I've never baked with yeast before, I think there was a boo boo

[Break an Egg]

I was all ready for my bread to rise, (I'm making the lighter than air pan rolls) and I ran out the door to pick up the neighbors kid. I asked my stepdaughter to put the flour and sugar back in the freezer and instead she stuck the bowl with the towel on top in the feezer, it was in there for at the longest 10 mins. Did she kill my yeast? I've never worked with yeast before.

 

[michickenwrangler]

It should be okay. Usually cold just causes it to go dormant. I keep my cheese cultures in the freezer

 

[melloladies]

ditto! I'm in pastry school- you should have just sent it into a state of dormancy. Just take it out and give it about and hour and a half to rise. If it goes nowhere- start over! yeast can be a trick beast, but keep trying!

 

[Break an Egg]

Thanks for all the quick replies, if it isn't that good this time, I will keep trying. I am going to try and do this more often, it's alot of fun.

 

[herfrds]

Something I learned from trial and error.
Use hot tap water. Instead of luke warm water.
By the time I poured the luke warm water into the yeast it was too cold. Never did get a good rise out of my bread til I changed that.

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
Good, I'll try that next time, actually the bread came out pretty good for my first time. I think next time I'll definately try that, thanks.

 

[bigmike&nan]

I "temper" my bowl with hot water, then drain it. I use LUKEWARM water, in other words when you run the water and put your hand UNDER the stream it should neither feel hot or cold. Body temperature.
You can add a small dash of sugar to the water you'll use to start your yeast with, it gives the yeast something to grow with.
Lastly do not put salt in your yeast water. If your recipe calls for salt in the dough (and most do need a bit to give the dough "taste") add it once most of the flour is incorporated into the water/yeast mixture.
And another thing: buy your yeast in bulk, say at Costco. It pains me to see those three packs at the grocery store go for a $1.99 to $2.49... I buy RedStar or Fleishman's Yeast in ONE POUND bags at
Costco and that costs like $7.00. Once you open the bag store some of it in a jar for everyday use (I bake A LOT), keep the remains in the bag in a zipper storage bag, out of light or heat. A cool pantry is best.

I come from a long line of bakers.

 

[alabama49]

I have bought my yeast in bulk before but it expires before I use it all up most of the time. How long after the expiration date is yeast good to use? Like a year or so or less? How about if you store it in the frig?

 

[bigmike&nan]

Quote:
If you're like me I don't like "wasting" stuff. And yeah if you suddenly bake less then a part if the bag could lose it's potency before you get around to using it up. BUT a POUND of yeast is a lot of yeast, a tremendous value compared to buying the little 3 packs of envelopes. What a rip-off ! You can tell when the yeast is starting to lose it, it just doesn't foam up as much, use more. But eventually it will still need to be replaced. Still buying the bag is a much better price performer.

I imagine keeping the yeast in a zipper storage bag in the fridge WILL lengthen it's shelf life.

When I lived in San Francisco I had access to fresh yeast in big blocks. There was an amazing German bakery that would sell me a block from time to time. A pound of fresh yeast kept in a zipper bag in the fridge probably lasts 2 months

It gave amazing results, the brick of yeast cost me $3.00...

 

[chickenvirgin]

I am a chef and here is the deal on yeast....The only thing that can kill yeast is heat so be careful how hot the water is when you put the yeast in, a little warmer than the skin on your wrist, kind of like a babies bottle. You can make yeast dough, form buns or loaves and freeze them, them take them out at night and let them rise on the counter and bake them in the morning. I also buy the 1 lb. packages of yeast at Costco, but some in a jar to use and keep that one in the fridge and the rest goes in to the freezer, in a container that is airtight. Try not to rush the rising process, the flavour of baked goods is improved with a long slow rise, My bread sometimes sits on the counter all afternoon and I just keep punching down until I am ready to deal with it. I always had a problem with yeast baking until I learned to relax and learn it's really not that difficult. :0)