Fresh yeast is the favorite of many bakery professionals since when fermenting, it produces more gas than dry yeast, making bread and bakery products more fluffy. Do you know can yeast be frozen? However, fresh yeast lasts much less than its dehydrated version, so many people think about it before purchasing it.
Can yeast be frozen?
Thinking about this, you might be wondering: “Can yeast be frozen?” The answer is yes, but like everything in the kitchen, it has its technique. For this reason, we tell you everything about how to preserve yeast, whether fresh or frozen, as well as many other tips about this important ingredient. You can not miss it!
Fresh, unused yeast keeps well refrigerated for a month or a little less. You will know the exact date by verifying the preferred use date on the packaging. Once opened, it lasts two weeks and, from this moment, the loss of its leavening power accelerates. If you have already unpacked it and used it in a recipe, you should follow these steps to preserve it properly:
- Distribute the yeast in portions (blocks).
- Put the yeast pieces in a special container or bag to freeze food (although you will not freeze them). The container must have a lid and the bag a closure.
- Hermetically close the chosen container or packaging.
- Label it. Put the expiration date that the original packaging of the yeast tells you, as well as the date you packed it and the name of the product.
- Place it well in the refrigerator. Do not pile the container or bag with other products. Let the air circulate them.
- The ideal for preserving fresh yeast in the refrigerator temperature ranges between 4 and 8 ° C.
- Use as soon as possible, as fresh yeast quickly loses effectiveness over time.
- Avoid that the yeast undergoes very sudden temperature changes.
How to freeze fresh yeast?
If you have the yeast reserved for a special recipe or bought a lot, it is best to freeze it. So, as we have indicated previously, you can freeze fresh yeast. Frozen yeast can keep well for about 1-2 months, as long can cause the total or partial loss of its rising properties. Even before the expiration date, the product may lose some of its effects due to the freezing process, so when preparing a recipe, you will need to add more yeast than indicated.
Freezing fresh yeast is very simple and fast, as long as you follow these easy steps:
- Check the preferred use date. If this date has passed, you will not be able to freeze fresh yeast.
- Divide the yeast into portions (blocks). Thus, you only use what you need and avoid freezing it again. Otherwise, the yeast would undergo sudden temperature changes and lose its effectiveness.
- Wrap them in plastic wrap. Do it very well so that no part is exposed to cold or humidity. This step ensures that the yeast is isolated.
- Put the portions in a special freezer container with a lid. This allows you to seal the container. If you prefer a bag, choose it with closure and designed for high temperatures.
- Identify the container or packaging with a label. Write down the packaging date, product name and expiration date indicated on the package.
- Put the container in the freezer. Do it in a way that circulates the air around the container or bag.
How to defrost fresh yeast
Although there are people who use it without defrosting, that is, adding it directly in the preparation, it is best to defrost it slowly following these instructions:
- Take the yeast out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator.
- Let it thaw little by little. The total thawing time for fresh yeast will depend on the size of the piece (block). In this way, the yeast will not undergo a drastic temperature change and will not lose its faculties.
- Once thawed, remove it from the refrigerator and dry its container very well. Before removing the yeast from its container, dry the outside of it very well. Then, dry the plastic wrap that surrounds it.
- Use the yeast immediately.
How to tell if yeast is good
Now that you know that fresh yeast can be frozen to make bread, how to do it and how to defrost it, it is normal that you wonder how to know if it is really good. Well, if you have doubts about the state of your yeast, whether frozen or refrigerated, it is best to put it through a test. This procedure is always advisable, but especially if you froze it. This test is very simple and only requires you to follow the following steps:
- Heat a little water and remove it when it feels lukewarm. You will know that it is the exact point to put a finger in without burning yourself. The ideal temperature is close to 40 ° C. Never use hot water (that is, 50 ° C degrees onwards), as it kills the yeast microorganisms, deactivating it and causing it to lose its leavening power.
Pour two fingers of water in a vessel and to Grega sugar 1/2 tsp. - Add a piece of yeast and dissolve it well. It would help if you crumbled the yeast beforehand.
- Wait 5-10 minutes.
If the mixture looks foamy, the yeast is active and will rise the dough without a problem. On the contrary, if this does not happen, the yeast has already lost its properties. It is not good and must discard the entire batch.
Can you use expired fresh yeast?
If you want to prepare a recipe, the only yeast you have is expired, don’t worry. You can use it as long as you check if it is still good. Of course, the product must not have exceeded the expiration time too much, a maximum of 1 or 3 days.
Once expired, the yeast can react in two ways: lose much of its leavening effect or be inactive. If you are lucky and it is still active, it will still rise, but it will do so very slowly. In such a case, to counteract this problem, you can use more of this yeast.
