Flour 

The choice of flour is important. The strong flours absorb liquid more easily and when kneaded produce a firm, elastic dough which gives good volume and texture. Choose between M^cDougalls Strong White, M^cDougalls Plain Wholemeal Flour or Granary^® Flour.

Yeast 

Yeast grows producing a gas which makes the dough rise. Because of this the quantities required are more flexible than with other types of baking.

One sachet of M^cDougalls Fast Action Dried Yeast is the equivalent of 15 g (½ oz) fresh yeast.

M^cDougalls yeast has been developed to reduce the amount of kneading required to produce a good textured loaf. Unlike other yeasts it only has to be left to rise once.

Extra-rich doughs which contain a lot of fat and sugar, such as Danish Pastry, take more time to rise than plain doughs.

Rich doughs should be allowed to rise before and after shaping. Fresh yeast requires kneading twice to produce a light even texture.

To replace fresh yeast with M^cDougalls Fast Action Dried Yeast allow one sachet of yeast for quantities up to 750 g (1½ lb) flour and two sachets of yeast for quantity up to 1½ kg (3 lb).

Salt

Salt is essential, as it controls the action of the yeast and improves the flavour.

Fat

Fat may be rubbed in to improve the softness of the bread and delay staling. A large amount of fat and sugar slows down the action of the yeast which is why rich doughs have extra rising times.