Ingredient
Fresh yeast
lievito di birra frescoThe crumbly cake yeast many Italian bakers prefer — lively and traditional, but perishable.
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-08
Quick answer
Fresh yeast (cake or compressed yeast) is moist, crumbly, and traditional in Italy. It leavens focaccia beautifully but is perishable — keep it refrigerated and use it within a couple of weeks. Use roughly three times the weight of instant yeast, crumbled into the dough or dissolved in the water.
What it is
Fresh yeast is live yeast pressed into a moist, tan block with a clean, faintly beery smell. It is the same species as dried yeast but never dehydrated, so it is lively and quick-starting. Many Italian and European bakers grew up with it and prefer its aroma and performance in breads like focaccia.
Its drawback is shelf life: because it is moist and alive, it perishes in weeks, not months.
How to use it
Crumble fresh yeast directly into the flour, or dissolve it in a little of the recipe’s lukewarm water first (easy, and it confirms it is active). It should smell fresh and crumble cleanly; a dark, slimy, or sour-smelling block is past it.
As with any yeast, keep it away from direct contact with salt in a dry bowl, and use lukewarm — not hot — water so you do not kill it.
Converting quantities
Fresh yeast is weaker gram-for-gram than dried because it is mostly water. Use roughly 3× the instant-yeast weight, or about 2.5× the active-dry weight. So a recipe needing 3 g instant yeast wants around 9 g fresh. Going the other way, divide fresh by three to get instant.
These are approximate; fresh yeast’s strength fades as it ages, so a older block may need a little more.
Storage
Keep fresh yeast tightly wrapped in the fridge and use it within one to two weeks of opening (check the date). It can be frozen, though freezing weakens it and the thawed yeast works more slowly — fine for a forgiving focaccia if you increase the amount slightly. If you bake only occasionally, dried yeast is the more practical choice.
Where to buy it
Look in the refrigerated section, at Italian delis, or ask a bakery to sell you a block. Availability varies by country; where it is hard to find, instant or active dry yeast is a completely acceptable substitute.
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Frequently asked
- How do I substitute fresh yeast for dry yeast?
- Use about three times the weight of instant yeast (or 2.5× active dry). For example, 3 g instant ≈ 9 g fresh yeast. Divide fresh by three to convert back to instant.
- How long does fresh yeast last?
- One to two weeks refrigerated once opened. It can be frozen but loses strength. If you bake infrequently, dried yeast keeps far longer.
- How do I know if fresh yeast is still good?
- It should be tan, firm enough to crumble cleanly, and smell fresh and beery. Dark, slimy, or sour-smelling yeast is spent — dissolve a little in warm water and look for foaming to be sure.
Sources & notes: Conversion ratios are standard baking approximations for compressed (cake) yeast.