Bread Porn
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bonj
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All that says is that it's a "combination of ingredients that improve" the bread. What I want to know is what those ingredients are. If I don't know what's in my bread, I may as well be using a packet mix. I want to know the raw ingredients. It's the same curiosity and desire for control that makes me do all-grain beer.
Does anyone know what is actually in "bread improver"?
Bread Improvers and their Functions in Bread Dough
The word improver could describe any process or ingredient that improves or enhances the quality of a baked loaf. In Australia, however, it usually refers to one specific ingredient. It is a blend of many compounds that have a specific effect on the final loaf quality or the processing of bread doughs. Bread improvers are usually, although not always, built on a Soya flour base or carrier. See below for a list of the most widely used bread improver bases;
Soya flour
wheat flour
Soya and wheat flour blend
diastatic malt flour
This carrier ingredient is blended with various micro-ingredients. The main function of the carrier is to allow the baker to weigh up a mixture of micro-ingredients in a practical and economical way, as the levels required are so small ( e.g. 30 parts ascorbic acid per one million parts flour) that the baker would not be able to weigh them with sufficient accuracy. However, it is these micro-ingredients that carry out the improving effects. These effects include:
gluten modification
yeast stimulation
enzyme supplementation
(In some types of improvers) crumb softening.
The levels of micro ingredients vary from improver to improver. There are two main types of improver. They are:
standard improvers
instant improvers
Standard improvers are used for bulk fermented doughs, doughs with long dough-to-oven times (DTO). Instant improvers are used for rapid doughs, doughs with short DTO times.
In todays rapid-dough systems, bread improvers affect the changes and modifications that occur in bulk fermented doughs without the long fermentation times being necessary. Today there are many bread improvers on the market, and many have a specific formulation. The blend of micro-ingredients in bread improvers is based on specific flour types and specific processing needs.
It is important to use the right improver for the flour type and process you are using and for the type of bread you are making. Be sure of the suitability of the improver. Be sure of the suitability of the improver you are using by contacting the manufacturer for technical specifications etc.
Main functions of bread improvers
Bread improvers have three main functions. They are:
1 conditioning the gluten
2 providing yeast with nitrogen source
3 enhancement of diastatic enzyme activity
1 Gluten Conditioning
In Section 2 Gluten development we dealt with gluten modification through the two processes called oxidation and reduction. These two processes are highly influenced by the compounds contained in bread improvers. These compounds are as follows:
ascorbic acid (oxidising agent) gluten strengthening
sodium meta-bisulphite (reducing agent) gluten softening
L-cystine (hydrochloride)
Notes
In order to retain the gas produced by the yeast in the dough, and to achieve good volume and a tender crumb in the final loaf, it is necessary to change or modify some gluten characteristics. Underdeveloped gluten in the dough at the commencement of mixing requires reduction (breaking of the cross bonds) to allow the gluten protein strands to be teased out and realigned. This process is achieved by the use of mechanical energy (mixing) and reducing agents. Reducing agents break the cross bonds, allowing the gluten strands to be untangled. This process imparts a measure of elasticity to the gluten protein and allows it to extend. Reducing agents are present in some types of bread improvers designed for dough overstable flours.
The ability of gluten protein to withstand the stress of the expanding gas and to retain it is enhanced by the formation of cross bonds (sulphur bridges). These cross bonds result in gluten strength gluten with an improved gas retaining ability. Cross bonds are encouraged by the presence of an oxidising agent. All bread improvers contain the oxidising agent ascorbic acid (Vitamin c).
2 Nitrogen source for yeast
The yeast cell requires nitrogen to synthesise proteins for new cell growth. Bread improvers provide a source of nitrogen for the yeast cell in the form of the mineral salt:
ammonium chloride or
ammonium sulphate
These compounds are readily absorbed by the yeast cell and energise yeast reproduction and zymase enzyme activity. The net effect is enhanced gas production.
3 Enhancement of diastatic enzyme activity
Bread improvers contain enzyme rich malt flour or fungal enzymes. Fungal enzymes are derived from specific fungi that naturally grow on wheat grain. These enzymes are from the amylase group which are always present in the flour and are responsible for the conversation of starch into maltose sugars. When the yeast is stimulated an additional supply of sugar is required. As the can sugar added by the baker and the limited amount present in the flour is not sufficient for the rapid dough method. This deficiency needs to be overcome in order to ensure there is sufficient sugar present to maintain steady yeast activity in the final proving and the initial backing stage.
Bread improver ensures this additional supply of sugar is provided by the amylase enzyme activity (diastatic activity). Diastatic activity is the conversion of starch (a polysaccharide) to dextrins by the enzyme alpha amylase. Dextrins are also polysaccharides but somewhat smaller. They are often referred to as long chain sugars. Dextrins are further broken down or converted to maltose (a disaccharide) by the enzyme beta amylase. Although flour contains both alpha and beta amylase enzymes, it is often deficient in alpha amylase enzymes.
Additional Functions
Today most improvers contain crumb softening agents, anti-firming agents or emulsifiers. These crumb softeners and anti-firming agents include
mono and diglycerides of fatty forming acids
diacetyl tartaric esters of mono and diglycerides of fatty forming acids
sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL0
calcium stearoyl lactylate (CSL)
lecithin polysorbates
sorbitans
I have been a baker for over 20 years and have never really read what was in improver
I just know its great stuff 
drtomc
Fermentationist
I used it consistently for about 5-6 years, baking 4-6 loaves every Saturday, then I ran out, found the bread came out just the same, and have not used it since (i.e. about the last 8 years).
I suspect it makes a big difference what flour, yeast, etc, you are using. If you have good fresh bread flour, and a vigorous yeast, it probably doesn't make much difference. If you're using cake flour, or marginal yeast, it probably makes a lot more difference.
T.
I suspect it makes a big difference what flour, yeast, etc, you are using. If you have good fresh bread flour, and a vigorous yeast, it probably doesn't make much difference. If you're using cake flour, or marginal yeast, it probably makes a lot more difference.
T.
hairyson
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I've put a tablespoon of olive oil in my latest batch (just finished mixing it tonight), so I'll get to see the difference over the next few days as the loaf ages.
I don't want to add too much stuff to my bread, even the improver is a bit over the top for me, but I've been convinced by my dad that it's worthwhile. I think it's probably more important for very short DTO loaves like the breadmaker ones, but the style I'm using for these has a really long ferment, so it may not need it. In fact, by the skim-read of that info above from you, it may be not so good for long ferments.
What would adding gluten do, apart from giving the bread more gluten! Is gluten 'developed' during fermentation/rising? If I have a really long ferment, does that negate the need for adding gluten? I'm guessing here, don't know enough about it.
I better get out of the way of some on-topic bread pr0n...
Gluten is the protien in flour and forms the structure for the loaf(in basic terms its what holds the air in and gives the loaf volume.With a good strong flour your bread should Kick or grow quite a bit when in the oven and it hits the heat.)
Basic run down
http://www.regional.org.au/au/roc/1988/roc198815.htm
Basic run down
http://www.regional.org.au/au/roc/1988/roc198815.htm
bonj
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They look fantastic. That kneading technique is great eh? I love how the dough starts coming together and gets that silky look to it. "Coming alive" he calls it.
I have his other book Crust and I'm trying to find Dough. Did you buy it recently, and if so can you tell me where? It seems to have been out of stock for a while everywhere I have looked, so I'm hoping it's back again.-Bonj
Airgead
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I bought both of them from Amazon a couple of weeks ago. Even with shipping it was cheaper to get them from there than get them locally.
Only took a week to arrive too.
Cheers
Dave
Airgead
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Thanks. Looks like Angus and Robertson have it in stock for $49.95. Only $15 more (with shipping at the current exchange rate) and I don't have to compromise my anti-software patent principles
I know what you mean. I had to compromise my principles to buy from the great satan but the bread is worth it.
Cheers
Dave
I don't head much into the food forum and I am not sure why as i do just as much food stuff as I do beer. Here are some old bread shots I have plenty more that i will put up when I can get them off the old laptop.
I made these breads in the UK in an average oven, my oven at home now is even worse but I am doing a sourdough this weekend. i may even decide to krank the pizza oven up and do some bread in there.
anyway just a few pics.
I made these breads in the UK in an average oven, my oven at home now is even worse but I am doing a sourdough this weekend. i may even decide to krank the pizza oven up and do some bread in there.
anyway just a few pics.
drtomc
Fermentationist
Top book. I'd been baking most of our bread for 10 years when I found this book, and the technique in it really took my bread up another notch.
T.
AussieJosh
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Im looking at making bread for the first time tomorrow night to impress my chef girlfriend. she is a qualified chef but she is a specilaty pastry chef! So it will be hard to impress her! If you guys could give me a basic sourdough recipie, maybe one that i can add an ale or stout to that you think taste bloody good! I would be very thankfull! And i may even get some sex!
Airgead
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If you want to make sourdough tomorrow night you have left your run a bit late... to get a starter going and get it ready for bread making will take at least a week.
A simple white dough may be a better option for a first go but even that takes quite a bot of practice to get the hang of.
500g strong bakers flour
2 tsp salt
15g fresh yeast (or 1 packet of dried)
Water - about 350ml but don't add it all at once.. its something that varies a little depending on temp and humidity. You can replace some of the water with beer if you want.
Mix together into a moist dough. Kneed (French or English method) until it is smooth and elastic. You shouldn't need to add flour unless you have made your dough really wet. How to tell when its done? An old baker once told me to kneed it until it feels like your girlfriend's breasts when you squeeze it. This only works for natural breasts. Falsies don't have the right feel.
Sprinkle lightly with flour, place in bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Gently scrape the dough out onto a floured surface and form into a long log. Cut in half to make two smaller logs. Shape into loaves (round or oval). Place of a floured tray to rise again (another hour). Slash the tops just before they go in.
You need to have the over hot. I mean really HOT. As hot as it will go. And make sure you pre-heat it really well. If the oven is too cool you won't get a good crust. Spray the oven with a fine mist of water from a spray bottle as you put the bread in. The will help it rise more by delaying crust formation.
As the bread goes in turn the oven down slightly to around 225 and bake for about 15-20 mins. Don't open the door to check on it you will let the heat out. You want it nice and golden brown.
Let it cool completely before eating otherwise it is heavy and indigestible. If you want it warm, bunk it back in a hot oven for a couple of minutes just before you serve.
Good luck.
