Several Types of Yeast Available for Homemade Straight-Dough Breads

This is the first in a series of columns explaining how to bake yeast bread.

There are several ways of making this type of bread, the most standard of which is called the conventional or straight-dough method.

Active dry yeast is most often used in today’s recipes for bread made by the conventional method. However, yeast--the one-celled plant that makes these breads rise--comes in three forms.

Compressed yeast, also called cake yeast, must be stored under refrigeration and has a maximum shelf life of about two weeks. It may also be frozen for up to two months, then defrosted overnight in the refrigerator before using.

When fresh, compressed yeast is light grayish-tan in color and crumbles easily. It should be dissolved in water or milk between 80 degrees and 90 degrees before being combined with the other recipe ingredients.

Active dry yeast is usually preferred over compressed yeast because it has a longer shelf life. The dry yeast granules are packaged in airtight moisture-proof packages, so they may be stored for six months at room temperature and even longer under refrigeration. (The expiration date stamped on the package is based on storing the yeast at room temperature.)

One package of active dry yeast contains a scant tablespoon of granules. This amount is equal to a 0.6-ounce cake of compressed yeast.

Active dry yeast, usually referred to simply as dry yeast, is activated by water with a temperature between 105 degrees and 115 degrees (Step 1). To dissolve the yeast, sprinkle the granules on the surface of the water (Step 2). It should dissolve in three to five minutes. Stir (Step 3) before combining with the other recipe ingredients.

When using the mixer method of making yeast bread, the yeast is combined with other dry ingredients before being dissolved. To activate the yeast, the water temperature must be higher--between 120 and 130 degrees.

Quick-rise, active dry yeast is a highly active strain of dry yeast that makes bread doughs rise 50% faster than regular yeast. Although it may be dissolved in liquid, its fast-rising properties work best when added directly to the dry ingredients, as in the mixer method just described.

In the conventional method, once the yeast is dissolved, it is combined with other lukewarm liquids, fat, sugar and eggs. Then the flour is stirred in, and the batter is beaten vigorously to begin developing the gluten in the flour.

Additional flour is stirred in to create a soft dough that can be kneaded without becoming too sticky. Although this is traditionally done by hand, a strong electric mixer may also be used (Step 4).

Future columns will be devoted to kneading the dough, allowing it to rise, and shaping and baking the bread into loaves.