Yeast is a tiny fungi, almost invisible to our eyes. When we mix yeast into bread dough, it gets to work eating the sugars present. As it eats, the yeast releases a gas called carbon dioxide. This gas acts like little bubbles that puff up the dough, making it rise.
Think of it like orbeez. When dry, it’s small and tougher, but if you fill it with water, it expands and becomes swollen and softer.. In bread, instead of water, it’s the gas bubbles from the yeast that make the dough expand.
In a typical bread recipe, for every cup of flour, about 1 teaspoon of yeast is added. That tiny amount can produce enough gas to double the dough’s size in just a few hours! So, thanks to yeast, the dough changes from dense and flat to light and fluffy.
It’s important for bakers to use the right amount of yeast and let the dough rise for the correct time. This ensures that the bread comes out with a perfect soft texture.
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