Yeast is a single-celled microorganism that has been used for a long time in the preparation of baked goods and some alcoholic beverages. Currently, several types of this product can be found in cooking, but fresh pressed yeast is still considered the best for making dough.
What is compressed yeast
The calorie content of compressed yeast is approximately 109 kcal per 100 g of product.
Fresh pressed yeast is sold in briquettes of different packaging - from 50 g to 1 kg. They have a pinkish gray color and a sour pleasant aroma. This product contains a large number of live microorganisms, therefore it is especially appreciated by culinary experts. For the same reason, compressed yeast has a short shelf life - they cannot be kept at room temperature for more than a day, and in the refrigerator they retain their properties for two weeks. That is why when buying, you should pay attention to the date of manufacture of this product and the conditions of its storage. Fresh yeast should be uniform in color without dark spots and crumble rather than smudge when broken off.
How to use compressed yeast in cooking
It is not without reason that pressed yeast is also called bakery or confectionery, because it is most often used for the preparation of various bakery products, including baked ones. It is believed that the dough with the addition of such yeast turns out to be much more fluffy and tasty.
If the compressed yeast is a little windy, it should be dissolved in a spoonful of warm water with the addition of ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar. If after a while they bubbled, then their properties are restored.
Before use, the required amount of compressed yeast should be crumbled, placed in a ceramic or glass dish and dissolved in half a glass of warm water or milk without adding salt and sugar. In this case, the temperature of the liquid should not exceed + 40 ° C, otherwise the yeast will die. Then the diluted yeast should be left for 15-20 minutes in a warm place and only then used to prepare the dough.
For a non-flavored yeast dough, typically 25 g of compressed yeast is added for every 500 g of flour. At the same time, for the preparation of products in a bread maker, it is usually recommended to take half as much yeast for the same amount of flour, and for making butter dough - twice as much.
You can also mix compressed yeast with dry yeast to make dough for baking products in a bread maker. In this case, for 500 g of flour there should be 10 g of fresh yeast and 1.5 teaspoons of dry instant yeast.
How to use compressed yeast in cosmetology
In addition to being used in cooking, compressed yeast is also suitable for the preparation of cosmetic masks. This product contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals that have a beneficial effect on the skin tone of the face and body. To prepare a yeast mask, you need to dissolve a tablespoon of yeast in a small amount of water to obtain a thick slurry. Then it should be applied to clean skin and left for 10 minutes. You can also add a little sour cream or honey to the dissolved yeast.
