What is Bread Machine Yeast?

Bread Machine Yeast

Yeast has been a magical ingredient in all our households for a very long time. In fact, yeast is one of the “the staple” things that historically has always available in all our kitchens and not to mention it has been also our mother’s favorite go-to thing, when it comes to baking.

As centuries and decades went by, the evolution of yeast has been dramatic. Today when we look through our local store shelves there are several different kinds of yeast available which is pleasant but rather confusing at times!

Most recently, since the rise of the bread machines, there has been a lot of talk about which kind of yeast is best suited for it.

So, are you ready to go through the journey of how, with the magic of yeast, those snow-white powders are turned into sticky doughs that finally transform into beautiful, fluffy breads that lands on your breakfast plates?

Let’s find out what all the fuss is about!

Traditional or Modern Baking!

Bread making has been a part of our culture for a very long time and perhaps it is one thing that can connect us all over the world. Have you ever thought about what goes on behind the scenes, in our kitchens and those tedious hours that went in to kneading the perfect dough?

Well not anymore as we have come a long way with the help of technology and today bread machines are playing a crucial part in delivering those delightful loaves to our plates perfect every time. Although these machines are in high demand, a huge number of bakers are still confused when it comes to the “Yeast”.

As breads are not baked in a traditional way, the kind of yeast used is still a source of debate.

Different types of Yeast!

Basically, there are two types of yeast and they are the fresh yeast and the dry yeast. Since the durability of fresh yeast is very short and it does not have a long lifespan, generally retailers do not stock them.

You are more likely to find it being used by the professionals such as in 5-star hotels or for tmass production in factories.

On the other hand, dry yeast is the first choice of both consumers and marketers. Dry yeast can be stored for months on your kitchen shelves and decades if frozen.

Dry yeast can be categorised in to three different types:

• Instant Yeast
• Active Dry Yeast
• Rapid-Rise yeast

Instant Yeast… the new ‘hero’ in the baking world!!!

All the above dry forms of yeast can be used in a bread machine but some of them gives you greater flavours than the others and some of them give you faster results when it comes to rising the dough but not such a great taste.

Instant dry yeast is very popular in most homes. As the name suggests you do not have to rehydrate it but instead just mix it with dry flour and kick start your baking process. It saves you a lot of time because the granules are small and have a larger number of live cells which helps the dough to rise more quickly without affecting the flavours.

Is Active Dry Yeast still popular?

Active dry yeast would be our second choice although a lot of people argue that this yeast helps you to retain traditional flavours and is a firm favorite among purists. However, it has lost its popularity since the launch of Instant yeast.

With active dry yeast you need to go through a rehydrating process with water and sugar. For new bakers this can be tricky and can fail which can be really frustrating when you are starting out.

Experts usually advise making sure you are very accurate with the measurements and to give the dough a double rise when you use active dry yeast so that you are more likely to get the desired result.

Is Rapid-Rise Yeast is the future for a fast-pace world??

Lastly when it comes to Rapid-Rise Yeast there are a few opinions. Although it is mostly referred to as “bread machine yeast” it is still not clear how effective the results are.

It has even smaller granules than instant yeast which helps the bread bake in the machine much faster than using traditional or even instant yeast which is convenient when you are in a rush. However, at the same time, it has been criticized for compromising the quality of the bread because the dough rises almost instantly not letting the flavours settle in.

Rapid-Rise Yeast Vs Instant Yeast

Initially when you investigate these variations of yeast there is not much difference visually. It also looks like the performance of both kinds are quite similar. Then what makes them stand apart? Instant yeast is genetically engineered which means the cells are still alive even after drying but as a result is does not last as long as rapid-raise yeast.

Instant yeast tends to give a stronger taste compared to rapid-rise yeast. The density of granules in Rapid rise yeast is high which makes it work on flours much quicker than instant yeast. Another stark difference is that instant yeast can be used for refrigerated doughs and rapid-rise yeast cannot.

Conclusion

It’s an ongoing debate between bakers as to what type of yeast will give you best results. The balance often comes down to speed vs. flavor. 

For many instant yeast strikes the best balance. For those who like to bake for the love of it, you may enjoy working with active dry yeast.

But if you are in a hurry and want your bread baked in under an hour then rapid-rise yeast is your friend!

We hope that this guide helps you choose the right yeast for you. Happy baking!