I'm making overnight buns and my dough didn't rise can i reactivate the dough or do i have to start over!

Answer 1

Depends, has the dough already set out overnight? In that case, I'd start over, I think. If you've only just started (within a few hours), you should be able to add more (freshly bought) yeast, and it should work.

Always 'proof' your yeast by disolving it in lukewarm (baby-bottle temperature) water with a tablespoon of sugar (reduce the liquid and sugar called for in your recipe by the amounts you use). If it hasn't foamed in 5 or 10 minutes, it's dead, so you need to buy fresh yeast. Good to know before you start a recipe, and you don't have to 'hope' your yeast will work, you'll be sure whether it will or not.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Start over! But first check to see if your yeast has expired (check date on package) and also if your liquid was too warm, or if there was a draft where the dough was rising. Good luck!

Answer 3

I've had this problem.

I did it all again from scratch, but added new yeast, and mixed it together with more water, then re-kneaded it, and it worked out.

In beer making, it's called a "stuck fermentation."

In the case of bread, I'd try for fresher yeast, or dump all the yeast you've got into it and hope some of it takes. If it saves the dough, it's worth the experiment.