Hi

I have the following rusk recipe:

10ml dry active yeast or 1 compressed yeast cake

750ml warm water

2.5kg flour

500g sugar

12.5ml salt

250g margarine, melted

The recipe calls for the yeast to be proofed and then mixed with the flour, sugar and salt mix as well as the margarine and just enough water to be able to knead the dough.

Then it has to rise overnight, be lightly kneaded and put into the baking tin and rise to double volume.

I know my dad used to make this recipe a lot and the rusks are awesome, but no matter what I do I can not get my dough to rise.

My dad used to use the compressed yeast cake, which you don't get anymore and since that is the only difference, I think that the problem is the yeast.

I only seem to be able to find instant yeast and not active dry yeast.

I have tried proofing 10ml of instant yeast as per the recipe and this didn't work (this was before I actually realised the difference between yeasts)

I have tried converting the amounts between active dry yeast and instant yeast and mixing the instant yeast directly into the dry ingredients and this also didn't work.

Can anyone please give me some advice?

I have used this brand of instant yeast in bread and such and those do rise.

Any help would be much appreciated!

(Apologies if there is a similar topic alreaydy - I haven't been able to find it by searching)