Three questions please.
1. Can you freeze dry active yeast and still get good results?
2. Is the use of dry active yeast and rapid-rise yeast just a matter of
personal preference, such as in sweet dough, or do they produce different
results?
3. What would happen if dry active yeast was added to flour in making sweet
dough without first dissolving it in warm water? Would it need a longer rise
time?Would there be any activation at all, or just totally flat?
Thanks in advance
Frank

Frank103 wrote:

Regarding "active dry yeast" ...

> 1. Can you freeze dry active yeast and still get good results?

I always freeze it. I hear it extends the shelf life, which would
make sense. It helps extend the life of other dried cultures I
use, too.

> 2. Is the use of dry active yeast and rapid-rise yeast just a matter of
> personal preference, such as in sweet dough, or do they produce different
> results?

Rapid rise is a time saver, but I think it makes for an inferior
product. Less flavor development, inferior texture.

Using active dry yeast will normally result in about a 2 hour first
rise, but I find it results in a very immature dough. So I precede the
first rise with a 6-8 hour sponge, depending. That extends the total
time from initial mixing to the completion of the first rise to about
8-10 hours. Much better end result, for everything. Bread, pizza dough,
sweet dough, everything.

As you can see, I find the time-to-rise of active dry yeast to
be too short, not too long. Therefore I have no use for rapid
rise yeast.

> 3. What would happen if dry active yeast was added to flour in making sweet
> dough without first dissolving it in warm water? Would it need a longer rise
> time?Would there be any activation at all, or just totally flat?

Other than to make sure you don't have bad yeast, there's no
need to dissolve it in water before adding it. If you add it
straight into the mix, and it hasn't gone bad, it will work.

You may have heard differently, but that's my experience with
Fleischmann's and Red Star brands.

--
Reg

"Reg" > wrote in message
. ..
> Frank103 wrote:
>
> Regarding "active dry yeast" ...
>
>> 1. Can you freeze dry active yeast and still get good results?
>
> I always freeze it. I hear it extends the shelf life, which would
> make sense. It helps extend the life of other dried cultures I
> use, too.
>
I buy 2lb packages of Redstar active yeast at Costco for about $3!!! I have
kept
it in the freezer for as long as two years without any observable adverse
effect.

>> 2. Is the use of dry active yeast and rapid-rise yeast just a matter of
>> personal preference, such as in sweet dough, or do they produce different
>> results?
>
> Rapid rise is a time saver, but I think it makes for an inferior
> product. Less flavor development, inferior texture.
>
> Using active dry yeast will normally result in about a 2 hour first
> rise, but I find it results in a very immature dough. So I precede the
> first rise with a 6-8 hour sponge, depending. That extends the total
> time from initial mixing to the completion of the first rise to about
> 8-10 hours. Much better end result, for everything. Bread, pizza dough,
> sweet dough, everything.
>
> As you can see, I find the time-to-rise of active dry yeast to
> be too short, not too long. Therefore I have no use for rapid
> rise yeast.
>
The slow rise, as above, is what makes the bread taste like bread. I use a
"Poolish" or a preferment with one part flour to one part water by weight
with a very small amount of yeast, 1/8 to 1/4 tsp for one cup flour. I let
it sit for 6 hours, or overnight. I have used and not used additional yeast
when making the dough, depending on time constraints and when I need the
dough.

>> 3. What would happen if dry active yeast was added to flour in making
>> sweet dough without first dissolving it in warm water? Would it need a
>> longer rise time?Would there be any activation at all, or just totally
>> flat?
>
> Other than to make sure you don't have bad yeast, there's no
> need to dissolve it in water before adding it. If you add it
> straight into the mix, and it hasn't gone bad, it will work.
>
> You may have heard differently, but that's my experience with
> Fleischmann's and Red Star brands.
>
> --
> Reg
>
What is your favorite bread book? My favorite to this point is "The
Breadmaker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart.

Kent

Kent wrote:

> I buy 2lb packages of Redstar active yeast at Costco for about $3!!! I have
> kept
> it in the freezer for as long as two years without any observable adverse
> effect.
>
> Kent

OK, US/Costco-specific question:
Where in Costco do you find the yeast?
I haven't looked hard for it, but have never seen it...

Dave

"Dave Bell" > wrote in message
.. .
> Kent wrote:
>
>> I buy 2lb packages of Redstar active yeast at Costco for about $3!!! I
>> have kept
>> it in the freezer for as long as two years without any observable adverse
>> effect.
>>
>> Kent
>
> OK, US/Costco-specific question:
> Where in Costco do you find the yeast?
> I haven't looked hard for it, but have never seen it...
>
> Dave
>
>
I have felt for some time that Costco chooses products for their shelves
based
on demographics. There is a difference between two Costcos near us, 15 miles
apart.

Kent

Dave, I can't say about Costco but Smart&Final, which is in most states in
the US, sells a 2 lb. bag of Red Star Dry Active Yeast for $3.65. They have
a store locator on smart&final.com.
Frank

"Dave Bell" > wrote in message
.. .
> Kent wrote:
>
>> I buy 2lb packages of Redstar active yeast at Costco for about $3!!! I
>> have kept
>> it in the freezer for as long as two years without any observable adverse
>> effect.
>>
>> Kent
>
> OK, US/Costco-specific question:
> Where in Costco do you find the yeast?
> I haven't looked hard for it, but have never seen it...
>
> Dave

On Tue, 7 Nov 2006, Kent wrote:

>
> "Dave Bell" > wrote in message
> .. .
> > Kent wrote:
> >
> >> I buy 2lb packages of Redstar active yeast at Costco for about $3!!! I
> >> have kept
> >> it in the freezer for as long as two years without any observable adverse
> >> effect.
> >>
> >> Kent
> >
> > OK, US/Costco-specific question:
> > Where in Costco do you find the yeast?
> > I haven't looked hard for it, but have never seen it...
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >
> I have felt for some time that Costco chooses products for their shelves
> based
> on demographics. There is a difference between two Costcos near us, 15 miles
> apart.
>
> Kent

You're probably right, but where in the store did you find it? In the
aisle with the bulk baking goods and Krusteaz mixes?

Dave

On Wed, 8 Nov 2006, Frank103 wrote:

> Dave, I can't say about Costco but Smart&Final, which is in most states in
> the US, sells a 2 lb. bag of Red Star Dry Active Yeast for $3.65. They have
> a store locator on smart&final.com.
> Frank

And there's one closer to me than any pf the Costcos, too...

Thanks!

Dave

"Dave Bell" > wrote in message
.. .
> Kent wrote:
>
>> I buy 2lb packages of Redstar active yeast at Costco for about $3!!! I
>> have kept
>> it in the freezer for as long as two years without any observable adverse
>> effect.
>>
>> Kent
>
> OK, US/Costco-specific question:
> Where in Costco do you find the yeast?
> I haven't looked hard for it, but have never seen it...
>
> Dave
With the salt and spices.
Janet

Kent wrote:

> What is your favorite bread book? My favorite to this point is "The
> Breadmaker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart.

There are so many good ones. If you define favorite as the
one I continually use the most, it would be "The Taste
of Bread" by Calvel. Serious ROI on that thing. It's
not a good first book, however.

You might like it, Kent. The information is very detailed
and quantitative.

<http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Bread-Raymond-Calvel/dp/0834216469/sr=1-1/qid=1163206506/ref=sr_1_1/104-5708514-7305518?ie=UTF8&s=books>

--
Reg