What is the reason why the flour cannot ferment? What is the solution to the problem?

We all know that flour fermentation is a common step. Many people ferment flour in advance when making pasta. There are certain requirements for flour fermentation. Some people ferment better, while others cannot ferment. So why can't flour ferment? Let's take a closer look!

Why can't flour ferment?

The dough does not rise, which is related to the activity of the yeast, the water temperature and the room temperature.

1. Yeast activity

Check the production date of the yeast and whether it has been left for too long after opening the bag. If it is expired, the yeast will lose its activity. If it is left for too long after opening the bag, the yeast will be insufficiently active, resulting in failure of dough rising. When kneading the dough, first pour the yeast into warm water at about 35 degrees and let it stand for a while. If there are a lot of bubbles on the water surface, it means that the yeast is very active. Otherwise, it is less active and needs to increase the amount of yeast. If there is no foam, it means that the yeast has lost its activity and can be thrown away.

In winter, the amount of yeast can be appropriately increased. In other seasons, five grams of yeast can be added to one pound of flour, and seven grams of yeast can be added to one pound of flour in winter. In addition to yeast, some white sugar should be added to promote dough fermentation, because yeast grows and reproduces on sugar.

2. Water temperature

The water temperature is also critical, because yeast is a fungus that can only survive at temperatures below 40 degrees. If the water temperature for melting the yeast exceeds 40 degrees, the yeast will lose its activity. In layman's terms, the yeast is scalded to death, and the dough naturally cannot ferment.

3. Room temperature

The most suitable temperature for yeast fermentation is about 20 to 32 degrees. In winter, the room temperature is low, and it takes at least three hours or even longer to use yeast to ferment dough. Many friends know that heating the basin promotes fermentation, but if you are not careful, the temperature around the basin will be too high, causing the temperature inside the dough to exceed 40 degrees. At this time, the yeast will lose its activity and the dough will not rise. Therefore, when heating the basin, you must also control the temperature around the basin.

What to do if the flour does not ferment

1. Check whether yeast has been added and whether the amount added is sufficient.

2. Did you use boiling water to knead the dough? Did the boiling water scald the yeast? Boiling water will kill the yeast, which will cause it to not ferment.

3. If none of the above reasons are present, then the temperature may not be high enough. You can place a basin of hot water, which should not be too hot, and place the dough basin on it.

4. You can make a new dough, add some sugar to promote fermentation, and add a little more baking powder. Then mix the new dough with the original dough. The dough that did not ferment can be fermented again.

In winter, the room temperature is low and the fermentation process is long. If the dough does not ferment, you can use warm water to dissolve a little more yeast, mix it into a dough, and then knead the new dough and the unfermented dough evenly together, and place the basin in a warm place, so that the fermentation process will be accelerated. If the dough has been left for a long time and cannot be fermented, there is no need to remedy it. The taste will not be very good after remedy, but the dough will not be wasted and can be made into unfermented food.

What should I pay attention to if the flour does not ferment?

Point 1: You need to check whether the baking powder is expired. If it is expired, buy a new packet of baking powder, mix it with warm water, and add it to the fermented dough and mix it evenly.

The second point: if the weather is cold, it is difficult for the fermented flour to rise. If it rises, it will be very slow. At this time, you can boil some warm water. The water temperature should be between 30 and 50 degrees and not too hot. Put the fermented flour basin in the warm water, cover it with a lid or put it in a pot. It will rise in about 30 to 40 minutes.