What Happens if the Yeast Dies Before Baking Dough?

It's one of the many wonders of the kitchen: watching those inanimate little granules of yeast come alive before your eyes, bubbling and fermenting, ready to transform the most basic, bland ingredients into a light, tender, flavorful baked good -- unless, of course, your yeast is dead. You can avoid this disappointment -- and the resulting brick of bread -- by knowing how to extend the shelf life of your yeast, and how to check for signs of life before diving into to a recipe.

Weak or Dead Yeast

Yeast plays the role of the leavener in some baked goods by releasing carbon dioxide through fermentation, which causes the dough to rise. If the yeast is dead, however, it will not ferment and produce this gas; the result will be dough that does not rise enough, if at all, and a final product that is dense and tough. Yeast also lends a certain pleasing sourness to some recipes -- a flavor that would be absent if the yeast fails to ferment.

How to Check Yeast

To check that your yeast is alive, "proof" it first. In a one-cup liquid measuring cup, dissolve about a teaspoon of sugar into 1/2 cup of warm water and stir one packet of yeast -- about 2 1/4 teaspoons -- into the water. After 10 minutes, the mixture should have bubbled up to about the one-cup mark; this indicates that your yeast is alive and well. If it falls well below this mark, or doesn't bubble up at all, your yeast is weak or dead and should not be used.

Storage and Shelf LIfe of Yeast

Properly stored yeast should last at least until the date marked on the package, or longer. In fact, vacuum-sealed yeast kept in your pantry should last indefinitely. To extend its life once you break the seal, keep it in the freezer in an airtight container. If you buy yeast in bulk, portion it out into smaller airtight containers or zip-close freezer bags before freezing. Frozen yeast will last up to a year or longer. Do not expose your yeast to high temperatures, as even vacuum-sealed yeast will lose its effectiveness much faster under such conditions.

Yeast Substitutes

Yeast is unique in the world of leaveners, producing results that cannot be duplicated by other means, but you can try to use substitutes. If you're in a pinch, try using equal parts baking soda and lemon juice to equal the amount of yeast called for by the recipe -- usually one packet, or 2 1/4 teaspoons, of yeast. Another option is to use an equal amount of double acting baking powder. These substitutes may not work for all recipes, but they're worth a try if you're willing to experiment.

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