Please be honest - do you have a packet of yeast gathering dust?

[hippospot]

We have been making bread 5-6 times a week for nearly 20 years in a machine, but I've been unable to find yeast in the shops since lockdown. Friends gave me a couple of packs (one was out of date but still worked!) but now I'm down to a few days' worth only. I was able to bulk order some bread flour from a mill last month, and have enough flour for about 2-3 months.

I'm curious to know if the people who bought yeast at the start of lockdown have been using it.

And why is it that nearly everything is back in the shops EXCEPT flour and yeast (in my neck of the woods, anyway).

I'm also a regular baker of cakes and will run out of plain flour quite soon too.

I'm happy to buy bread in the short term although a) my freezer is small so I can only freeze about 3 small loaves and b) this means I'd have to go to the supermarket more often and I'm trying to only go once a week.

Anyone else with this issue?

I have no yeast even though I have a bread maker. Can't get yeast in any shop but plenty of bread so just been buying fresh loaves.

Sainsbury's seems to have dried yeast, and strong white flour, but not wholemeal - this is for online shopping. We got fresh yeast at a local deli/wholefoods shop a couple of weeks ago, I just asked them on the offchance.

You need to look at other retailers, not just supermarkets. Lots of independent shops have flour, yeast and eggs near me. One cafe has opened itself as a shop but selling catering supplies from their wholesalers, has been fully stocked with baking goods through the whole lockdown.

(Actually, I ended up using a whole tub of flour last night - I'd forgotten there was the end of a bottle of buttermilk to use up so had planned scones (with raisins), which used 1lb of SR, and has 16 in freezer and a few left out for today; and the crumble topping for rhubarb, and as there was only a tiny amount left in my bag in the freezer, I made a 4xtimes batch and froze a decent bag again - 440g SR, it's actually really handy to have in the freezer as it does come out easily and crumbly ready to bake for a quick after-work dessert).

I've ordered a decent amount of meat for the weekend, to be able to make a curry feast (freezing some leftovers) but including making proper naans.

I have just got a 500g block of fresh yeast* from a small corner shop! I normally use 6g of Doves farm active yeast for I kilo of flour (60%wholemeal, 40 % white) & want to know that I am right in thinking I'll need to use 20g of the fresh yeast? And does it loose any of its power if you freeze it??

*Cost me £3.20 so was very happy!

I bought a new tin - had about 1/4 left. But I gave that to my sister and kept my new tin. I have managed to get all flour. I was v lucky twice getting the last bag of bread flour in Asda and Morrisons one being a 3kg bag. Thanks to my brother working in Aldi I have also managed to get plain/self raising flour.

Also for keen bakers, Dan Lepard’s bread baking book is 99 p on kindle. He does talk about making barm which in some recipes can be used instead of yeast.

I found that the yeast froze reasonably well. It maybe lost 20% of its oomph.

Yes, it's roughly 3x volume of fresh compared to dried.

Regardless of what the recipe says, I found a tip online which works well: pour a little sugar on the yeast in a small bowl and use a teaspoon to work the sugar into the yeast. Like magic it's turns into a liquid. Then add a small amount of warm water.

No, but I did find some fresh yeast in the back of the fridge that was really out of date and I chucked it. Sorry!

I use 8g of fresh yeast to 500g of flour. Some places online suggested more yeast; I tried it but the bread rose and collapsed. A ratio of 8 - 500 has worked perfectly for me every time. That's also the amount in the Panasonic bread maker recipe book.

I've just begun brewing some home made wine from a kit but the fermentation has stopped. I think it got too cold the other night. I now need some more yeast to start it up again.

After looking through my very old box of wine making stuff I found a tub of brewers yeast from 1989! I've put a spoonful in warm water with sugar but I'm not at all hopeful. It's very, very elderly yeast.

That's also the amount in the Panasonic bread maker recipe book.

Mine says "do not use fresh yeast"

Our supermarket hasn't had any yeast since the beginning of february so I've gone back to my roots and used soda instead. It's actually so much easier than regular bread.

Ladies you can make yeast-free bread by mixing 1 cup of yoghurt to 2 cups of self/raising flour. Mix until sticky (use a bit of oil if necessary) and knead as the sides of the bowl become clear. Leave to prove for 30 mins and you're good to go.

I found 3 boxes of yeast sachets at the back of a cupboard, all >12 months out of dates, plus 2 bags of out of date bread flour. The sachets work fine and we’ve been using up making pizza. Given the dates, we’re not the cause of shortages.

How strange SoupDragon Mine has two fresh yeast recipes. Here's the white bread one:

I haven't used fresh yeast since sixth form optional cookery lessons - 42 years ago! The strong smell of it I remember well.
AnnofPeeves - If I can get hold of some I will try your recipe in my Panasonic bread maker - even though the users booklet says to use the fast acting easy yeast.

I caved and bought some on Amazon last week. Quite a big packet so it will last a long time. I bought large sacks of wholemeal and strong white flour from our local mill so we have been able to carry on making bread as normal. Try Amazon for yeast, the one I bought was labelled instant yeast. I haven't used ours yet but hopefully it will work.

I always have a couple of bags of bread flour and yeast in the cupboard as I make a lot of pizza. I did buy some extra before we went into lockdown and it is almost gone. My brother bought a pack of 500g dried yeast and I have had some if that.

I bought a twin pack. I used one sachet with the flour left from pancake day, I still have the other sachet. (But not enough flour left for another loaf unless I try grinding porridge oats or something).

If you're baking several times a week, my one sachet is a drop in the ocean.

AnnofPeeves Mine is an old Panasonic (no yeast dispenser for a start) so I guess they've changed their minds.

My Panasonic (SD-255) only takes dried yeast. I have a raisin / seed dispenser, but not a yeast one.

If anyone needs bread flour, I had a 'back in stock' notification this morning, and ordered the 5 x 1.5kg for £13.95 here:

www.dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/doves-farm-white-bread-flour-5-x-15-kg/103642

I have a tub full of packets of yeast gathering dust. Unfortunately, they are brewing yeast. I don't think you can use it for bread making. I'll have to check.

I make sourdough bread so no yeast required.

It's odd that some Panasonics can use fresh yeast, and not others isn't it? I mean the fresh yeast doesn't go in a dispenser anyway so you'd think they would all be able to use it. The wholemeal recipe is the same other than you use 370ml of liquid (and wholemeal flour of course).