Background

There seemed to be quite a lot of confusion about whether a Fresh Yeast Breadmaker Loaf is successful or even possible, so I thought I'd give it a go. Previously I've only used dry yeast for a variety of different breads and doughs, which were generally pretty good but I felt like experimenting. My local Tesco supermarket baker very kindly gave me a large lump of fresh yeast - far more than I needed for my experiment, but friends advised me that it's fine to freeze it, while keeping some in the normal fridge where it should be OK for a couple of weeks. Anyway, I thought my first effort should be something I'd done many times using dry yeast (50% wholemeal & 50% white) so I could compare the results. I'd say the main difference is that the texture of the fresh yeast loaf is rather denser, but strangely just as light, which gives each slice a slightly more satisfactory texture. The only disadvantage is that supposedly using the breadmaker timer doesn't suit fresh yeast. Since I really like to wake to the smell & taste of fresh bread I'll be testing this out and let you know the result.