THE FUNCTION OF YEAST: What is the role of brewer's yeast in dough?

Brewer's yeast is so named because it was originally extracted from the by-products of beer production. Today, the yeast used in baking and pastry is a single-celled fungus of the species *Saccharomyces cerevisiae*. When added to dough at specific temperatures, it produces carbon dioxide gas, which initially dissolves in the dough. As the dough's pores fill with gas, the pressure exerted on the gluten network causes the dough to expand. This is the process of fermentation, and later, during baking, the yeast is quickly killed by the heat.

In the market, fresh compressed brewer's yeast is most commonly found, with a limited shelf life. However, for convenience, we recommend using dry brewer's yeast (vacuum-sealed), which should be measured at 1/3 of the amount of fresh compressed yeast. Since it is instant (activates immediately), dry yeast does not need to be hydrated beforehand, meaning it does not need to be dissolved in water before use.