In a message dated 96-01-14 08:40:13 EST, you write:
>Now my two questions,
>How to proof yeast
>my bread is not rising always, I want to test my yeast, but do not remember
>how to do it.
Add the yeast to warm water and a little sugar and keep in a warm area. If
the yeast is "alive" you should get a lot of foam in about an hour.
If you're using fresh yeast (instead of dried or instant) make sure that you
aren't using yeast that is brown and dried out or wet and slimy looking.
When fresh yeast is exposed to oxygen, it causes the yeast to autolyze and
enzymes and other stuff to leak out of the ruptured yeast cells. The
autolyzed yeast will make your dough too soft and since autolyzed yeast is
dead, it can't help the bread rise.