Ingredientbeginnerdraft
Yeast
Also searched as: fresh yeast, dried yeast, instant yeast
In short: Yeast is a living fungus that turns sugar into gas and aromas. It makes dough rise.
Picture it
Like a pet with clear preferences: warm but not hot, food, and no salt straight on its head.
What Yeast does
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What happens
Fresh yeast and dried yeast are the same yeast, once moist, once dried. About 1 part dried yeast replaces 3 parts fresh yeast (as a guide). Less yeast and more time usually gives the better bread.
What the ingredient does
makes the dough riseYeast fermentation
creates aromasMore flavour
Rules of thumb
- Less yeast, more time.
- Water lukewarm, never hot.
- Do not put salt and yeast directly together.
Related entries
Sources
- Exploratorium: Yeast and temperature
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Brot, Getreide