(Reggie Dwork))
Subject: Re: Growing my own yeast--RECIPE** (fwd)
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> When I buy my fresh yeast from my baker it comes as a
> white, crumbly, almost pastry like, substance. I think
> I'm right in saying I can freeze it okay. But, is it possible
> to grow my own yeast so that I don't have to keep on going
> back to the baker?
>
> How do I grow my own yeast?
> Many thanks,
> Chris Goodwin
Gee, timing, huh! I was going to post this. Serves again, for several
recent threads. This is from the Fredericksburg Home Kitchen Cook Book,
first published in 1846. I Have the Centennial Edition, 1946. Great
find, a bit pricey, in the book stalls. There are two yeast recipes,
followed by a Buttermilk Bread recipe. These are old recipes, but my
grandmother made her own yeast on the farm and followed the same procedure
in Iowa, turn of the century. The recipe on the Buttermilk Bread is rather
vague, but can be followed by a veteran bread maker. This is NOT Sourdough.
BUTTERMILK YEAST CAKES
Dissolve 1 yest cake in 1 pint warm water, add 1 tablespoon each of
cornmeal and sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand over night.
In the morning boil 1 pint buttermilk; have ready 1 cup flour and water,
mixed to a smooth, stiff batter; pour this into boiling milk and let it
cook thoroughly, stirring constantly. When cool, add to the yeast mixture
and set in a warm place until it ferments. Then work in corn meal enough
to make a stiff dough, mold into cakes and dry in shade.
or,
YEAST CAKES (EASY TO MAKE AND GOOD)
Soften 1 home-made yeast cake in 1 cup luke-warm water. Add about 1 cup
flour, or enough to make a sponge dough. Set in a warm place to rise
until double in bulk; then stir in enough cornmeal to stiffen. Cover
board with a thin layer of cornmeal. Onto this dump the mixture. Form
into a long roll about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and cut into cakes about
1/2 inch thick. Dry in shade; then store in a flour sack, hung in a cool
dry place. The keep for a month or longer.
HOW TO USE COMPRESSED YEAST
In using compressed yeast you may use double or even tripple the quantity
of yeast given in your recipe in order to shorten time of fermentation.
Be sure not to let your dough get too light at any stage of the procedure.
(In other words, don't let the dough go for too long a rise. If you use
this procedure and watch your dough texture/height, there is no reason
why this should not work, and want the joy of doing it yourself.)
Reminder, the following recipe is an old one, and is therefore vague.
BUTTERMILK BREAD
4 cups buttermilk; 1 cake dry yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water;
1 tablespoon each of salt, sugar and melted shortening; about 2 quarts in
all.
Heat buttermilk, stirring constantly. Cool Add dissolved yeast and
enough flour to make a soft sponge. Cover and set in a warm place over-
night. In the morning add sugar, salt and shortening. Beat until smooth
and add enough flour to make a dough stiff enough to knead. Work until
smooth and add enough flour to make a dough stiff enough to knead. Work
until smooth and elastic. let rise to double in bulk, knead again and
form into loaves. Cover pans, let rise again, to double in bulk, and
bake in a hot oven about 45 minutes.