The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Fresh Yeast Question

fladad's picture
fladad

Fresh Yeast Question

Someone just gifted me with a bread book called "The New Bread Book" by Ursula Ferrigno, which I do really appreciate, but all the recipes call for FRESH YEAST, such as 1/4 oz(10G) crumbled, is there some sort of a conversion to instant or rapid rise yeast?  I really do not want to search out a bakery, not any in my loacal area, to get some, and I've read it does not last very long, any ideas?  Thanks. Russ

suave's picture
suave

Conversion rate from fresh to instant yeast is 3:1, so 1/4 oz or 7 g of fresh yeast is 2.3 g of instant, that's about 1/2 tsp.

Mike

fladad's picture
fladad

Thanks for the info, just to be sure the ratio is 3 to 1, freash to instant, thanks

suave's picture
suave

Yep,  3 to 1, fresh to instant

Mike

nbicomputers's picture
nbicomputers

fresh yeast can last for about 2 months in a good fridg

fladad's picture
fladad

I thought I read it only last 2-3 days in the fridge, always good to ask I guess.

suave's picture
suave

With proper storage you have up to a week or two after the expiration date, so a lot depends on whether it was stored properly and how fresh it was to begin with.

Mike

nbicomputers's picture
nbicomputers

fresh yeast will crumble sharply and will be fine as long as it does this. when it gets soft like puty its gone. it could change surfice color and a whiteish tinge or even slite mold on the surfice. since mold only grows on the top if you remove it the rest of the yeast will be fine

i get mine in two pound blocks for less than 2.50 per block from a bakery supply house so i know its fresh when i get it.

fladad's picture
fladad

2 pounds, you must bake a lot of bread, I'll have to try it, thanks for the reply, how do you store it and for how long?

nbicomputers's picture
nbicomputers

just keep it in the fridg it a container or wrap in wax paper

suave's picture
suave

You're very lucky man, Norm.  The only local store here that carries fresh yeast charges $2 for a nalf-ounce cube. 

Mike

fladad's picture
fladad

Let's all send Norm some cash and he can get it for us, just kidding...There are very few bakeries in my area and I have found no stores that carry it, oh well.   Russ

belfiore's picture
belfiore

Does this bakery supply house ship??? I guess I could just go into a local bakery (not many here) and ask if they'd be willing to sell some of their fresh yeast! I'm a newby so probably a stupid question, but we have a local bakery with killer sourdough breads. If they sell frozen dough could this be converted to a starter?

 

Thanks!

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

As long as the sourdough dough contains a live culture, it could be converted.  It might also have extra yeast added to it that may interfere with the conversion.  You could just ask for a little starter too.  Never know until you try.

Mini

belfiore's picture
belfiore

Thanks for the info Mini. I nosed around a couple bakeries today but none of them sell fresh yeast. So now I'm on a mission...wish me luck :-)

nbicomputers's picture
nbicomputers

i would not mind getting freash yeast and sending it to someone but the shipping cost would be more than its worth of course it anyone is up my way i could get it and you could pick it up.

fresh yeast works so fast you could make a dough and have it done in about 2.5 hours from start to out of the oven

i know  longer ti,e means better flavor but its great that yiou can work fast if you need to.