How to Convert Yeast From Instant to Dry

Yeast gives bread its characteristic rise.

Yeast plays a critical role in bread baking. The action of the yeast gives the bread a lift and helps it to rise. Without yeast, breads would fall flat instead of rising to hold together sandwiches between slices and even soups in bread bowls. Home bakers encounter several types of yeast. Dry yeast requires that you combine the yeast with water and sugar to verify that it is fresh, a process known as "proofing." Instant yeast is might also be called rapid rise or quick rise yeast. This yeast skips the proofing step required of dry yeast, and it only needs one rising, thereby speeding up the mixing process. You can replace instant with dry yeast by slightly changing the steps of the recipe.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Cooking thermometer

Instructions

1. Warm water to 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a cooking thermometer to verify the temperature.

2. Sprinkle the same amount of dry yeast as your recipe calls for instant. For example, if your recipe uses 1 packet of instant yeast that equals 1 packet of dry yeast, both of which have 2 ¼ tsp. of yeast.

3. Wait for 10 minutes for the dry yeast to begin foaming on the water.

4. Add the yeast and water to the liquid ingredients in your recipe and proceed mixing, kneading and rising as directed.

5. Gently press your fist down into the dough after the first rise and reshape it into the baking pan.

6. Set the baking pan in a warm spot to rise, covered for another 30 to 45 minutes. The recipe using instant yeast will skip this second rise, but you need it when using dry yeast for the proper lift and flavor in your bread.

7. Bake and cool the bread as directed without changing the time or temperature of baking.

References

• Cook's Thesaurus: Yeast
• Baking 911: Yeast
• King Arthur Flour: Yeast Primer