Are you a baker? If yes, you must be aware of the tricky ingredient of baking, “The Activated yeast”. The entire baking process relies on the step when you activate a regular dry yeast. Generally, people (read amateur) fail miserably in this step. And, this leads them to unsatisfactory results in baking.
Things to keep in mind before you start to make Activated Yeast:
Fresh Yeast:
Always use a fresh pack of dry yeast. Check the expiry date before you use it. Store it properly for further use. Moist yeast will not work. So be sure about its quality.
Sugar:
Adding sugar is optional for many people, but, to me it’s a must must step. Sugar is a feed for yeast. And, the more you provide its food, the more it will be powerful to jump-start the activation process.
Water / Milk Temperature:
Another crucial thing is to maintain the solvent’s temperature. Be it water or milk, it should be neither too hot nor too cold. Rather maintain a lukewarm temperature, preferably 430 to 460 C to get the best result. Use a thermometer if you want to be double-sure.
Environment:
A warm environment is a friendly environment to activate yeast faster. Find out the warm corner of your home, preferably the kitchen, beside the burner, and place it to activate.
How to make the activated yeast?
Ingredients:
Dry yeast / Instant yeast
Warm milk/ water
Sugar (a pinch)
Ingredient measurements depend upon the recipe you are following. Thus can’t give you a fixed measurement. Just follow what your recipe says.
Procedure:
Take warm water or milk in a glass bowl. Add a pinch of sugar to it. Dissolve.
Now sprinkle the dry yeast over the water surface. Stir gently with a spoon. Let it dissolve.
Lid it and leave it for 10 -15 minutes in a warm corner.
The yeast should start bubbling and create foam. This is an indicator that the yeast has been activated.
Once you get the foamy and activated yeast, you may incorporate it into your baking process.
Conclusion:
The steps are simple, and if you follow them you can master your baking skill. So next time whenever you think of using yeast, make sure it is activated as it should be.
Read other Kitchen Hacks here.