CPC Bread & Yeast Products 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary function of gluten in bread making?
- To add sweetness
- To provide structure and trap gases produced by fermentation (Correct answer)
- To speed up yeast activity
- To brown the crust
Correct answer: To provide structure and trap gases produced by fermentation
Gluten, formed when glutenin and gliadin proteins hydrate and are worked together, provides the extensible network that traps CO₂ gas and gives bread its structure.
Question 2: What is the 'windowpane test' used to assess in bread dough?
- Dough hydration level
- Proper gluten development (Correct answer)
- Correct fermentation
- Correct proofing
Correct answer: Proper gluten development
The windowpane test checks gluten development — properly developed dough can be stretched thin enough to be translucent without tearing.
Question 3: What is 'autolyse' in bread making?
- The final proofing stage
- A rest period after mixing flour and water before adding other ingredients (Correct answer)
- The process of shaping dough
- Fermentation at cold temperature
Correct answer: A rest period after mixing flour and water before adding other ingredients
Autolyse is a resting period (typically 20–60 minutes) after flour and water are combined, allowing hydration and initial gluten development before adding yeast and salt.
Question 4: At what internal temperature is a standard white sandwich loaf considered fully baked?
- 77°C (170°F)
- 88°C (190°F)
- 96°C (205°F) (Correct answer)
- 100°C (212°F)
Correct answer: 96°C (205°F)
A fully baked white sandwich loaf should reach an internal temperature of approximately 96°C (205°F) to ensure the crumb is fully set and no longer doughy.
Question 5: What is 'poolish' in bread making?
- A laminated dough
- A pre-ferment made with equal weights of flour and water plus a small amount of yeast (Correct answer)
- A sourdough starter
- A high-hydration dough
Correct answer: A pre-ferment made with equal weights of flour and water plus a small amount of yeast
Poolish is a wet pre-ferment made with a 1:1 ratio of flour to water by weight and a tiny amount of yeast, fermented 8–18 hours to develop flavor.
Question 6: What gas is primarily responsible for leavening in yeast breads?
- Oxygen
- Nitrogen
- Carbon dioxide (Correct answer)
- Hydrogen
Correct answer: Carbon dioxide
Yeast consumes sugars through fermentation and produces carbon dioxide (CO₂), which inflates the gluten network and leavens the bread.
CPC Bread & Yeast Products 1
What is the primary function of gluten in bread making?