Active dry yeast vs Instant (rapid-rise)

No big deal..... Theortically you can increae the amount of active dry in relation to instant yeaat by 25-30% but in actual practice bakers don't care much about the quantity and would use the same amount. as long as you know how to handle each yeast type according to pack directions.

Keep in mind that the main, difference between the active dry and the instant dry is the word instant and active.

Roy thanks for your answer! It was very helpful. Would it be a correct assumption that active dry yeast need a "tepid" start with some of the liquid,flour and perhaps a bit of sugar to activate it, whereas instant doesn't (it's activated more readily)? The pack here desn't really explain anything or give instructions, so it just leaves you wondering... And how do you use yeast quantity-wise in really hot weather? Thanks for your time! Best Regards Stelios

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First, note that "rapid rise", "fast acting", and "better for bread machines" are all likely to mean that it's actually instant yeast, so this may be a moot point if you can find anything so labeled.

The biggest difference is that active dry yeast, in theory, needs to be dissolved in warm water ("proofed") before adding to the dough, in order to wake up the yeast, whereas instant yeast can just be added along with the rest of the dry ingredients with no separate proofing step. For this reason, it is often recommended for bread machine recipes, on the assumption that people baking with a bread machine can't be bothered with extra steps.

In my experience, all modern dry yeast sold in grocery stores in the US, whether labelled "rapid rise" or not, is pretty hardy under all conditions (other than too-high temperatures, which will kill it quickly), and will still perform pretty well even if not pre-dissolved. You might end up killing some percentage of the organisms by doing it this way, which would result in a slightly slower rise (which, in my opinion, is desirable anyway) and a more yeasty flavor than you might like.

Another difference, as mentioned by a previous poster, is the potency of instant vs. active dry: instant yeast contains about 25% more viable yeast cells (by volume) than active dry yeast, so you'll need to increase the amount of yeast called for accordingly if you substitute one for the other, or else be willing to let the dough rise longer to acheive the same volume.

See my other response about pre-dissolving the active dry yeast. You shouldn't actually need the sugar, and in fact too much sugar would kill the yeast. A little sugar won't hurt.

In hot weather, you can decrease the yeast or just accept that the rise will be much quicker (which will generally result in blander-tasting bread). A better solution is to mix the dough initially with cold water (even water straight from the refrigerator), so that the dough starts out cool. If you pre-dissolve the yeast, dissolve it in a small amount (1/4 cup) or warm (90F) water, but the rest of the water should be cold. I do this even in cold weather, because I think a longer rising time benefits most breads. (Most of my doughs actually have their first rise overnight in the refrigerator.)

Actually, since the early 1970's, I haven't bothered pre-dissolving active dry yeast. In "Beard On Bread", James Beard said the reason for proofing was to make sure the yeast would work, and that active dry yeast was then so reliable proofing wasn't really needed. I add the proofing water to the recipe, and drop the sugar as it is not needed.

A still better approach is what professional bakers call the rule of

240. Ideally, your dough should be about 78F. If it is too hot, it finishes too quickly and is too bland. If it is too cold, it takes too long to finish.

Practically speaking, there are four components to the temperature of dough. These are the temperature of your bakery or kitchen, the temperature of your flour, the temperature of your water, and the amount of heat added in kneading.

In most bakeries, and homes, the only one of these we have effective control over is the temperature of the water.

When you knead dough, the temperature normally rises. To find out how much, check the temperature of your dough when it first comes together, and then again when it comes out of the mixer. This will vary from recipe to recipe depending on the ingredients in the dough - whole grains have more friction and tend to heat up faster than white flours. Until you have the numbers worked out, a good guesstimate is about 5 degrees.

Now you're ready.... Take the temperature of your bakery, and of your flour. Subtract both from 240. Subtract the heat rise from kneading. The answer is the temperature of your water if you want a dough at 78F.

Enjoy! Mike

l>iquid,flour and perhaps a bit of sugar to activate it, whereas instant

I had done many variations of the hydration procedures by the yeast manufacturers. Some yeast are robust enough that it does not show any difference whether you hydrate it with tepid water or just tap water at

25 degeee C, but others are sensitive to such. If I have not used a certain yeast brand that I the way I do ,hydrate in tepid water. It is not necessary to add sugar, but I add flour along with the yeast, maybe one part yeast to 1-2 parts flour; but I have done many times without doing so and the results is virtually the same.. The flour is just an insurance that the yeast has a suitable substrate to 'chew' upon cell release on hydration. Pre-activation is recommended for active dry yeast as the granules are coarser and if you add it directly to the flour like instant yeast, you will end up with undissolved granules of active dry yeast affecting the dough fermentative activity . . Beside most active dry yeasts are dried differently from instant yeast and that can also contribute a considerable percentage of dead cells in the active dry than in the instant version. If you just soak it in normal tap water, there will be an increase of dead yeast cells due to cold shock where the cell membrane will rupture leaching out its cellular components; hence will result in weakening the dough resulting in less volume, flatter symmetry , some yeasty taste. The instant yeast could also have that cold shock effect therefore its recommended that its be blended with flour so that during hydration the flour particles will form a barrier between the yeast shielding them from the shock. The most preferred way of hydrating instant yeast is to follow the same procedure as the instant yeast and there will be very minimal yeast cell degradation resulting that your dough will rise optimally. Therefore if you plan to use only 2/3 of the active dry yeast quantity and get the same result as the full amount dry yeast, do the hydration in tepid water. In recent years the drying process of the active dry was done much better and there is less residual dead yeast cells and the particles size in some brands are almost the same as the instant yeast and you can just add it directly to the flour as well. In addition genetic modification of the yeast resulted in much improved yeast performance that some are already on par with instant yeast in activity.

In hot weather the bakers reduce the yeast to compensate for faster fermentation rate at that elevated room temperature. That is why you had to reduce it by a certain percentage in order to get the same of a controlled fermentation and proofing rate. But being too academic in your breadmaking sometimes make your prone to mistakes; If I am just making bread at home and I don't need to follow the hydration details and measurements to the letter and just take it easy most of the time. I am only strict with details if I am at work. Roy

l>iquid,flour and perhaps a bit of sugar to activate it, whereas instant

I had done many variations of the hydration procedures by the yeast manufacturers. Some yeast are robust enough that it does not show any difference whether you hydrate it with tepid water or just tap water at

25 degeee C, but others are sensitive to such. If I have not used a certain yeast brand that I the way I do ,hydrate in tepid water. It is not necessary to add sugar, but I add flour along with the yeast, maybe one part yeast to 1-2 parts flour; but I have done many times without doing so and the results is virtually the same.. The flour is just an insurance that the yeast has a suitable substrate to 'chew' upon cell release on hydration. Pre-activation is recommended for active dry yeast as the granules are coarser and if you add it directly to the flour like instant yeast, you will end up with undissolved granules of active dry yeast affecting the dough fermentative activity . . Beside most active dry yeasts are dried differently from instant yeast and that can also contribute a considerable percentage of dead cells in the active dry than in the instant version. If you just soak it in normal tap water, there will be an increase of dead yeast cells due to cold shock where the cell membrane will rupture leaching out its cellular components; hence will result in weakening the dough resulting in less volume, flatter symmetry , some yeasty taste. The instant yeast could also have that cold shock effect therefore its recommended that its be blended with flour so that during hydration the flour particles will form a barrier between the yeast shielding them from the shock. The most preferred way of hydrating instant yeast is to follow the same procedure as the instant yeast and there will be very minimal yeast cell degradation resulting that your dough will rise optimally. Therefore if you plan to use only 2/3 of the active dry yeast quantity and get the same result as the full amount dry yeast, do the hydration in tepid water. In recent years the drying process of the active dry was done much better and there is less residual dead yeast cells and the particles size in some brands are almost the same as the instant yeast and you can just add it directly to the flour as well. In addition genetic modification of the yeast resulted in much improved yeast performance that some are already on par with instant yeast in activity.

In hot weather the bakers reduce the yeast to compensate for faster fermentation rate at that elevated room temperature. That is why you had to reduce it by a certain percentage in order to get the same of a controlled fermentation and proofing rate. But being too academic in your breadmaking sometimes make your prone to mistakes; If I am just making bread at home and I don't need to follow the hydration details and measurements to the letter and just take it easy most of the time. I am only strict with details if I am at work. Roy