January 31, 2011 - 10:58am
Help! Poor results with instant yeast
I have just started trying to use Instant yeast (SAF brand) instead of active dry yeast. However, I'm getting very poor results with it: no rise to very minimal rise in the dough. I've already had to throw out 1 batch of dough (and started that batch over with active dry). I'm adding the instant yeast to the flour before adding liquid; I knead my dough by hand, not with a mixer; and I let it rise for the same amount of time as I would with active dry yeast, about 90 minutes to 2 hours. I do store the yeast in the refrigerator: should I allow it to come to room temperature before using? Not sure what I'm doing wrong, but it doesn't seem to be working for me!
Help?!
Judith
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Just stir some yeast, flour and warm water together in a small bowl and leave it on the counter to see what happens. Good yeast will become obviously active pretty quickly. Let us know what you find out.
Good Luck
OldWoodenSpoon
I do that for active dry yeast, but haven't done it for instant yeast. Would this be just to test what I have, or do you suggest doing that in general? (Sorry, inexperienced yeast user!)
thanks much!
Judith
Yes, this would be a test. If nothing happens when you add it to warm water and flour, it means there is a problem with your yeast. Instant yeast doesn't normally need time to perk up, but this way you're isolating the issue.
Jerry
OWS gives good advice. Perhaps your yeast is dead. The process described just tests to see if it viable. Folks say that instant yeast lasts "forever" but it doesn't. I had a bunch of it go dead on me (finally had the good sense to test it...). Quite discouraging.
But if you have just started using instant yeast, hopefully your recently purchased yeast is viable.
I'm going to sound like a broken record, but what are you doing differently between the instant and the active dry? One place to look (assuming you have live yeast) is water temperature. If you start yeast off in very cool temperatures, it can be very slow to start rising and in some case will effectively "never" rise. So if you are using very cool water, that could be the culprit. The general temperature of your dough will overwhelm the temperature of the small amount of yeast in the formula, but if the dough is too cool (something you may be by passing by dissolving your active dry yeast in warmish water) this could be your problem. There are instructions for "desired dough temperature" in the handbook on these pages. You want a dough temperature of about 78F. If your kitchen is cold, and your flour is cold, and you mix by hand (which doesn't add much heat), AND your water is cold, your dough temperature may not be high enough to get the yeast to start rising.
Hope this helps...
Thanks much for the feedback! I will definitely test the instant yeast: it's a brand new batch but I guess it could still be dead.
The biggest difference is that I proof the active dry yeast first, but I've been adding the instant yeast into the flour without first proofing. I normally will use warm water (or warm milk, depending on the recipe): warm it in the microwave for about 45 seconds and then let it stand for a minute. That seems to have worked well with the active dry yeast up to now. I'll try to check to see how cool things are, maybe I'm just not waking the yeast up!
thank you!
judithh
temp of active dry yeast to become active. If the water/milk is too hot, it may kill the instant yeast. Be sure to test the temp, if it is too hot for your fingers, it's too hot for yeast.
What I think is warm and what is warm according to my thermometer are different. 110 degrees F feels cool to my fingers, but get above that and you could kill the yeast. So I always use a thermometer to check the temperature of the liquids. It only takes a quick few seconds to do this.
Hi Judith - welcome to TFL.
Did you check the expiration date on the SAF yeast? Did you purchase it locally?
You asked about refrigeration. On February 2, 2008, I purchased a pound of SAF yeast, then transferred the yeast to one small airtight container which was placed in my refrigerator. The balance of the yeast was poured into a larger airtight container which has been kept in my freezer.
It's taken me two years to use that pound of yeast (am primarily a sourdough baker) and I've had not a single problem. Just purchased another pound (which is in the freezer).
I'm pretty careful about the temperature of the water I'm using, making sure it is appropriate for the dough I'm mixing. The DDT calculation Pat mentioned makes a big difference, in my experience.
So, if you do have a pound of unexpired SAF and you determine it is viable, by all means you can keep most of it in the freezer and a small portion for daily needs in your refrigerator. Just make sure you're using good, airtight containers.
Hope you pinpoint the problem.
Thanks so much to everyone! These comments have been very helpful!
I haven't checked the liquid temps with a thermometer, I will definitely do this next time to make sure I'm not killing my yeast.
@Lindyd: I just purchased the yeast, ordered it through King Arthur. If i can test and determine it's viable, I'll move it to the freezer.
I'm starting to think I'm either too high on temperature (with my liquid) or maybe too cool (for rising). First step: make sure it's good yeast, and then on to testing the liquid temperature!
Thanks much. I'm new to yeast baking, have mostly done quick breads up to now, so this feedback is great!
judithh
Hi! Thought I'd give an update. I tried using instant yeast again, being very careful to check temperature, etc... and did get an initial rise with the dough. So, at least I know the yeast I have is good. However, the final result that time was really disappointing: no rise at all, I ended up having to discard most of the loaf. I was just about to give up on the instant yeast, and decided to try one last time with a really simple recipe, checked the temperature on the water I was using to make sure it was quite cool, took my time kneading the dough... and got great results! A very nice yeasted corn bread, with a good rise and a nice crust! think I just need to accept that I'm still a novice baker and work my way up to more complex recipes once I get the basics mastered.
thanks to all of you for your advice!
jh
and always add the yeast to the water before I add the water to the flour. This yeast comes in a vacuum packed one pound bag and I keep it there with the top rolled tightly and secure with a rubber band in my freezer. I have used yeast for a couple of years past the "sell-by" date with never any problem and no obvious improvement when I open a new package. I figure that by rolling the bag tight and keeping it closed will exclude air better than a half filled jar.