Can we talk about the sudden yeast failure around here?

I've had three flat loaves this week, and my buddy at the corner bakery said the same. We both got yeast from Green's Grocery last Tuesday. I tested a bit in warm water, and it didn't bubble at all. If you bought yeast there lately, check it before you bake. It might save your batch.

3 comments

3 Comments

spencer_wood2mo agoProlific Poster

Ugh, my neighbor wasted a whole bag of flour before she figured it out. She just assumed her kneading was off, but nope, totally dead yeast. Makes me wonder how many batches got ruined.

nora_wells582mo ago

Oh man, that's so true! I read a blog post that totally agreed with @murphy.seth, saying proofing is like a cheap insurance policy for your dough. It saves so much time and ingredients just to check. More recipes really should build that step in.

murphy.seth2mo ago

Totally feel that "assumed her kneading was off" part. It's wild how many recipes just say "add yeast" without telling you to PROOF it first in warm water. Like, they skip the one step that catches dead yeast before you waste everything else. My go-to bread book from the 90s never mentions it, so a whole generation might be blaming their skills. Recipe writers should really make that step non-optional.