Comments on: How to activate yeast in 3 easy steps

By: Rachel Ballard

Rachel Ballard — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 19:48:12 +0000

In reply to Lanie Johnson. Hey Lanie! The first thing that comes to mind with the milk is that she is scalding it. Hot stage means steaming with a tiny bit of bubbling around the edge of the pan but not boiling. Shut off the heat and allow the milk to cool to 110 before mixing it with your yeast. Milk has enzymes in it that need to be heated/scalded to keep them from impeding the yeast production. I'd be willing to bet that's what she was talking about. --Rachel

By: Lanie Johnson

Lanie Johnson — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 06:29:45 +0000

I gave up on my mom’s great yeast rolls years ago. Dry ingredients aren’t the problem. Only once in awhile did I get the darn things right. Mom wasn’t clear in the recipe. First 2 cups of milk brought to some hot stage but not boiling. ??? Then add the oil, sugar, then mix the dry yeast and add to the mixture. Never saying how much water, or how hot, to mix the yeast. Nothing. I guessed for years! Then Just add and let cool. How cool??? Well, anyway these rolls were loved by our whole family! It’s driven me nuts. I may have accidentally gotten it right 3 times. Hers were moist and puffed up and I finally gave up. My grandchildren loved the ones I got right the 3 times it happened! I do want to pass these down to my granddaughters! Apparently my mom knew how to mix yeast and get the milk just right, and cool the darn mixture! Any more suggestions for me? Hate to sound lame but I’m not sure what order these liquid ingredients go in yet! Thnx so much!!

By: Rachel Ballard

Rachel Ballard — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 18:36:57 +0000

In reply to Caroline. You should see the yeast start to bubble up in the liquid. If nothing happens and it just sits there like brown water after ten or fifteen minutes, it's no good. Lukewarm/warm water is all you need.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 17:54:22 +0000

Hi do I know if I’ve killed it was my water too hot?

By: Wendy Miller

Wendy Miller — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 22:06:35 +0000

Thank you so much for the steps plus the pictures. I’m trying yeast for the first time. Your site was super helpful!

By: Rachel Ballard

Rachel Ballard — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 15:51:58 +0000

In reply to Sarah.

Hey Sarah, what’s your definition of “partially make it”? It’s pretty hard to partially make bread so I’d have to know what your plan in there first.

To find a good multi grain, King Arthur Baking would be my go to. I found this recipe you could check out. It has a ton of stuff in it! https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/multigrain-loaf-recipe

Multi grain loaves naturally take longer to rise because of the weight of so many seeds and grains in the loaf so there’s not a good way to speed up this particular type of bread too much. The warmer the room, the faster it will rise of course, but likewise sometimes you can use your refrigerator to slow a rise so you can bake when you get home.

Pre measuring dry ingredients and having those on hand when you’re ready to mix might save a smidge of time.

Personally I’m a fan of baking in bulk and then freezing the sliced loaves so you have bread on hand when you need it. That’s how I do sourdough. I freeze mine in Lock and Lock bread containers and just warm a slice at a time. –Rachel

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 14:43:47 +0000

Rachel
I’m trying to find a good multi grain that has sunflower seeds, flaxseed meal, and things like that. I work 10 hour shifts so I can’t make bread from scratch all the time and was thinking if I could partially make it that would help reduce the time. if you have any ideas or other tips I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again for your time

By: Rachel Ballard

Rachel Ballard — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:37:41 +0000

In reply to Sarah.

Hey Sarah, sugar in general can be optional here, but any sugar source works including honey, organic cane sugar, white sugar, even maple syrup. Brown sugar wouldn’t be my first pick just because it carries the molasses flavor, but if you’re making a recipe where that flavor makes sense, you could use it. When freezing dough you have to really rely on the specifics of the bread recipe. If I freeze dinner rolls for example, I mix, do the first rise, shape them and put them in a pan then freeze before they rise any further. I thaw them covered with greased plastic wrap at room temperature (8-10 hours or so) until doubled and then bake them. If you have a specific bread recipe you’re interested in freezing reply back here and I can help you further. –Rachel