Yeast Question

[pyrami]

In the pizza recipe ebook it says to mix water and flour together and let it autolyse for 20 minutes. It also says do not add the active dry yeast until after the autolyse. I thought active dry yeast had to be activated in warm water before adding to dry ingrediants. What am I missing?

[texassourdough]

Re: Yeast Question

Use instant dry yeast. It works fine without being activated in water. Active dry yeast has about 1/3 the active yeast cells and will work but is a lot slower.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Yeast Question

If it is going in the fridge overnight, I put it in dry, if I am making the dough and using it the same day, I feed it with warm water and sugar for 30 minutes.

[pyrami]

Re: Yeast Question

Thanks for the help.

[vanishingpoint]

Re: Yeast Question

I realize that this is an old thread, but in reading the ebook I too had the same question, which I still don't see a satisfactory answer to: if you're mixing the flour and water (all of it, I assume), what do you proof the yeast in? More water? Wouldn't that throw the ratio off?

Should I reserve some water for proofing the yeast? If so, how much?

[Tscarborough]

Re: Yeast Question

I use one cup of the mix water when I proof it, along with a little sugar. As a rule I just mix it in dry, though.

[kkgator]

Re: Yeast Question

When I first started making pizza I was confused as well.

"Active" Dry yeast like Tscar said has less active yeast cells & think of the word "active" as shorthand for activate or activate in water.

"Instant" Dry yeast has more yeast cells & does not need to be activated or just throw it right in.