SAF Red Instant Yeast

SAF Red Instant Yeast

This is a blog post about yeast. Exciting, huh? Well, this is going to be the best-damned post about yeast you’ve ever read, so buckle up, my friend!

We’ve all seen those little tiny tearaway packets of yeast at the grocery store, right?  There are usually 3 per pack and they look like very large condom wrappers. For years, this is the yeast I used. I would make homemade pizza dough with the same ingredients, same temperature & each one would come out differently. One would be fine, another would be dense & the other would get thrown away. It is so frustrating! Anyone who bakes puts his or her heart into it & when your dough falls flat (literally), it is heartbreaking.

*COVID-19 update to this post* – I was able to buy a package of SAF Red Instant Yeast & SAF Gold Instant Yeast from Waffle Pantry. While I was initially skeptical, the price was fair & it shipped so fast!

How do I Use SAF Instant Yeast?

Basically you mix the yeast in with the dry ingredients. SAF Instant Yeast keeps in the freezer for a year in a sealed container. It’s cost-effective, & is more effective than other yeasts. King Arthur does a great job really getting into the difference between each yeast type.

How Can I Test My SAF Instant Yeast?

My understanding is as long as your liquids are not hotter than 140 deg F, you’re golden! If you’re really suspect it may be too old, or you just don’t trust it, this article from Bob’s Red Mill says you can go ahead & activate it. 

Tips on Using SAF Instant Yeast

Read your recipes well & a digital thermometer for your water is still the best way to ensure you’re starting off with the right temperature ingredients. If the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast. If it’s too cool, it can make the dough dense & difficult work with. While the Thermapen gets the best reviews, I use this LavaTools digital thermometer.

While I use SAF Red Instant Yeast for most of my bakes, SAF Gold Instant Yeast is made just for sweet, enriched doughs. This might be just what my Babkas need for that extra something! I will give it a try really soon & let you know! Update: it is wonderful!

An Oprah Aha Moment

About ten years ago, I lived in a boring town, so I spent many hours baking. Tired of the same old crap from the condom wrapper yeast, I splurged & bought some SAF Red Instant Yeast from my friends at King Arthur Flour. Then I had my Oprah Aha Moment. This stuff works & it has forever changed my baking. Check out this Challah.

Why Does It Work?

First, it’s vacuum packed, so this means it’s fresh. Be ready when you open it. Because it’s vacuum-sealed, it kind of pops, so you need to have a separate container ready to store it. If you treat your SAF Red Instant Yeast right, it will last a year. This means keeping it cool & dry. You can even store it in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, do it! You don’t even need to thaw it out.

Second, it’s instant. If you’re making an enriched dough like a Mardi Gras King Cake, add the yeast to the mixer & get going. You can skip the step of proofing.

Third, it’s French, so you know it’s good stuff. SAF Red Instant Yeast is the #1 selling yeast worldwide & I know why. It works. Time after time. Guaranteed.

THE VERDICT

Obviously, I am Really Into Baking & I am Really Into This SAF Red Instant Yeast. I love it because it works. SAF Red Instant Yeast improves the quality of my bakes.

If you’re Really Into Baking like me, you’ve got to check out Flour Hour Podcast with Amanda Faber & Jeremiah Duarte Bills. They have a holiday episode that gives all sorts of tips for baking with yeast.

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