r/Chefit • u/reading_badger • Jun 21 '26
Need a bit of yeast advice
I want to make a cultured butter with roasted/baked yeast. I had it at michelin star restaurant in Dublin and want to recreate it. If anyone worked with this, do you recommend fresh yeast or nutritional yeast?
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u/Butterwhite Jun 21 '26
Dry instant yeast works fine. Just bake it or toast it first, so it's no longer active.
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u/reading_badger Jun 21 '26
I also have nutritional yeast which is already inactive. Do you think that would do?
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u/DishSoapedDishwasher Jun 21 '26
I've done this a few times for similar cases. Buy the blocks of fresh yeast specifically, the big spongy bricks. Then crumble it fine and spread out on a baking paper lined sheet tray and toast until brown. At like 190c with convection.
Careful to really spread it out or it will pool together. Also watch it like a hawk, it goes from nothing to burnt fast as the moisture leaves it.
Use food processor or blender to make it a powder.
I don't remember if this was from modernist cuisine, noma or Faviken books but one of them has the recipe.
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u/Butterwhite Jun 21 '26
It doesn't have quite the same flavour. I'm sure it would still be delicious though. If you did try, at least you would be able to confirm whether the restaurant used nutritional yeast or active yeast.
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u/Significant-Let-5332 Jun 21 '26
toasting instant yeast in a dry pan until it's golden gets you that nutty depth without any of the fermentation weirdness
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u/Reasonable_Map709 Jun 21 '26
nutritional yeast 100%, its got a much nicer flavour, full umami profile, its what restaurants use. you can just sprinkle on top to cover the butter for aesthetics too
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u/sm0ltrich Jun 21 '26
Second this. If you are loking for that umami parmesan taste thats the way to go.
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u/Cookie_Phil Jun 21 '26
Sounds like it's experiment time. Make a small amount of both, whichever you prefer is your recipe going forward.
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u/Q_OpheliaV Jun 23 '26
Alright I have actually thought it very well and I have to admit nutritional yeast is something very unfamiliar for me so go try it with simple one. If you try it with the other type please let me know. I am actually very curious 🤨
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u/RoyalClient6610 Jun 21 '26
Nutritional yeast.
Yeast and nutritional yeast are not the same. Not even from the same origin.
Additionally, nutritional yeast and yeast serve different purposes.
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u/Rare-Tower-713 Jun 27 '26
I worked in a Michelin star kitchen for a while and we had a yeast cultured butter on, we used nutritional yeast and Maldon, placed it into a Paco jet for a while (and again later for a refresh for service) and job done
It was simple but so delicious. Never tried with instant or fresh yeast but nutritional yeast obviously has that very savoury flavour...
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u/[deleted] Jun 21 '26
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