How to Make Yeast Produce the Most CO2

The more CO2 your yeast produces, the lighter and airier your bread comes out.

Yeast needs to feed on an organic medium in order to produce the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is necessary for bread to rise. Use of the proper organic medium at the right temperature gets you the most efficient results when you are baking bread or a yeast cake. You need to use a safe, edible medium that will not adversely affect the taste of your bread or cake when you bake with yeast. Combine sugar with yeast and water and add the mixture to your dough so that the yeast produces as much CO2 as possible and your bread rises properly.

Things You'll Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Yeast
• Sugar

Instructions

1. Fill a large mixing bowl with a cup of warm water. Do not use hot water.

2. Add 1 tbsp. sugar to the water. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved in the water.

3. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. dry packaged bread yeast onto the water in the bowl so that the yeast is evenly distributed on top of the water. Allow the bowl to sit for five minutes before you add flour and other bread ingredients. Double the amount of yeast and sugar for every 2 pounds of flour in your bread recipe.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with other sources of sugar such as fruit juice (sweet juices including apple juice or cider, sweet grape juice and some exotic juices are recommended) or honey if you want to avoid using sugar when making bread.

• Use additional yeast and sugar if your bread recipe includes nuts or other ingredients that add weight and bulk to your dough.

References

• Better Times: Your Basic Bread Recipe
• Science of Cooking: Yeast-Air Balloons