Machine loaf fell w/ instant yeast - help please

**karichelle** · 08-13-2010, 11:03 PM

I have made 3 loaves of bread in my machine with a strip of packets that I purchased at Kroger of "active dry yeast" (store brand) and all have turned out fine. I bought a 2 lb pack of "Fleischmann's Instant Yeast" from Sam's Club and my first loaf with it is baking right now. It rose beautifully, much higher than what I had been making, but as soon as it started back, it fell in the center. Do I need to use the rapid cycle with the instant yeast instead of the regular cycle? Everything I am reading online says the Fleischmann's Instant Yeast is kin to the Active Dry yeast, so I'm confused as to why it rose so much faster. I actually used less...the 2 tsp recommended in the recipe instead of the full packet which I understand to be around 2 1/4-2 1/2 tsp.

Any ideas or experiences?

**karichelle** · 08-14-2010, 12:10 AM

Read some more...now I am even more confused. I got the recipe directly from the Fleischmann's website, which claims that "instant yeast" is the same thing as "bread machine yeast," what the recipe called for. And the recipe recommended the regular cycle. :\

It tastes fine, smells a little like a yeast roll instead of how my previous loaves smelled, just looks ugly. Oh well, it will eat.

**Saule** · 08-14-2010, 12:55 AM

If it rose and then fell, then it was probably slightly overrisen. With the bread machine you are tied into their cycle, whereas if you bake in the oven, you just pop the loaf in at the right time, whenever that may be.

Instant/bread yeast is the same as active dry, but it undergoes a different processing - the granules are smaller and have more active material. So if you normally use an envelope or 2 1/4 tsp active dry, you should use 1 3/4 tsp instant or bread yeast.

Also, keep in mind that even though the dough is in the enclosed environment of the machine, it can be affected by the heat and humidity that most of us in the US are experiencing. If it looks like it's rising too fast, you can gently deflate it just slightly and hopefully get a better result. Tricky to judge, I'm afraid.

**craftypam** · 08-14-2010, 01:29 AM

I have used sams club yeast and had no problem. Check the date on the pkg. Do you have a place to buy bulk foods where you live. I buy my yeast at a bulk food store for $4.00 a pound and buy a little to use; really cheap and it doesn't go bad because I have to use up to much. I got a good price at Sams but never used it up.

**nuisance26** · 08-14-2010, 06:24 AM

~I only use instant yeast(SAF brand, love it!)and it rises much faster than regular yeast. With instant yest you can actually skip the first rise altogether.
So unless your recipe specifically asks for instant it will probably keep over rising in your machine on a regular loaf setting. Try the rapid cycle and see what happens.~

**karichelle** · 08-14-2010, 09:09 AM

The date on the package is fine...March 2012.

The recipe was from Fleischmann's and called for "bread machine yeast" which according to them is the exact same thing, and I used the amount they called for. I am wondering if perhaps my water was too warm. The recipe doesn't call for any specific temp range of the water; I've just been making it lukewarm to my skin but last night I didn't check it as carefully.

**frugrrl** · 08-14-2010, 11:17 AM

At the end of the Breadman Breadmachine Manual (http://lee.org/cooking/Breadman%20Ul...%20TR2200C.pdf) they have a nice troubleshooting guide. (page 113)

It says that for your problem, it could be too much yeast. (It could also be too much water and not enough flour.) I do recall hearing that for instant yeast, you can use less instant yeast in a recipe than regular yeast. This site (Active Yeast vs. Instant Yeast | The Fresh Loaf) says to use 25% less instant. This site also has good info about yeast: Yeast, How To Use Yeast in Bread Making, Active Dry Yeast, Instant Yeast, Bread Yeast Tips, Sourdough Yeast

Originally Posted by Saule

Also, keep in mind that even though the dough is in the enclosed environment of the machine, it can be affected by the heat and humidity that most of us in the US are experiencing.

This could also be a factor. When your bread finishes it's initial mixing, check the dough ball. It should be slightly tacky -- like a sticky note. If it's not, add flour or water a little at a time (depending on if it's it too wet or too dry) and mix it again until it's right.

**frugalfranny** · 08-14-2010, 03:21 PM

Some great info here.......interesting.

I would check your bread machine manual...like a prev. poster has said. Mine has a trouble shooting guide too. Each bread machine is a little different, but on mine I don't have to use rapid cycle with inst. yeast.

**Saule** · 08-14-2010, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by karichelle

The date on the package is fine...March 2012.

The recipe was from Fleischmann's and called for "bread machine yeast" which according to them is the exact same thing, and I used the amount they called for. I am wondering if perhaps my water was too warm. The recipe doesn't call for any specific temp range of the water; I've just been making it lukewarm to my skin but last night I didn't check it as carefully.

Too warm water would have been more likely to kill the yeast and then you would not have had any rise or just a small rise. You had originally written that it rose really high and then fell - it fell before the bake cycle engaged. So it seems that there was too much yeast. Even when you follow the recipe exactly, slight variations or the temperature that day can make a difference. If the recipe originally called for active dry, then you do need to reduce the amount of instant yeast you use instead of the active dry.

**lparker** · 08-14-2010, 08:30 PM

With my old DAK, if it fell, it had too much water. I never worried about it...wasn't going to enter it in a fair...

**karichelle** · 08-14-2010, 09:44 PM

The original recipe called for "bread machine yeast" which Fleischmann's says is the same thing as their "instant yeast" and it was a Fleischmann's recipe from their Bread World site. So that's why I think it's strange that it happened that way.

I think it may have fallen just as it started to bake. I checked on it at 1:06 remaining (it bakes for 1 hour) and it had risen super high then when I checked on it about 10 minutes later it had fallen.

I wish I could consult the manual for the bread machine, but I bought it at a thrift store and it didn't have one. And I can't find one online anywhere -- I've searched and searched. It's a Magic Chef that makes 1 lb and 1.5 lb loaves in a square pan.

Judging from the slightly yeasty smell and taste I am going to try reducing the yeast next time and see what happens. I'll give it a shot tomorrow -- not staying up late enough tonight to see what happens. LOL

**frugrrl** · 08-14-2010, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by karichelle

I wish I could consult the manual for the bread machine, but I bought it at a thrift store and it didn't have one. And I can't find one online anywhere -- I've searched and searched. It's a Magic Chef that makes 1 lb and 1.5 lb loaves in a square pan.

This site might help: Magic Chef Bread Maker Manual - Manuals and free Magic Chef Bread Maker instructions | ManualsOnline.com

**karichelle** · 08-14-2010, 11:57 PM

Unfortunately of the few that are online, my model isn't one of them...I find requests for it all the time but no actual manual.

I'd love to have one.

**Saule** · 08-15-2010, 11:17 AM

See if one of the manuals is for a model number close to yours, for example model 1230 when yours is 1220 - the models often are not all that different and I will bet that if you look at it, you'll see that it's really quite similar to what you have.

**craftypam** · 08-15-2010, 10:50 PM

Hi

I googled ask.com and this is what I came up with; hope this helps.

Bread Machine Baking: The Basics Article - Allrecipes.com

After you've got all your ingredients measured out, don't be too quick to load the bread machine. ... I found that in hot humid weather my bread would rise nicely & then drop just after it started to bake. I added the extra flour a half tablespoon at a time - as much as 2 tbs. The bread did not fall after that. If you read...
allrecipes.com/howto/bread-machine-baking-the-basics

Pam