Yes! You can bake amazing bread without yeast. It has been stated in various recipes that the most vital ingredient in baking bread is yeast, but you can definitely bake bread without yeast.

Bread made without yeast will be crumbly like normal yeast bread. It also doesn’t need kneading. Although it is not as stretchy and chewy as yeast bread, it still has similar taste and only takes 3 minutes to mix before baking.

Recipe for Making Bread without Yeast

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of flour (you can use all purpose flour or whole wheat flour)
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder (this will serve as the leavening agent for the bread)
• 1 cup of milk (you can use any milk, dairy or non-dairy, liquid or powdered, full cream or no-fat. All milk types can go)
• ⅓ cup of oil (you can use any kind of neutral flavoured oil like canola oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil and sunflower oil)
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• ½ tablespoon of salt

Procedure:

• Mix the dry ingredients, and then add the oil and mix in a bowl using a whisk or spatula.
• After mixing, pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes at 180°C.
• When baking, it is necessary to leave the loaf pan uncovered for the first 25 minutes so it can get a lovely golden brown crust. Then keep it covered for the remaining 25 minutes to avoid the crust getting thick and dark.

Tip: Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing; otherwise it will be susceptible to crumbling on the edges. It is best to slice on the second day.

This recipe is very versatile and you can easily add additional herbs and spices to suit your taste. A teaspoon or two of the spice is just the right amount to add to the batter.

Although bread can be baked without yeast, yeast is still a very important ingredient in baking. This importance is attributed to the following reasons:

1. Yeast Is the Ultimate Leavening Agent

Baker’s yeast is capable of fermenting the sugar present within the flour. The fermentation process yields alcohol and CO₂ which causes the bread to rise. Leavening is an important process of bread making because it adds flavour and texture to the bread.

2. Yeast Adds Taste to Baked Products

Yeast is known to contribute to the taste and texture of the bread. The taste which the yeast adds depends on the strain of the yeast used and other ingredients present in the flour.

3. Yeast Improves the Flavour of the Baked Product

Yeast ferments sugar to provide CO₂ and alcohol, the fermentation also provides some aromatic, organic metabolites which add to the flavour of your baked food. Yeast is an important condiment to use when the flavour and taste of your baked goods are of uttermost importance.

4. Yeast Improves The Texture of Baked Products

Aside from adding to the taste and flavour of baked goods, yeast also brings a characteristic texture to the baked goods. This texture is a result of the entrapped air pockets within the dough. The gluten protein present in the flour creates an elastic network which entraps air within it. The fluffiness of bread and cake is usually as a result of yeast used in the baking process.

5. Nutritional Value of Yeast

Yeast is not just an ingredient for baking; it also supplies enzymes and proteins to the body. These proteins are rich in essential amino acids, particularly glutamic acid. Yeast is also a rich supplement of phosphorus, iron, fiber, magnesium, zinc, potassium, folate and niacin. These vitamins and minerals help to maintain body function and fight off diseases.

6. Health Benefits of Yeast

Yeast is known to possess medicinal benefits in its natural state. Yeast is a rich supply of antioxidants and helps to slow down the effects of free radicals which weakens the body system and exacerbates ageing. Yeast also helps to prevent cancer growth in the body. Yeast also contains beta-glucan fiber which helps to fight pathogens in the body. The use of baker’s yeast in baking can help to boost the immune system.