In the summertime, bread takes much less time to rise because the kitchen temperature is so warm. Focaccia or naan can be mixed and kneaded at around 17:00 then shaped and baked on the barbecue around 19:00.
Many people now-a-days recommend adding instant dry yeast directly to the dry ingredients. I like to rehydrate active dry yeast first and make sure it's starting to foam before I add it to the rest of the dough. We think the bread turns out better.
Here is 1 tsp active dry yeast from a jar in refrigerator
ten minutes to five; ¼ c lukewarm water (baby bottle temperature) added to yeast; yeast and water mixed well and left to stand;
As the other ingredients are being mixed in a larger bowl, the yeast begins to bubble at eight minutes to five.
And at one minute to five, the yeast is quite foamy.
The foamy yeast is mixed into the other ingredients and the bread is kneaded. By quarter past five, it's ready to be covered and left on the counter to rise. (See yeast and dough mixing done the next day)
By ten to seven, the dough is ready for shaping and baking.
And by four minutes after seven, the bread is baked. (See photos of baking bread on the barbecue.)
rehydrated active dry yeast foaming
How it began: 2 tsp active dry yeast from a jar in refrigerator
At 4:02pm the yeast is rehydrated with ¼ c lukewarm water and a pinch of sugar and left to stand as other ingredients are mixed.
At 4:13pm the yeast is foaming and ready to be added to the other ingredients.
breaddough is roughly mixed (rehydrated active dry yeast on side)
rehydrated yeast added to bread dough and ready for kneading.
(See continuation of process with previous day's bread dough)
