Yeasty Yeast Yeast... why didn't you rise??

17 years ago

I made the monkey bread last night and after mixing the dough I stuck it in the oven on proof to rise for one hour. Nothing different from the other times I made it. Well, it didn't rise. OY! What happened?

I came running to the computer - I was going to post an emergency plea for help but I wasn't sure if anyone would be on line and available to answer quickly. So I googled and found a site that said:

...Mix yeast from a new package with 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) warm water and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foam forms, to be sure the yeast is active.

Knead the yeast mixture into the dough.

Leave the dough in a warm place to rise.

So I got my yeast out and prepared to do that. It was then that I noticed something weird about my yeast. I had three sets of the yeast envelopes. Two complete 3-packs and one left from the 3-pack from which I'd used one envelope for the bread. (Third envelope had been used previously.)

Well, the two complete sets, you could shake and the yeast would move around. The one envelope left from the other set, it didn't move around, it sort of felt like it was in a clump. I hadn't noticed that before. I looked at the expiration date, Aug 2010.

Anyway, I went ahead and used one of the other envelopes (same expiration) and followed the instructions above, it bubbled up, and I kneaded it in, along with some flour to make up for the extra liquid. Stuck it back in the oven on Proof, and hoped for the best.

Well, it rose! Yee-ha! And it rose well on the second rising as well. I baked it and went to bed. It looked and smelled good, so we'll see if it tastes good tonight.

So now I'm wondering, what caused the yeast to go bad? Oh, I forgot to mention, I did open that last packet and it looked fine on the inside. Yeasties were loose, not clumped. But I threw it away. I yanked all the rest of the yeast packets I had out of my pantry and stuck them in the freezer. My theory was that maybe they got hot in my pantry? Only that one yeast packet felt that way. I couldn't remember how the yeast packet that I'd used to begin with felt, probably the same. Since I'd used one packet from that 3-pack previously with no problems at least ONE of those three yeast envelopes had been good at one time.

Can yeast get overheated sitting in the pantry? Can I just keep the yeast in my freezer from now on or do I need to move it to the fridge before using it?

I was so relieved that the second yeast packet worked. My back up plan was to buy a french bread on my way home from work tonight and just make some garlic bread. Glad I didn't have to do that after all!! :)

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Comments (8)

User
17 years ago
May, If I'm reading this correctly, you made one batch that didn't rise and a second batch that did?

My guess would be that the liquid you used in the first batch was too warm and it killed the yeast. Or is it possible the proof setting on your oven was too warm?

I never worry about sitting dough in a warm place to rise. Even in the winter months I just leave it sitting on the counter.

Ann
lindac
17 years ago
My guess is they the dough got too hot either in the oven or the water you added was too hot.
An experienced bread baker can tell by the texture of the dough when working the dough if the yeast is alive.
I would have tested the yeast you tossed in warm water with a bit of sugar.....and if ti didn'ts how proof of being active...I would have written Fleishman or Red Star a long sobbing letter telling about your ruined bread....and maybe you would have gotten a nice supply of yeast out of it.
The yeast package says "store in a cool place" doesn't it?
I think that might exempt your pantry.
I keep yeast in the refrig or the freezer.
Now you see how forgiving yeast dough can be? Ain't it fun?!
Linda c
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lowspark
Original Author
17 years ago
I didn't make a second batch, I just added the second (proofed) packet of yeast to the dough that hadn't risen and then let it rise again.

I used the exact same water - hot out of my tap - both in the original mixing and in the proofing of the second packet of yeast.

Also stuck it right back into the proof setting on the oven the second time. So both of those factors were the same, and the same as previous times I made bread.

An experienced bread baker can tell by the texture of the dough when working the dough if the yeast is alive.

I HOPE to be that experienced one day!
annie1992
17 years ago
May, I keep my yeast in the refrigerator in a quart canning jar, and the rest in the freezer, I buy it two pounds at a time at Sam's club and it's less than $5 for those two pounds. None of those little packets here, but I'd put them in the freezer or refrigerator if you don't plan on using them soon.

There are a lot of reasons a bread won't rise, many times connected with temperature (too hot water, etc.), or improperly stored or old yeast.

So you just added new yeast to the dough and it rose? Yes, bread is pretty darned forgiving, I'm glad you could save it.

Annie
lowspark
Original Author
17 years ago
Yeah, that's exactly what I did. I proofed the new yeast in 1/4 cup water, it bubbled, I kneaded it into the existing dough which got real sticky due to the extra liquid, added in flour till the dough felt right again, then it rose.

Yes! bread IS very forgiving isn't it!

I will say this, I wouldn't have ever tried any of this without having read all the ecouragement about bread baking here. Y'all keep saying bread is easy and forgiving etc. so I took you at your word. And y'all were RIGHT!!!
lindac
17 years ago
Mae.....we are ALWAYS right!! LOL!
lowspark
Original Author
17 years ago
Well, the bread turned out great and was a big hit! Everyone loved it and it was gone in no time -- there were eight of us. After it was gone, one of the guys said, May, can you go home and make some more bread?

Next time I'll make two loaves!!
claire_de_luna
17 years ago
I want some.

Yeasty Yeast Yeast... why didn't you rise??

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