Natural Fruit Yeast Water
A gentle, wild yeast made from fruit, water and time, perfect for naturally leavened baking without sourdough.
Natural fruit water yeast is one of the simplest and most forgiving ways to work with wild fermentation. Made from fresh fruit (or flowers), water and a little patience, this lightly fermented liquid captures naturally occurring yeasts that can be used for baking, sweet doughs and experimental ferments. It’s mild in flavour, low-fuss, and a brilliant entry point if sourdough feels like too much commitment. Think of it as fermentation with the volume turned down—subtle, flexible and quietly powerful.
Best Fruits to Use
Choose organic or unwaxed fruit where possible, as this is where the natural yeasts live.
Apples; reliable, neutral and great for beginners
Pears; soft sweetness and very active fermentation
Grapes; especially red or black, extremely yeast-rich
Berries; raspberries, blueberries and strawberries work well
Stone fruit; peaches, plums and apricots add gentle aroma
Dried fruit; raisins, sultanas or dates (unsulphured only) for fast starts
Avoid citrus on its own, as the acidity can slow yeast activity.
How to Tell When It’s Ready
Your fruit water yeast is active and ready to use when:
Small bubbles rise steadily when the jar is gently shaken
Fruit pieces float to the surface
The liquid smells fresh, lightly fruity or faintly yeasty (never sour or alcoholic)
A slight hiss is released when opening the lid
Activity is visible within 2–5 days, depending on temperature
If it smells sharp, vinegary or unpleasant, discard and start again.
A quick note on wild yeast vs sourdough
It’s easy to get the two mixed up, but wild yeast and sourdough are not the same thing. Wild yeast is just that; naturally occurring yeast that lives on the skins of fruit, grains, and even in the air around us. When you make something like a fruit or flower yeast water, you’re simply capturing and encouraging those wild yeasts to grow so you can use them for baking or brewing.
Sourdough, on the other hand, is a community project. A sourdough starter is a mixture of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria living happily together in a flour-and-water home. The bacteria give sourdough its tangy flavour and help break down the gluten, while the yeast does the rising. So, while all sourdough uses wild yeast, not all wild yeast cultures are sourdough.
I have a funny story about flower water (which is the same same, just using edible flowers). I have been working on this course for probably over a year now, and one night we were watching TV minding our own business. There was a jar of fruit water on the bench with a plastic lid on it. All of a sudden there was an almighty boom and to be honest, I was afraid to go look as I had several things bubbling away on the bench. The flower water was so active that it had literally blown its stack, and the lid was nowhere to be found. It had shot across the room probably about 5 metres at least. Anyway, I took it from there and made the bread!
Need
- 1-2 medjool dates
- OR raisins, fresh apple pieces, or other pieces of fresh fruits or veggies (not banana though!) that are organic and unwashed. Beetroot works really well and of course will change the colour of your baked goods.
- 500 Milliliters filtered water
- 2 Teaspoons sugar or honey
Do
- 1
Before you begin, clean a 800ml or larger glass jar with boiling water and 1/2 tsp bicarb soda and let it cool down.
- 2
Place the fruit, water and sugar or honey into the jar and cover with a loose lid or piece of baking paper or paper towel and an elastic band. Coffee filters are very good for this coverage across all of these recipes.
- 3
Place the jar out of sunlight (a pantry is good) for between 3 and 8 days. You will start to see some activity around 2-3 days. The water will get cloudy first, then start to produce bubbles.
- 4
Once the bubbles start to disappear the yeast water is ready to be used. The water should smell slightly fermented but not like young wine or unpleasant. If you shake the water, more bubbles should appear. Seal with a lid, and place into the fridge until ready to use.
- 5
How to Use it
- 6
Take the Yeast water out of the fridge before baking bread and let it reach room temperature.
- 7
You will need slightly more than ½ cup or 100ml to 135ml for 500g flour. This will equal 1 package of dried yeast.
- 8
Before using the yeast, shake the jar since the yeast will usually be at the bottom.
- 9
Be prepared to give your dough more time to proof than usual. The additional time depends on the strength of your yeast water.
- 10
Reduce the liquid amount in the bread recipe by the amount of yeast water you are using.
- 11
After using refresh it with a new date, a tsp of sugar and additional 300 ml of water. Let stand in a shady, warm place for two to three days and either use it or store in the fridge until you need it again!
More
What It Works Best In
Fruit water yeast is mild and subtly sweet, making it ideal for:
Soft sandwich loaves and milk breads
Brioche, hot cross buns and sweet rolls
Flatbreads and focaccia-style doughs
Pancakes, waffles and enriched batters
Naturally leavened cakes and steamed buns
Refreshing baking experiments where sourdough flavour isn’t wanted
It’s especially good for recipes where you want lift without tang.
This recipe can be seen if you sign up for the related course. Join the course to get access!
Gut Instinct Protocol: The Power of Fermented and Cultured Foods
Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of nine, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.
Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once!
