Yes, Maggie, I pack the brown sugar. And sugar definitely slows yeast down; you might want to cut back the sugar to 1/3 cup, if you're having trouble with rising. You mention using a packet of yeast - if it's "rapid rise" yeast, that could be your issue right there. Rapid yeast tends to produce a nice strong first rise, then weaken for the second rise. We suggest SAF instant yeast (red or gold); I buy a pound and keep it in my freezer, where it stays good pretty indefinitely. And yes, the less yeast you use, the longer the rise; but sometimes, with higher-sugar breads like this one, the rise time simply becomes too long. You don't need to proof your yeast unless you suspect it's old and might not be working well; again, buying our fresh yeast will allay any of those fears. Do I sound like a SAF salesman? So be it, but just trying to get your reliably good results in your bread-baking! :) It can definitely be daunting when you're starting out, but as you continue to pursue it, bread-baking becomes more and more familiar; I find it much less challenging than cakes or pies, for sure. Cheers - PJH

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