Airborne Yeast

[beauregard]

Much to my disappointment, and surprise, airborne yeast got into a batch of gluten-free (Bob's Red Mill) waffle batter and ruined it . . the first day after the invasion the batter was mildly yeast-flavored but still usable, but after another day in the fridge the expansion was substantial, the taste was awful, and the batter had to be thrown out.

I'm pretty sure the yeast got in because I let the open bowl of freshly-made batter sit out for about twenty minutes before I covered it and put it in the fridge, but my questions are:

- Could the yeast have got into the milk, sitting in an open bowl for a few minutes before the flour was added?

- or could it have gotten into the flour, which sits in an unsealed bag for weeks before use,

- or does yeast only effect the batter once the milk, egg and flour are mixed?

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I'd say your culprit was probably the flour; when I culture airborne yeasts for sourdough it takes substantially longer than 20 minutes exposed to the air before yeasts will really get a hold on the way you're describing. Of course, the effect is faster when there's something more than just flour for the yeast to eat - milk and egg are great foods, and that would accelerate the effect you saw.

My question is this: why did you mix more waffle batter than you were going to use right then? Unless you're making sourdough waffles (at which point the airborne yeast is a benefit, not a hindrance) I can't see any point to making extra batter.

[beauregard]

Hi Panaderia ~

I make extra waffle batter and keep it in the fridge because I eat so many waffles! I stopped eating gluten, so now with my breakfast eggs I have a waffle with almond oil, for lunch and/or dinner I'll have a waffle with salt and olive oil . . . I've even made sandwiches with waffles in place of bread. I make up batter usually every other day, it keeps fine in the fridge . . . when not surreptitiously invaded by little yeasties!

[minas6907]

Out of my own curiosity, has this happened before? Is this the first time you've seen this with this specific flour? I'd be interested in seeing if you get this happening consistently, because a batter that sits for a day, even if left uncovered for a time, will not rise substantially, otherwise you'd find in all kinds of recipes warnings not to leave a container exposed to air for fear it starts fermenting immediately. I have many texts on sourdoughs and starters, if your cultivating one completely from wild yeast, it will take days, not minutes. Do you live by a bakery? That could explain something perhaps, but more realistically, I'd try another bag of Bobs flour, maybe see if you can get a different lot or something, or I'd try another brand completely. If this happens on a regular basis, your in prime sourdough territory! Open a bakery! But on a serious note, one last thought, when you make your batter, make sure your bowl and utensils are very very clean, a little leaven ferments the whole lump :-)

Edited September 1, 2012 by minas6907 (log)

[Shalmanese]

Much to my disappointment, and surprise, airborne yeast got into a batch of gluten-free (Bob's Red Mill) waffle batter and ruined it . . the first day after the invasion the batter was mildly yeast-flavored but still usable, but after another day in the fridge the expansion was substantial, the taste was awful, and the batter had to be thrown out.

Are you talking about the Bob's Red Mill GF pancake batter? Because that contains baking powder and baking soda in it. When you wet it, it's going to produce CO2. That seems far more likely that a mutant fast acting yeast.