Yeast, Fresh

Most bakers will be happy to sell you a small block of fresh yeast; it will keep, wrapped, in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for 3 months. When baking bread, the amount of yeast needed will vary depending on the temperature: the quantities in these recipes are suitable for most of the year, but in winter the yeast will work more slowly, so you’ll need to use up to 25 per cent more. It’s best to weigh yeast accurately, but if your scales aren’t sensitive enough, 5 g is about 1 teaspoon.