tsp, or 12 grams
How much yeast for 5 cups of flour is 1 tbsp + 2 tsp, or 15 grams
How much yeast for 6 cups of flour is 2 tbsp, or 18 grams
How much yeast for 8 cups of flour is 2 tbsp + 2 tsp, or 24 grams
Dry Yeast To Flour In Grams
The list below shows the amount of yeast required for various flour quantities, expressed in grams.
How much yeast is needed for 250 grams of flour is 5.8 grams
How much yeast is needed for 500 grams of flour is 11.5 grams
How much yeast is needed for 750 grams of flour is 17.3 grams
How much yeast is needed for 1 kilogram of flour is 23.0 grams
If you are using fresh yeast, use three times the weight, as it includes a moist carrier for the living yeast, which triples the weight. You can read more on my page, Fresh Yeast For Bread And Pizza Dough.
Dip And Sweep -Vs- Spoon And Sweep Flour Measurements
Dip and sweep results in a higher flour density in the cup, about 140 grams per cup.
Spoon and sweep will cause the flour to be more loosely packed, resulting in a lighter cup of flour, approximately 120 grams per cup.
The average weight of these two flour volume measuring techniques is 130 grams per cup.
Best Flour Types for Gourmet Recipes
Caputo Chef’s Flour - Double Zero “00”
For homemade Pizza and Focaccia, the best flour is Caputo Chef's, a double-zero "00" flour, (doppio zero). This flour works well for both same-day and long-fermentation doughs, even though the package says, "Long Fermentation Baking." This is attributed to the high 13% protein content of this soft wheat flour. Caputo describes the Chef's flour as optimized for the home oven, capable of reaching about 500°F (260 °C), gas mark 9-10 on many European ovens. This Caputo flour is produced in Naples, Italy.
King Arthur Baking Company | Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
The best all-purpose flour is the King Arthur Baking Company unbleached all-purpose flour. This flour has a protein content of 11.7%. This domestically produced flour is highly regarded in the US.
Caputo Semola | Semola Rimacinata | Double Milled Durum Wheat Flour
The best specialty flour for gourmet recipes to have on hand is the Caputo Semola (Semola Rimacinata). This is double-milled flour, finely ground, but not as powdery as double-zero "00" flour. It is made from hard Durum wheat and has a high protein content of 12.5% for high-gluten doughs. It is an excellent flour if you're using a pizza peel to get the pizza dough to slide off the peel onto your steel. Sprinkle a little Semola on your peel before you load your pizza dough onto it. As with all Caputo flours, the Semola Rimacinata is produced in Italy.
You can also add Semola to Caputo Chef's flour or King Arthur Baking Company unbleached all-purpose flour. This adds a different flavor profile and golden color to the dough. Adding Semola all-purpose flour increases the protein percentage and gluten-forming ability. The fine-milled Semola Rimacinata also holds a lot of water for high-hydration doughs.
French T45 flour
The best flour for pastries, breakfast rolls, and enriched doughs is the French T45 flour. The French T45 grade of flour is the ultimate low-protein flour for exceptionally fine-textured pastries and baked goods. The protein content of Francine Supreme T45 wheat flour is 8.4%. This T45 flour yields pastries with delicate textures, as its low protein content limits gluten formation. This T45 flour is also suitable for non-yeasted dough, such as for tart crusts. The finely ground and low-protein French T45 flour makes an exceptional Pate Sucree French sweet tart crust dough. The Francine brand of flour is produced in France and is of outstanding quality.
Average Weight Per Cup Of Flour And Dry Yeast Percentages
I measured the four flours using both the Scoop and Sweep and the Spoon and Sweep methods and reported the average weight for each technique. The average weight of the four flours was 146 grams per cup. The double-milled hard Durum wheat had the highest average at 159 grams per cup. Three of the four flours have small fine milling, giving a higher density for 1 cup. The King Arthur All-Purpose is the exception, with an average weight of 140 grams per cup. As a convenient reference, I calculated the percentage of dry yeast for a cup of flour with an average weight of 146 grams. The percentages are 1 tsp (2.1%), ¾ tsp (1.6%), ½ tsp (1.0%), and ¼ tsp (0.5%).
| Flour Type | 1 Cup Of Flour Scoop And Sweep Grams | 1 Cup Of Flour Spoon And Sweep Grams | 1 Cup Of Flour Average Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caputo | Chef's Flour "00" - Soft Wheat | 150 |
133 | 142 |
| King Arthur | All Purpose - Unbleached - Hard Red Wheat | 145 | 134 | 140 |
| Caputo | Rimacinata - Double milled - Hard Durm Wheat | 164 | 153 | 159 |
| Francine | T45 Supreme - Soft Wheat | 146 | 139 | 143 |
The various dry yeast amounts per average cup of flour weight give you four increments, based on the recipe's needs and fermentation time. For reference, here are some general guidelines for how much dry yeast to use per 1 cup of flour.
Fast fermentation of Focaccia, pizza, or enriched dough in less than 24 hours: 1 tsp of dry yeast per 1 cup of flour.
Standard fermentation rate for general-purpose dough: ¾ tsp of dry yeast per 1 cup of flour.
Slower fermentation for many overnight doughs, up to about 24 hours of fermentation time: ½ tsp dry yeast per 1 cup flour.
Slow fermentation for doughs that cold ferment for 24 to about 48 hours: ¼ tsp dry yeast per 1 cup of flour.
