Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked bread coming out of the oven? Or the fluffy texture of cinnamon rolls? However, baking with yeast can feel intimidating. (I used to be intimidated as well.) While it is more complex than just tossing ingredients into a bowl and popping it into the oven, I’m here to tell you that once you know a few key things about yeast, you can be baking your own bread (and wowing your friends and family) in no time.
This blog post will walk you through some common questions about yeast and hopefully give you the confidence to start using it more in your baking.
What is yeast? A short history.
Yeast is one of the oldest baking substances in the world. Historians say there are examples of baking with yeast present in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Leavened and unleavened bread is referenced countless times in the Old Testament of the Bible.
So what exactly is this ingredient that’s been used in baking for thousands of years? Let’s break out the biology books. Yeast is a single-celled microorganism that is technically a fungus. Let’s try to not think about that too much. Today, we use yeast mainly in baking (how a microorganism fungus turns into a delicious tasting and smelling bread is beyond me) as well as in making beer and wine. Sign me up for wine and bread night any time.
What are the different types of yeast used in baking?
- Active Dry Yeast
- Instant/Rapid Rise Yeast
Is there a difference between Active Dry yeast and Instant Rapid Rise Yeast?
Kind of. The active dry yeast takes a bit longer to work than the rapid rise (hence the name). See tips below on how to speed up your rise time. The official definition from yeast companies is that you have to activate the active dry yeast in water before adding it to your dough whereas instant yeast can be added directly to your dry ingredients.
Can I tell you a secret? I only use active dry yeast and only “activate” it about 50% of the time and get similar results. (Don’t tell the experts.)
Can I swap Active Dry yeast for Instant yeast in baking recipes?
Yep. You’ll use it 1:1. Just remember to adjust your proving times.
How do I know if the yeast is working?
About 5 minutes or so after adding the lukewarm water you should start to see the yeast start to foam or produce bubbles. Bubbles mean the fermentation is happening (yeast is active). If it doesn’t bubble after 15 minutes your yeast is probably too old.
What is the science of using yeast in baking?
This is going to be a very simple explanation. If you want to know all the science behind yeast, check out Red Star Yeast’s Science of Yeast article.
Here’s a basic definition: Yeast feeds off the sugar in either the flour or any added granular sugar. It then ferments and gives off carbon dioxide which creates air pockets in the dough, making it rise. Simple enough, right? How those air bubbles get dispersed throughout the dough is through the kneading process.
Why should I knead yeasted dough?
Kneading yeasted dough allows for the microbubbles formed by the yeast to spread out among the rest of the dough. By kneading the dough you are speeding up the proving time. Kneading the dough also incorporates the gluten and after a while makes your dough stretchy and pliable.
How do I know if I’ve kneaded enough?
You can use a simple technique known as the windowpane test. When you’re kneading dough, the dough will start out rough and tough and will eventually (after a good 10 minutes at least) start to become more flexible and smooth.
For the windowpane test, take a small piece of the dough and stretch it out between your fingers. Hold it up to the light and if you can see the shadow of your finger through the dough (the “windowpane” if you will) then your dough is kneaded enough. If it tears, keep going. If you are kneading by hand, there is a very slim chance that you will over-knead your bread.
Can I make bread without kneading?
Yes with an asterisk. Most no-knead doughs require longer proving or resting time to allow the yeast to create larger carbon dioxide bubbles that will permeate the entire loaf (after about 6 hours or overnight). I’ve tried letting no-knead bread prove for only 2-3 hours and they come out pretty flat (they still taste good, they just aren’t tall). So if you have the time, you can definitely make a loaf without kneading.
Note: Typically, I don’t knead pizza dough (or if I do, it is only for like 1-2mins) because I don’t want it to rise that much. It only takes about 45 minutes to rise when placed on top of my preheated oven.
What if my dough doesn’t rise?
Some of the most common reasons are the yeast was old (see above to test if yeast is still viable), the water temperature was too hot (see the tips section for more info on this), too much flour was added to the dough which weighs it down (be sure to measure correctly), the temperature is too cold in your house (remember yeast likes it warm), kneading the dough too much, or too little (be sure to use the windowpane test explained above).
How does an enriched dough impact yeast?
Adding milk and butter (or fruit) to dough can add a lovely texture and flavor, but it also weighs down the dough. Remember when proving enriched dough to give it a longer time to rise. The yeast has to work through all the extra goodies.
If you’re adding fruit, nuts, chocolate chips etc. to your enriched dough, a good rule of thumb is to add it on the second rise so that the yeast can work its magic during the first.
Tips for baking with yeast
- Warm water feeds yeast, but hot water will kill it. Your water should be lukewarm (between 100-110F).
- Salt and yeast are frenemies. Salt can inhibit the rise if it’s too close to the yeast (i.e. you dump the ingredients on top of each other in the bowl). When placing your dry ingredients in the bowl, place the yeast and sugar on one side and the salt on the other.
- Watch your proving/rising times. When a recipe says prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size, go with doubled in size – even if it’s only been 40 minutes. Every house is a different temperature and climate so rising times may be different too.
- Want to speed up your proving time? Here are a couple of options. 1. When you are preheating your oven, place your covered bowl of dough on top of the heating oven. 2. Turn your oven on as low as it will go (mine goes to 165). Turn it off immediately and then place your covered bowl of dough in the oven. As it cools off the trapped heat will encourage the dough to rise. If you take this method, be sure to keep an eye on your dough so you don’t over-prove it.
Popular yeasted bakes
Yeast is used in both sweet and savory recipes. Traditionally, when we think of yeast we think of bread, but there are loads of options when it comes to baking with yeast. Here are just a few examples:
- Savory bread like baguettes, ciabatta, focaccia, rolls, crusty artisan bread, stuffed loaves, etc.
- Sweet breads like cinnamon rolls and babkas
- Bagels
- Soft Pretzels
- Pizza Dough
- Yeasted Cakes (Kugelhopf, Panettone, Savarin, Bara Birth)
Is baking with yeast worth the effort?
Yes. It totally is. Even though the recipes say it takes hours to make, most of that time is hands-off. Yep. The yeast does most of the work itself and just wants to sit in a nice warm place for a few hours. I typically make bread or any other yeasted doughs on days when I will be home and can just set a timer for the resting time and go about my day. It really is that easy. Hopefully, this guide has quelled some of those fears about baking with yeast.
Happy kneading!
More Resources on Baking with Yeast
Last Updated on May 14, 2022 by Kari Bakes
1 Comment
Great blog – easy to understand- as soon as i am able i will be trying to bake bread 🙂