In today’s world, we often reach for those convenient packets of yeast. However, there is so much talk about fresh cake yeast. Why do professional bakers always talk about these little cakes?

Kitchen Kneads Compressed Yeast Cake 1 Pound

What is Fresh Yeast?

Yeast is simply a single-celled organism. This organism multiplies rapidly when fed sugar in a moist environment. Yeast is mostly sold as dried or dormant granules. This is called active, instant, or rapid-rise yeast. The dried version has a long shelf life and it can also stored at room temperature.

Fresh yeast, also called cake yeast or compressed yeast, comes in a block and contains moisture (about 70%) and is generally used by the baking industry. It should have a beige color, is soft and crumbly, and the smell should be stronger than a normal dry or instant yeast.

How to Buy Yeast

Fresh yeast has a two-week shelf life and that means it needs to be refrigerated. Not all markets will carry fresh yeast or will only carry it on a seasonal basis. You will likely find it in the dairy section.

Yeast can be frozen, and if it is, it can still be good for up to 6 months. You will want to make note of the expiration date so that you use the yeast before it goes bad. Always keep it stored well-wrapped in the refrigerator until you use it. If it has been frozen, you should allow it to come to room temperature before you use it.

Do not use hard yeast, is dark brown, has a crust, or if there is mold growing on it.

Conversion Between Dry and Fresh Yeast

Initially, those of us who have used dry yeast all our lives “because that’s the way Mom did it” will need ratios to convert.

2 1/4 teaspoons dry active, instant, or rapid-rise yeast granules (this is usually one 1/4-oz packet) = 2/3 ounce fresh yeast.

How to Use Fresh Yeast

When you are using fresh yeast, crumble it into small pieces at first. After that, you can add it to your dry ingredients or you may soften it in warm water and proceed with your recipe.

You should consider fresh yeast in breads that require a long, slow rising time, as it activates more quickly than the dried version and also stays active for longer periods.

Is Fresh Better Than Dried Yeast?

This is a matter of preference. We found that for convenience, the dried allows you to make batches of dough day after day. Dried has caught up with fresh in quality and flavor and many users cannot determine the difference.

However, many in our test kitchens did notice a difference in the fresh; it had a noticeably different aroma while baking and ultimately had a better flavor in the finished product.

We baked rolls and sandwich bread using both whole wheat and white flour. Ultimately, you will have to try the two head-to-head to determine what you prefer.

Saf-Instant Gold Label Yeast — Gold Label SAF

If you are anything like me, and I think you are, you love snacks. Specifically, you love beef jerky and will get it in any kind you can get your hands on. So when you’re diving through that package of beef jerky and you find that white package at or near the bottom, at first you don’t think “Hey I want to eat this”, despite the three thousand warning labels for you not to ingest it. Your first question is, “What is this?”

What you have found there isn’t the prize in a Cracker-Jack Box, it’s an oxygen absorbing packet.

What are oxygen absorbers and why are the used in longer-term food storage?

Oxygen absorbers are used to remove the oxygen from a sealed environment, creating a nitrogen-rich environment where long-term food storage is possible. This protects dry foods from insect damage and helps you to preserve the product quality. These oxygen absorbers are used when dry foods are packaged in sealed containers. When you properly package and seal the package, the oxygen is greatly reduced. Absorbers bring the oxygen level down to a reliable .01% or less.

What are the benefits of using oxygen absorbers?

Extends the shelf life of your product
Prevents the growth of aerobic pathogens and spoilage organisms, including molds
Eliminates the needs for non-natural additives such as BHA, BHT, sulfur dioxide, sorbates, benzoates, etc.
FDA compliant

How do oxygen absorbers work?

Oxygen absorbers work through a chemical reaction. The primary ingredient is an iron powder that reacts with the oxygen in the air causing the iron powder to rust. When all the iron powder has oxidized, the oxygen absorbers are now called “loaded” and then the process of absorbing the oxygen stops.

What are oxygen absorbers made of? Are they dangerous if they come in contact with food?

Oxygen absorbers are small packets that contain an iron powder. The packets are made of a specific material that allows oxygen and moisture to enter but does not allow the powder to leach out.

How long does it take for the oxygen absorbers to work?

You will know that the oxygen sbsorbers are working as they become warm to the touch. Typically, they take about 4 hours to achieve their rated maximum absorption. That’s a very good thing, as you don’t want any organism to live with your dry packed goods.

Can I just freeze my food instead to keep it good for the long-term?

Some customers ask if they can just freeze their foods to make them last longer. Most items will last significantly longer under cooler temperatures. While dehydrated or dry foods are fairly stable under freezing conditions, still your best solution for long-term food storage is to go with an oxygen-free environment. After all, who has the freezer space for eight 5-gallon buckets of red wheat?

Is the use of oxygen absorbers the equivalent to vacuum packaging?

Technically oxygen absorbers remove oxygen more effectively than vacuum packaging. The air composition is around 20 percent oxygen and 80 percent nitrogen. Absorbers remove only the oxygen. This results in the air left in the container being mostly nitrogen and will not affect the food or allow the growth of insects. So, while the visual of a vacuum packed product can be appealing – the goal should be to remove the oxygen as the remaining contents of the air will not affect the long-term storage life of your food.

What types of food products can be stored using oxygen absorbers?

The products that you choose should be low in moisture and oil content. If your moisture content is not low enough (about 10 percent or less), storing products in reduced oxygen packaging may result in botulism poisoning. All of our dehydrated products meet the 10 percent or fewer criteria. However, some of our products (for example, granola) contain nuts which have a high oil content and as a result have a shorter shelf life of about 6 months to a year. This applies to any food that has a higher oil content like brown rice vs. white rice.

How many oxygen absorbers should I use?

[table “14” not found /]

Yes, I know. What you’re about to read is very basic, but fundamental to successful baking. Over the next several months, I’m going to be sharing with you my baking knowledge, my learning experiences, tips for beginning (and seasoned) bakers, and all the how’s and why’s of baking because my goal is to help you become successful in the kitchen. If you have a recipe fail, (which I have plenty of times) I want you to be able to diagnose the problem, try again, and have it turn our beautifully. I’ve tried recipes for the first time and noticed a problem with the recipe while making it. Because of my baking knowledge, I’ve been able to first, notice the problem, and second, correct it so whatever it was I was baking didn’t end up in a disaster. These are the kinds of things I want you to be able to do too.

So, let’s get right to it. The first thing I’m going to talk about is some tips for beginning bakers. They may seem too basic or you may say, “I already know that”, but not everybody knows everything. Even those who’ve been baking for years can still learn. I’ve been baking for over 20 years and I’m still learning.

Tip #1: Pre-read the Recipe

Read the recipe all the way through the first time you make it. This way, you know what you’re getting into, to put it simply. You’ll know what techniques are involved, what ingredients you’ll need, if there are any things you’ll need to prepare in advance, etc. This will also help you understand the recipe. Honestly, I’m guilty of not reading the recipe before I make it. I’ve since learned, though. There’s nothing worse than not understanding one of the directions while you have a mixture that’s time-sensitive and you have to spend time trying to figure out what you’re supposed to be doing.

Tip #2: Be Prepared with Ingredients and Tools

Before you begin baking, get out all the tools and ingredients you’ll be needing. This will help you make sure you have everything you need before you start baking. Trust me. I’ve had to get creative before because I didn’t check to make sure I had everything before I started baking a particular recipe.

Image Source

Tip #3: Prepare Pans First

This is so critical. Is there anything worse than whipping up a batch of beautiful banana bread and not being able to get it out of the pan? No. There’s not. If the recipe calls for a parchment-lined cookie sheet or a well-greased bread pan, do it. And do it first. This way, you won’t forget and you can smoothly transition from mixing up the recipe to getting it into the proper pan.

Image Source

Tip #4: Preheat Your Oven First

Yes, another thing to do first. Get that oven heating up first thing! If you don’t, your batter or dough or whatever it is will have to sit and wait for the oven to get up to temperature.

Image Source

Tip #5: Measure Properly

Unlike cooking, precision is critical in baking. Measure oil, milk, water, and other liquids in a liquid measuring cup. Use a dry measuring cup for flour, sugar, chocolate chips, nuts, etc. And by dry measuring cup, I don’t mean one that isn’t wet. I mean the ones that nest together and typically have only one measurement per measuring cup.
Bonus tip: Use a plunger measuring cup for sticky stuff like honey, molasses, corn syrup… It’s so much easier to get honey and such out of one of these because it scrapes the sides as you push it up, leaving you with only one flat surface to scrape off. So much better.

Tip #6: Sift

Sift dry ingredients before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. Yeah, it’s an extra step, but it’ll improve the overall texture of your baked goodies. Just do it. You’ll be happy you did.

Tip #7: Combine Ingredients Properly

There’s a reason the recipe directions are written the way they are. The person who developed the recipe most likely has some knowledge about how different ingredients react to each other. Combining the ingredients in the order the recipe says to will help you be successful. It sounds super obvious, but like I said before, not everybody knows everything.

Tip #8: Use a Timer

Burnt cookies aren’t awesome. Dry cake is also not awesome. Don’t count on yourself remembering how long something’s been in the oven. Distractions happen too. Let the timer remind you that you have zucchini bread in the oven and that it’s time to take it out. Of course, also use good judgement. Just because the timer says it’s done, doesn’t mean it’s done. There are other methods for telling if something is done or overdone, which I’ll cover in another post, but set a timer for the baking time stated in the recipe and you’ll have a good idea of when it’s done.

I hope you find these tips helpful. I’ll be covering some of them in more detail in future posts, so be on the lookout for those.

Wishing you the best of success in your kitchen!

« Previous Page
1
…
5
6
7
8
9
…
11
Next Page »

Monday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Thursday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Friday	9:30am - 6:00pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5:00pm
Sunday	CLOSED

What is Fresh Yeast?