"Boron Elgar" > wrote in message
> On Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:39:08 +1000, "Farm1"

>>I can't say that I see a lot of difference in outcome between fresh cake
>>yeast and dry yeast. But, like you, I too like fresh cake yeast although
>>I've often wondered if it's a personal attitudinal thing ie, it's 'fresh'
>>so
>>it's alive as opposed to inert.
>
> Yes, that "fresh" idea appeals to me, I admit, but you really get
> quite a poof from it when working with enriched doughs - egg breads,
> croissants, sticky buns. Most of my baking is lean breads - flour
> water, salt leavening, so the rise is easier to achieve, and for those
> a starter is fine.

??? Starter? Do you mean sourdough starter? 'Cos if you do, I meant that
I see little (or to be honest, no) difference between dry or fresh yeast. I
certainly can see a major difference between my husband's starter and either
the dry or fresh yeast I choose to use.
>
>>I used fresh yeast in 2 loaves I made yesterday - the Spelt one I've
>>mentioned a couple of times (although it wasn't opure Spelt - I made it
>>half
>>Spelt, a quarter white and a quarter wholemeal) and my 'normal' old
>>domestic
>>one that I've been making since Adam was a boy - half wholemeal, half
>>white
>>flour.
>>
> Most of my freezer is filled with flours - from the plain to the
> specialty. I like to put out 3 or 4 on the table as I mix up batches
> of dough and just play around with ratios.

So what varieties do you keep?

We usually stick to only 2 varieties (wholemeal and white) and even then we
use them up very quickly - nothing worse than old flour. The Spelt was a
whim and I bought a small 2 kg pack that I saw in the health food shop and
thought I'd try. I don't think I'll bother again as it's nothing special
and I can't understand why there is so much brouhaha about Spelt products.
It's interesting from an historical perspective but I don't like the super
fine quality it has (reminds me of Plaster of Paris) and the taste is not
anything special.