Testing Yeast for Bread Making: How to Ensure It’s Active? You Absolutely Should!

Hello dear nieces and nephews! Tonight, I want to share a fundamental baking tip that’s essential for making bread: ensuring your yeast is active before mixing it with flour and other ingredients. One of the most frequent pitfalls in bread baking—whether you're using a bread machine or kneading by hand—is using inactive yeast. To prevent this, follow this straightforward guideline: many bread machines instruct you to simply add all the ingredients and press start. If you’re using fresh yeast, this usually does the trick. However, if you’re like me and tend to buy in bulk or don’t use it all right away, it’s wise to check if your yeast is still viable before you begin.

What Does It Mean to Proof Yeast?
In the process of baking, proofing—often referred to as proving—is a crucial phase in preparing yeast for bread and various baked items. This involves allowing the dough to rest and rise one last time prior to baking. Throughout this resting phase, the yeast ferme