Proof Is In The Yeast

Have you ever heard of the term "proofing your yeast"?  I hadn't.  I had to look it up to determine exactly what it meant.  And for those of you who never heard of it either, let me tell you.  Proofing your yeast is when you test it for how active it is.  Some yeast can be too old and may not be as active as it should be.  I've never done this before.  I didn't even know how.  Some folks highly recommend you always proof your yeast.  It really only takes about 5-10 minutes to do so doesn't take a lot of extra time out of your baking or a whole lot of extra work.  You simply add it to a cup of warm water (about 110 degrees) and a tablespoon of sugar.  The sugar is needed to make the yeast go to work.  It will start to bubble and create a layer of foam on the surface of your water, that is how you know whether your yeast is active or not.  If it doesn't foam, the yeast is no good and should be thrown out.  Thankfully, my yeast past the test and I made a wonderful loaf of white bread.

Want the recipe?  It's so simple, I love it!

Ingredients:

1 c warm water (110 degrees)

1/3 c white sugar

1 envelope of active dry yeast 

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 cups of bread flour

Proof your yeast in the warm water and sugar combo.  When it passes the proof test, add salt and oil.  Mix in the flour and knead dough. Oil a large bowl with butter, place dough in bowl and roll it around until it is covered in butter.  Place a damp cloth over the bowl and let rise for about an hour.  Once it has risen, punch it once, knead some more and then place in oiled bread pan.  Let sit for another hour to rise.  It's done rising when it is about an inch over the rim of the pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Eat warm and enjoy!

Linking to The Prairie Homestead Barn Hop