June 14, 2011 - 10:49pm
Proofing Yeast without sugar
Hi
I wanna know can i proof yeast without using sugar or honey but proof yeast using mashed banana puree instead???
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Hi
I wanna know can i proof yeast without using sugar or honey but proof yeast using mashed banana puree instead???
why do you need to proof your yeast with sugar at all?
if your dried yeast is fresh, it will proof just fine by soaking in plain, room temp water for 5 minutes. Sugar is totally unnecessary for proofing yeast.
I don't see why banana wouldn't work, though, go for it!
Hi
Mine is "Instant Dry Yeast" i'll kept inside freezer.. is this okay just with plain water only?
Hi,
I usually just mix it with the flour. Instant dry yeast doesn't need to be activated.
See the manufacturer's page here, this is the yeast I use. They call it "Quick", but it's the same thing.
Juergen
There's no need to proof it at all, unless you have reason to suspect it might be expired. You can add it to your dry ingredients just like any other ingredient. You can even knead it in after dough mixing, it really doesn't matter. You don't even need to bring it to room temp from the freezer, just add it and move on to your next step.
- Keith
My understanding is that freezing yeast is not good for it. I keep mine in the refrigerator, not the freezer, and it stays good for at least a year or so.
I've had no problem with frozen active dry and instant yeast, maintained in the freezer 1 year or longer.
That said, I keep a small, dark container that I use for day-to-day baking in the fridge.
Yep, even dormant (dried) yeast does a little better if it's not super cold. But the problems seem to be small enough they're swamped by other issues; I've kept some yeast in the freezer compartment in my kitchen for over a year before moving smaller quantities to my fridge for frequent use, and it worked just fine. Now I keep my yeast in tighly sealed screwtop jars (or even better unopened foil bricks) in the vegetable crisper tray at the bottom of my refrigerator compartment. Although that's theoretically better, I must say I haven't actually noticed any difference.
(Dried yeast seems to be even more bothered by moisture than by cold, so putting it in the freezer compartment of a kitchen fridge may be better on balance simply because the door isn't opened nearly as often.)
When I first began baking bread, long before instant yeast was available, I read that sugar must be used to proof the yeast and always did so. My breadbaking became a business and on several occasions (when I got too distracted or busy) I forgot to add sugar and the breads came out the same. So I would think that mashed bananas are not necessary for proofing, but can still be added if you prefer to use that ingredient.
I no longer own a bakery but I still buy yeast in pound bags and keep them in the freezer. I use the yeast right from the freezer with excellent results.
Mimi
Thanks for all the comments...
So the conclusion is proofing yeast in water/ banana/sugar/honey or not proofing at all still have the same result.
And keeping yeast in freezer or not still produce same result..
Interesting!
You probably don't need another answer but I will add that I buy my yeast in the one pound bags that are sold as a bundle of two. It takes me so long to use the two that I have always kept them in the freezer. I move a small amount to a regular yeast jar into my fridge.......works beautifully and I am also another that doesn't always bother to proof my yeast....
I'm pretty sure yeast eats sugar and produces CO2 in the process just fine. I once blew up a gallon jug of homebrew rootbeer (yeast, sugar and flavoring) because of that fact - I left the cap on too tight.
Hi guys..
I just proof yeast and mashed banana.. is the same as adding sugar.. it works!