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German Yeast

A process for cleaning and purifying yeast using water, ammonia, and soda.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 4 ingredients
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German Yeast

Ingredients

Directions

Wash the yeast

  1. Filter the yeast through a muslin or silk sieve into a tub with cold spring water.

  2. Stir the mixture well until foamy.

  3. Let it settle until the water is clear.

  4. Gently draw off the surface water without disturbing the settled yeast.

  5. Pump in more cold water. Stir. Let it settle.

  6. Repeat until the water is tasteless and clear.

Add the leavening

  1. Add the dissolved carbonate of ammonia and bicarbonate of soda to the settled yeast. Mix well.

  2. Let it sit for 12 to 14 hours.

  3. Pump in cold water again. Stir.

  4. Draw off the water for the last time.

Press and store

  1. Place the settled yeast in a clean linen bag. Tie it up.

  2. Press between two boards to remove excess water.

  3. Form the yeast into cakes.

  4. Store in a cool place.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Brewery or distillery yeast
Provides the living culture that gives the yeast its leavening power.
Carbonate of ammonia
Acts as a leavening agent that releases gas to lighten the dough.
Bicarbonate of soda
Works as an alkaline leavening agent that releases gas to lighten the dough.

The step that matters

Repeated washing until the water runs clear. Washing removes residual bitter and off flavours from the yeast. Stopping early leaves tastes that carry into the bread or cake made with it.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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