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Respected Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?

[ Edited ]

This is an interesting thread.

 

I'm wondering, if you have old recipes (and older cookbooks) that call for a package of dry yeast, can you substitute modern yeast? What type? And how do you know how much to use?

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,143
Registered: ‎04-18-2012

Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?

You can substitute instant yeast with active dry yeast measure for measure. If you need to convert a recipe using cake yeast then you substitute 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry or instant yeast for each cake of fresh yeast called for in the recipe. 

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Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?


@JAXS Mom wrote:

You can substitute instant yeast with active dry yeast measure for measure. If you need to convert a recipe using cake yeast then you substitute 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry or instant yeast for each cake of fresh yeast called for in the recipe. 


That's the amount of yeast in a packet right?  I have a yeast spoon that measures out a packet size in one scoop and I couldn't do without it.  I really fuss if that spoon winds up somewhere else in the kitchen!

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Registered: ‎04-18-2012

Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?

Yes 2 1/4 teaspoons is the amount in an individual packet. I use a yeast spoon also since I haven't bought individual packets in many years. 

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Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?

[ Edited ]

Thanks for this interesting discussion and the replies.

 

Specifically, I'm wondering when I use my old Betty Crocker Cookbook of 1970, which has a big chapter on yeast breads, if it says "one packet dry yeast" (no weight or teaspoons given) will a package of today's dry yeast be the same measurement?

 

I used to use Fleishmann's. They still have that brand, but the packages may or may not be the same size/weight.

 

Maybe I should stick with new recipes, from the King Arthur Flour website for example.

 

I used to bake bread when I was first married, decades ago, and I'd like to get back to that kind of baking.

 

Another issue is that I don't have a heavy duty mixer. I always used to knead by hand, and would need to continue to do so I assume. 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,143
Registered: ‎04-18-2012

Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?

I use old recipes all the time, I just follow the guidelines I posted up thread. As yeast performance has improved over the years the packages have gotten smaller but the amount of yeast in one packet today works as well or better than the large packets many years ago. So I just follow the conversion method I posted previously when using older recipes. The short answer would be that assuming the recipe called for dry yeast a packet is a packet, no change necessary. Otherwise follow the conversion for a recipe that called for fresh cake yeast. 

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Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?


@JAXS Mom wrote:

I use old recipes all the time, I just follow the guidelines I posted up thread. As yeast performance has improved over the years the packages have gotten smaller but the amount of yeast in one packet today works as well or better than the large packets many years ago. So I just follow the conversion method I posted previously when using older recipes. The short answer would be that assuming the recipe called for dry yeast a packet is a packet, no change necessary. Otherwise follow the conversion for a recipe that called for fresh cake yeast. 


Thanks for the clarification. It would never have occurred to me that a smaller package or weight of dry yeast could still yield the same results due to improvement. That's good to know.

 

I'm just wading into this area of baking, after many years away. 

 

 

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Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?

If you live at altitude use Red Star.  It works the best especially with machines.  I use my machine to make the bread dough and then I can shape it the way I want. 

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Re: Bakers--Do You Have a Favorite Yeast?

I appreciate all the good information you bakers have given us!  THANKS!