Yeast is yeast. Rapid rise just does the job a little faster. I prefer a slow rise. Use the same amount of water.

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Here is a link that might be useful: active dry vs. rapid rise

That's the problem Natal, Rapid Rise yeast doesn't require water, Active yeast does. My recipe is for Active Yeast. How much water does Active Yeast require because if I'm using Rapid yeast instead the recipe will still require the water and all it says is refer to the the package. I don't have an Active Yeast Package. :c)

I have Fleischmann's ActiveDry Yeast----it says:

To Dissolve: Stir 1 envelope yeast into 1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F). To proof (foam) yeast, stir in 1 teaspoon sugar; let stand 10 minutes. If mixture doubles in volume, yeast is active.

To Rise: Set covered doug in warm place (80-85 degrees) OR place pan of covered dough on rack over pan of very hot water.

1 envelope of dry yeast (1/4 oz)=2-1/4 teaspoons=1 cake fresh yeast (0.6 oz)

The rapid rise will not give you as good a product as the active dry. It is intended for the sweet rolls and yeast rolls that you want to make at the last minute.

Why not put it aside or else switch recipes that call for the rapid rise yeast ? You will be a lot happier with the flavor of the bread. Here is a link for rapid rise yeast recipes. Good Luck ! You can Google a lot of other recipes , next time get the bulk jar of instant yeast...you don't active dry...it is a Fleishman's product.

Here is a link that might be useful: rapid rise french bread

Way back when, in my college days, where there was no decent bread available to purchase, I would make a white bread from an old Joy of Cooking recipe. The recipe called for the bread to be baked in a cold (not preheated) oven.
One lovely day in May, I set about mixing the bread. When I put it aside to rise, I'd go out, do whatever I had to do, come back, punch the bread down, and go out again while the bread rose.
On the second rising, I saw a number of people headed for one of the lecture halls, and I realized that the symposium that I thought was that evening was that afternoon. So I went to the symposium and watched the clock. When it was clear that the symposium wouldn't be over in time to punch down the dough, I called a friend and asked her to do so (she ended up liking the punching down so much that she started baking bread, too).
When I finally got back, I shaped the dough into loaves and let the loaves rest for an hour before baking. Just before baking, the electric wire that served my building was blown off the pole and thus my electric oven was non-functional. So I punched the dough down again and started calling around to friends to find one with a cold oven. Got one, reshaped the loaves, let rise, and traveled with my loaves to the other house.
The final product was the MOST delicious, best textured bread I ever made from that recipe.
All it took was 3 extra risings.

The water amount doesn't matter anyway. Bread making should be done by feel, not cups of flour or liquid measurements. So if the dough feels to wet, add a little more flour. If it is too dry, well, you have added to much flour. Better to start with a low amount of flour and gradually add it.
I think the rapid rise is fine for everything except artisan type breads.
And most breads, to me, turn out better with the dough on the wet side than dry.

Thanks Cathrugg! That is exactly what I needed! Ha! I had DH stop at the store to pick up a jar of yeast before I got back to read this.

Trailrunner, Thanks for the link! I was trying to find a good recipe for the breadmaker and it's all sort of back fired on me. I will try something from that link.

Suero - Great story, thanks for sharing I'm looking forward to trying some real home made bread.

Thanks Bumblebeez, I'm so new at this I didn't know, but seems like it's a lot like some other things I've made. Flour tortilla's work the same way.

Are you following a specific recipe? How much water does it call for? That's what you would use to dissolve the yeast. Or you can put the yeast directly in with the flour as long as you know it's fresh. You don't have to proof.