8 Types of Yeast Used in Baking, Cooking, and Brewing
Yeast is a type of fungus which is widely used to bake, cook and brew different culinary dishes. From all popular foods and beverages, you will find yeast being used as an added popular ingredient in them. Though not all types of yeast are treated equally, and every kind of yeast is unique and is suited to be treated in a certain way. Also, while some yeasts can be used interchangeably with one another in a recipe, some others may not.
So to master baking, cooking, and brewing, you need to know which type and how to use yeast in cake and other food items. Here are some of the different types of baking yeast, cooking yeast, and brewing yeast.
Types of Yeast Used In Baking :-
Baker’s yeast is used to bake cakes, bread, and other such edible goodness. It is mostly used as a leavening agent in the fermentation process. It is used to refer to all kinds of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae used to make bread-like products. Baking yeast can be found in many forms such as active dry, fresh (or cake), liquid, and instant.
1. Active Dry
To activate this kind of yeast you need to dissolve it before in warm water. Unlike the instant yeast which can be directly added to the ingredients. Active yeast is said not to be exposed to liquids hotter than 110 F or else you can end up actually killing the yeast.
2. Fresh or Cake
Usually fresh yeast is stored in a cake or compressed form. This kind of yeast is highly perishable and should be refrigerated. Fresh yeast must be consumed after a few months of purchase.
3. Liquid
In the early 19th century, this was the most popular form of yeast, before the invention of cake yeast. It’s basically a slurry living organism that is very similar to sourdough or bread starter. In such a kind of yeast, as long as the carbohydrates are added on a regular basis, it shall continue to live.
4. Instant
It is considered to be the most active yeast that is commercially made available. It doesn’t require to be dissolved in a liquid before and only needs one rise. This kind of yeast can be stored easily in a dry, airtight container at room temperature until its expiration approaches.
Types of Yeast Used In Cooking :-
There are two wide types of yeasts used in cooking which are nutritional yeast and yeast extracts. Nutritional yeast and yeast extracts are both used as a flavouring agent and generally tends to give a boost. These needn’t be cooked. Although yeast extract is a type of nutritional yeast which is used in a very different manner. Hence both of these yeasts can be treated as two very different products.
Nutritional Yeast -
This is the deactivated form of yeast that is commonly used in vegan recipes. It is sold in flake, granule, or powder form and has quite a nutty or cheese-like flavor. It is widely used as a topping or seasoning over foods as well as a natural supplement.
Yeast Extract -
The concentrated form of yeast is usually used in the form of paste. They come in their pungent, umami flavour. They are used widely and have developed a cult all over the world.
Types of Yeast Used In Brewing :-
Now, a brewer's yeast is specifically used to make beer. There are two different types of yeast used to make beer. One is predominantly used for brewing ale and one that makes lager.
Top Fermenting Yeast -
Known as ale yeast, this kind of yeast rises to the surface during the fermentation process of beer making which tends to create a thick, rich head. It used to be used at warm temperatures ranging from 50 to 77 F.
Bottom Fermenting Yeast -
Lager yeast aka bottom-fermenting yeast is said to be stored at a cooler temperature between 44 to 59 F. As compared to the top-fermenting kind, it ferments pretty slowly in short lagers, takes time to develop, and takes a lot of time to create foam.
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