November 15, 2022 - 9:43am
Fresh Yeast
Does anyone have a recipe on how to make fresh yeast or what the ingredient list is on the packaging of fresh yeast includes? I have tried to make fresh yeast once, but the results failed and the amount was too much for my ability to use as a home baker.
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Why do you want fresh yeast?..
The only ingredient on the package of fresh yeast is yeast.
For example:
https://redstaryeast.com/red-star-products/red-star-fresh-cake-yeast/
Since fresh and dry yeast is the same baker's yeast, the only difference between them is the amount of water and their keeping qualities. For example, 21 g of dry yeast is equal to 57g of fresh yeast (a 2oz package). Dry yeast keeps for months and years at room temperature, while fresh yeast keeps for weeks refrigerated.
If you can get dry yeast from a store, then add 36g warm water (40-43C) to 21g dry yeast, cover, and keep it warm for 30 min, for the yeast to rehydrate. Then you will have your 2 oz of fresh yeast restored from dry yeast.
You can round it up to 20g dry yeast plus 40g water, or for each 10g dry yeast add 20g water to obtain 30g fresh yeast. The important part is that the water must be very warm (40-43C) and the mixture of water and yeast be kept warm (40C)for the first 30min. Then it must be used or refrigerated.
There are recipes to make baker's yeast from scratch, for example, from water, sugar and raisins, it will ferment and the yeast will look like dirty foam on top, you collect it, wash it and drain it on a fine sieve, but they take several days and make a small amount of yeast.
Thank you for your response.
If you're looking to make commercial yeast cubes, I've seen recipes for them on the internet. Otherwise you might just want to try this:
Formula
Water (30C) 100%
Raisins 50 %
Sugar 25 %
Malt Syrup 10 %
Process
1)Measure the ingredients listed above. Put them into a deep enameled or polyethylene bowl and stir equally. Cover with a vinyl bag (do not use glass or aluminum ware).
2)Stir it carefully about twice a day to keep the raisins in shape. Without stirring, it will become moldy.
3)Ferment it for 4 to 6 days in a fermentation room (27C / 75% hum.).
Raisin Natural Yeast Starter is ready when all the raisins come to the surface with many bubbles.
Keep it in the refrigerator (for 2 months in winter).
That sounds quite interesting.
Was it a sourdough? It wouldnt take a lot of effort to reduce the recipe from the beginning keeping it small. Once you have yeast (the key ingredient) refreshing it and dividing it into small portions is easy. Control expansion by feeding it starch or non glutinous flours and use very little water if at all.. More like compressing inoculated crumbs together than a dough. Roll in flour foil wrap and chill. I would guess (hangs with fridge temp.) the freshly made yeast would need time to hydrate & mature before using. You will have to experiment.
No, it wasn't sourdough. It had baker's ammonia, flour and molasses. Left for 4 days in a cool dark place. Then mixed with as much cornstarch as possible to form into cubes. After adding the cornstarch, (almost 2 cups worth), I only planned on using 5 grams for a pizza dough recipe. My mistake may have been using black strap molasses instead of regular molasses. I never ended up using this recipe because I didn't want to waste my 00 pizza dough flour.
Have done it lots of times. And 5 grams is not a lot. Dry instant to fresh is what, 5g to 15g?