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Anyone baking during this COVID-19 confinement period?


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Toilet paper,  masks, sanitizers, bottled water and beer, bread and some types of meat all had mobs buying but yeast?

 

Understand it a little with confinement and bread being in shortage although I have not had any issues finding either English muffins or bagels which are major bread items I eat.

Talked to stocker in supermarket and he said they had not had any yeast in three weeks and when I look online I find either extremely marked up (scalpers) prices or people/companies taking money and delivering a month or two later (i.e Get it as soon as June 23 - July 15) which usually means speculators.  Saw an article quoting Fleischmann’s saying they used up usual three week supply and are ramping up production.

Quote

Fleischmann’s has no shortage of raw materials needed to make yeast. The company is hiring and training new workers, dusting off unused equipment and ramping up production. And it’s replenishing low supplies of paper packets and jars.

 

 

I have not made bread in years and baking is not something my wife was raised with in Hong Kong not seeing an oven until after being married.

My daughter wants to do some baking (no idea why) and only yeast we had was really, really old and useless.

 

Anybody else baking this time of year?

Anyone find source of yeast?

Heard about making your own but not think that is for me.

 

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My wife and I don’t cook much, but we know how to make cookies and quick breads.  We don’t make bread with yeast very often.  We’re trying not to make too much stuff because it’s often full of white flour, sugar, butter, and oil.  But when the bananas get soft and brown, or the yogurt starts approaching its end date, the baking commences.  

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10 hours ago, Limeaid said:

Toilet paper,  masks, sanitizers, bottled water and beer, bread and some types of meat all had mobs buying but yeast?

 

Understand it a little with confinement and bread being in shortage although I have not had any issues finding either English muffins or bagels which are major bread items I eat.

Talked to stocker in supermarket and he said they had not had any yeast in three weeks and when I look online I find either extremely marked up (scalpers) prices or people/companies taking money and delivering a month or two later (i.e Get it as soon as June 23 - July 15) which usually means speculators.  Saw an article quoting Fleischmann’s saying they used up usual three week supply and are ramping up production.

 

 

I have not made bread in years and baking is not something my wife was raised with in Hong Kong not seeing an oven until after being married.

My daughter wants to do some baking (no idea why) and only yeast we had was really, really old and useless.

 

Anybody else baking this time of year?

Anyone find source of yeast?

Heard about making your own but not think that is for me.

 

Don't need yeast.  Make a sour dough starter and let Mother Nature take over.  

 

Necessary ingredients are:

Flour

Water

 

I've made two fantastic loaves so far.  More to come in the next day or two.  If you want specifics let me know.

38 minutes ago, Gugny said:

@Cripple Creek's daughter made a sourdough bread starter that worked incredibly well.  I'm sure he'd be happy to share the recipe.

Don't you EVAR speak for me again.

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I've made about 8 pizzas. 

 

Baked some brioche buns for burger night which were pretty spectacular.  

 

5 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

Love to try, love sour dough bead.  Problem is finding the yeast but thanks.

For sour dough you need a starter, and luckily for you sour dough starters use natural yeast found on the flour and in the air.   

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We bake quite a bit in our house (rolls, breads, sweet/caramel rolls, pizza dough) and had some yeast left but figured we would go short if I didn't buy some. There's none in the stores (we usually buy the small bottle of Fleischmans). Went on Amazon and found some Red Star Active Dry Yeast (2 lb compressed bag) for $30. It took a week to deliver but figure we'll use it throughout the summer, fall and winter 2020. Probably equates to about 50 of those little packets (or more) so it seemed like a good deal to me.

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Yeah, the first time I saw bread off the shelves, I went to the baking aisle and bought a jar of yeast and a 5lb. bag of whole wheat flour. Then I dusted off the bread machine that hadn't been used for years. Probably a good thing because they were cleared out  of both 2 days later.

 

I have a sourdough starter that I bought on ebay that's supposed to be about 150 years old, but I really don't know what difference it makes. But it works well.

 

A fresh baked loaf of sourdough bread is a good thing.

 

 

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I foresaw these problems, but still failed.  At the store about 6 weeks ago, and there was a run on flour.  We were able to re-stock somewhat, but I told my wife that we have to load up on yeast because I think that's next. She didn't believe me, and we both forgot about it.  Now you can't find yeast anywhere, and we only have 2 small packets left.

 

We do a lot of baking--i.e., pizza crusts, breads, etc. My go-to is making Liege Pearl Sugar Waffles, and the yeast is what makes those!

 

That said, we borrowed some starter from a friend, and have been doing sourdough breads.  Would like to try a sourdough pizza crust soon, if anyone has a recipe or tip on that. 

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3 hours ago, JR in Pittsburgh said:

I foresaw these problems, but still failed.  At the store about 6 weeks ago, and there was a run on flour.  We were able to re-stock somewhat, but I told my wife that we have to load up on yeast because I think that's next. She didn't believe me, and we both forgot about it.  Now you can't find yeast anywhere, and we only have 2 small packets left.

 

We do a lot of baking--i.e., pizza crusts, breads, etc. My go-to is making Liege Pearl Sugar Waffles, and the yeast is what makes those!

 

That said, we borrowed some starter from a friend, and have been doing sourdough breads.  Would like to try a sourdough pizza crust soon, if anyone has a recipe or tip on that. 

 

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-pizza-crust-recipe

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5 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

I've made about 8 pizzas. 

 

Baked some brioche buns for burger night which were pretty spectacular.  

 

 

Brioche buns are so good!  They remind me of Hawaiian rolls.   Unfortunately they are off my diet due to eggs and I have a cholesterol issue so I can only have 1 on rare occasions.

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16 hours ago, Limeaid said:

Toilet paper,  masks, sanitizers, bottled water and beer, bread and some types of meat all had mobs buying but yeast?

 

Understand it a little with confinement and bread being in shortage although I have not had any issues finding either English muffins or bagels which are major bread items I eat.

Talked to stocker in supermarket and he said they had not had any yeast in three weeks and when I look online I find either extremely marked up (scalpers) prices or people/companies taking money and delivering a month or two later (i.e Get it as soon as June 23 - July 15) which usually means speculators.  Saw an article quoting Fleischmann’s saying they used up usual three week supply and are ramping up production.

 

 

I have not made bread in years and baking is not something my wife was raised with in Hong Kong not seeing an oven until after being married.

My daughter wants to do some baking (no idea why) and only yeast we had was really, really old and useless.

 

Anybody else baking this time of year?

Anyone find source of yeast?

Heard about making your own but not think that is for me.

 

 

Been baking since I was your daughter's age.

 

First off, still got that old yeast?  Try dissolving about 1/4 teaspoon of your yeast in about half cup of warm (~100 degree) water with a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of flour and let it sit.  Be patient - let it go overnight if no action immediately.  Good active yeast will start doubling and bubbling in 15-20 minutes but it's a numbers game.   If only 10% of the yeasts are good, give it longer.   If it starts bubbling and stuff, Bingo!

 

Second suggestion is put out a query on a local Facebook support group or Nextdoor or the like.  Chance are good someone living within 2 blocks of you has a 16 oz bag and can spare your kid a couple tablespoons.  Most bakers are tickled to encourage a kid to bake.

One of my favorite recipes discovered during covid-19 quarantine.  If your yeast bubbles up, just use less water according to how much you put into the yeast. https://www.jennycancook.com/recipes/faster-no-knead-bread/

It's a simple, shorter variation of the famous  No-Knead NYT recipe

Very easy to mix and really good.  I make the whole-wheat version.  She also has instructions for rolls and if you don't have a dutch oven.

 

Yeast is often sold out around here but by persistently checking every time we shop we finally scored 3- 3 packs.  Gave one to a neighbor, kept two. 

I often use the trick of cutting down on the yeast from 1 packet to 1/4 or 1/2 t. and either giving it a longer "proof" step (time mixed with water and a bit of sugar and flour) or an extra rise.

 

5 hours ago, Limeaid said:

Love to try, love sour dough bead.  Problem is finding the yeast but thanks.

 

It's in the air!  That's the point of sourdough - harness the wild yeasties!  I'm just not organized enough in baking to keep a good sourdough starter going.

 

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16 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

First off, still got that old yeast?  Try dissolving about 1/4 teaspoon of your yeast in about half cup of warm (~100 degree) water with a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of flour and let it sit.  Be patient - let it go overnight if no action immediately.  Good active yeast will start doubling and bubbling in 15-20 minutes but it's a numbers game.   If only 10% of the yeasts are good, give it longer.   If it starts bubbling and stuff, Bingo!

Are you sure these are yeast instructions?  It sounds like the instructions that used to come with the 'sea monkeys' / brine shrimp we would order out of the back of 'Boys' Life' magazine.  ?

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7 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Are you sure these are yeast instructions?  It sounds like the instructions that used to come with the 'sea monkeys' / brine shrimp we would order out of the back of 'Boys' Life' magazine.  ?

 

I do not guarantee that if you follow my instructions, they will not result in a "sea monkey" infestation in the Ridgeway kitchen.

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