Yeast Making

In the comment section on my bread making post, I was asked by someone to share my yeast recipe. This recipe comes from the opened book that is pictured above. The book is entitled, “Buckeye Cookery with Hints on Practical Housekeeping” which belonged to my great-great-great grandmother. The copy that I have is a first edition published in 1885, which is a hoot to read. (There is a second edition of this book available online at Google books if you are interested in reading more.). Since the copyright has expired, I feel fairly certain that it is okay for me to share the recipe. I did though, change the recipe to show the modern day measurements.

This recipe is how I was taught to make yeast, but there are many more ways of doing it with getting the same result. I will list at the bottom of this post, links to other recipes for making yeast from apples, raisins, and so on. Please make sure to check them out. While I have never tried those recipes, they do sound interesting. If you make yeast in another way, please let me know how you did it.

Shirley's notes:

• Hops here mean when the blossom on the vine is fully opened and still has its pollen in it.
• Hops can be bought at either a health food store or where ever supplies for beer making are sold.
• It is best to use non-chlorinated water. Chloride is hostel to the process of making yeast. Bottled water is best.
• It is important to use whole wheat flour and not white flour. White flour has been bleached and processed which makes it harder for fermentation to take place.
• Once you have set the yeast in a warm place to foam, it is best if it is not moved until it foams.
• If you happen to have a yeast cake, you can add it to the mixture before you place it to foam. It will aid in the speed of fermentation of the mixture. If you don't have it, don't worry, but it will be a slower process.

Homemade Hop Yeast Recipe

2 handfuls of hops

2 medium sized potatoes

3 pints of non chlorinated water

1 tablespoon of sugar

3 tablespoons of whole wheat flour

Additional whole wheat flour (amount will depend on humidity)

Cheesecloth

Wash and peel the potatoes and place in a pan with the non chlorinated water. Place hops in cheesecloth , tie closed, and place into water with the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes and hops until the potatoes are soft. Discard the hops. Mash the potatoes in the water; add the sugar and whole wheat flour. Set a warm place until it foams. After it foams, good and light, thicken with more whole wheat flour to make a light dough. Spread the mixture out onto a surface and cut into cakes about twice the size of the yeast cakes that you normally buy from the store. Keep yeast in a cool, dry place until needed. To use, soften cake in warm, but not hot, water and use it like store bought yeast.

Links to other yeast making recipes:

• Yeast water made from fruit 
• Yeast from raisins 
• Sourdough starter
  
  

  

   

  Just as a side note, the second book shown in the picture above was my great-great grandmothers cookbook. The Housekeeper's Handy Book of, Domestic Science Cyclopedia, of Valuable Information, was printed in 1915. That one is hoot to read too.

  
  

  Thanks for visiting my blog. :-)