Instant Vs. Active yeast

last year

last modified: last year

I've been experimenting with rapid rise/instant yeast lately, and really notice a difference in my weekly loaf of bread, which I had been making using traditional active dry yeast. Over the last few weeks, I made several loaves with the rapid rise yeast and the results were less than satisfactory - it didn't rise as high and yet seemed over risen - it barely puffed up once in the oven, just sort of sat there. The dough seemed stickier, gooier than usual as well.

So I went back to my regular active dry yeast for today's loaf and it's beautifully puffed up, the dough was much more elastic too. Everything but the yeast is the same.

I'm using Fleischman's yeast that comes in jars. For my weekly loaf, I always dissolve the active dry yeast in water mixed with honey first, while I just mixed the rapid rise yeast in with the dry ingredients.

I just thought this was interesting and wanted to share. After several weeks of disappointing loaves, I'm feeling quite satisfied now ☺️

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linda campbell

last year

I make a LOT of bread....for the first 7 months of the pandemic I baked 5 loaves everyday. I used whatever yeast I could get....never dissolved first. And see only maybe 10 minutes difference in the rise times between instant and rapid rise.

You can't compare yeast when your method of mixing is different.

The experts say the difference between rapid rise and instant is that the instant is ground finer. Once dissolved there is no difference.

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Comments (9)

plllog
last year
last modified: last year
Congratulations on working it out!

i'm not sure if you wanted commentary or not, so please stop here if it's not. Rapid Rise yeast is just Active Dry yeast (granulated) which has been ground finer so it dissolves and activates faster. When you open a new jar of any kind of yeast it can be really eager. :) I'm sure you must keep yours in the fridge in Florida. It takes longer than to when it feels room temp for the yeast to really awaken. Either way, unless you're air conditioning the heck out of your kitchen, the difference may come down to how warm the air was (and other ingredients), or how cold the yeast started, other than that first bump from a new jar.

Your too sticky and no oven spring description sounds like too much water or too weak gluten. If you're using the same flour, it's probably the water, or perhaps not enough kneading, autolyse or sitting time for full gluten development. Most likely too much water. If the dough is unusually sticky (can be caused by damp air or flour, not just measures of water), don't hesitate to knead in some flour.

One of the issues with rapid rise yeast outside of a bead machine is that it can go all springy dingy before the flour has a chance to absorb the water. Another way to approach it would be to mix all the ingredients (which may only be flour and water, saving a little water to dissolve the yeast in) and let site for at least an hour, or even eight hours for whole wheat, so that the water has a chance to soak in. This can also improve the flavor. :) Then add in the yeast dissolved in the rest of the water, and finally the salt (which can retard the yeast), after the yeast starts bubbling. BTW, nothing wrong with feeding the yeast honey if you want the honey flavor in your bread, but you can give it a spoon of the flour instead, or even just water if it's not super dormant or old.
bragu_DSM 5
last year
yes, i do that as well ... nice sweet rise ...
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b thanked bragu_DSM 5
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carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
So I should try dissolving and blooming the rapid rise yeast first to more accurately compare - rather than using according to directions?
plllog
last year
If you're looking for accurate experiments, sure. If you're just baking bread, do what works for you.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b thanked plllog
Lars
last year
I like to dissolve salt (and honey, if using) in warm water first, as I use coarse salt, and I can feel the grains of salt when kneading, if I don't dissolve it first.

I buy instant dry yeast in one pound packages, which I store in sealed jars in the freezer. I add the yeast with the last addition of flour.

This is what works best for me. I generally bake bread once a week, but I make pizzas much more often, but I still use the same method of dissolving the salt in water first.

I baked a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread yesterday, but I had to substitute malt syrup for the honey because I was out of honey. The bread rose just as I wanted it to, but I noticed that the rising time is significantly different, depending on the temperature of the room. It was warm today, and so it took less time.

I mostly make 100% whole wheat bread or some kind of rye bread, with caraway and/or fennel, which I grind in a coffee mill that I use as a spice grinder. I sometimes use 25% whole wheat flour when making pizza dough.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b thanked Lars
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
FWIW, I 've also been using the rapid rise/instant yeast to make a flatbread to use for pizzas and it works fine for that. It just gave me less than ideal results for my homestyle loaves. The dough just never seemed to puff up the way it does with fresh active yeast that's been 'proofed'.

And I also used instant to rescue a loaf that didn't rise properly because of bad yeast - kneaded in a couple of tsp. and let it rise again, and got a satisfactory, but not exemplary loaf by doing that.

BTW, rising time is not my concern. It's more about texture and loft for me. I like a big, soft, puffy loaf of bread for sandwiches.
linda campbell
last year
I want the opposite of big puffy loaves....If it's soft and puffy you wzant maybe you need to try a tangzhong method.

Don't attribute properties to yeast that is doesn't have. It is a "thing" not fungus norq uite bacteria, that digests carbohydrates producing carbon dioxide. If it's more finely ground it can start faster when mixed with liquid. But it can't change the texture of your bread....that depends on time, ingredients, temperature and how much you beat the bread around and develop the gluten.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b thanked linda campbell
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
Original Author
last year
Not attributing properties, just noting my personal experiences. I know what baking yeast is and how it functions.

Instant Vs. Active yeast

linda campbell

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