Info on bread improver ingredients

[dede]

I'm heading to the health food shop today to check out their bread improver's to see what they have. From what I have read I will be asking questions and making sure the ingredients are all natural with no hidden nasties. I have never used bread improver before but from what I have heard it can make a difference to a good loaf of bread. I am just curious to see if I can notice a difference with or without it.

[Cuilidh]

Dede, if it's not too late, have another read of Andisenji's post and perhaps you could try one of the alternatives she mentions.  It may be easier to do that than grill the people at the shop as they very possibly don't know (or, quite simply, don't even realise) what is in the bread improvers.

[dede]

Well I have now got all the ingredients needed to make my own bread improver. Now to try it out.
And yes Cuilidh I did have a good read of the ingredient list on the bread improver and didnt get any satisfaction with the workers knowing what they were talking about. The used by date was almost up on the package and the girl said it would be fine cause it is basically only yeast and lasts along time.
But from my experience 1) its not yeast and 2) Yeast doesn't work to well once its out of date.
I much prefer to add my own ingredients so I know exactly what my family is eating.

[Tebasile]

Mike Adams wrote today in his newsletter about L-cysteine as well.

I found this recipe a couple years ago and used it sometimes in rolls:

Dough enhancer recipe

140 g lecithin granules
 1 Tbs vitamin C powder (I used camu camu powder)
 1 Tbs ginger, ground

Mix all ingredients  10 sec / speed 5 and store in tightly closed glass jar. Add to flour in amount equal to yeast with other  ingredients. 

Apparently, the ginger gooses the yeast and makes it act more swiftly, the ascorbic acid strengthens the gluten, and the lecithin aids the oil in causing the strands of gluten to slip against each other more easily and thus rise better.


http://tebasileskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/dough-enhancer-recipe.html



 

[zebraa]

I don't know why you would NEED to use a bread improver? My bread is pretty darn perfct just as it is Seriously though, it is. /unflavoured Vit C tablets are cheap if you feel the need to crush one up , but try without it and see if you get used to it.

[Girlpower247]

Just wanting some feedback on alternative bread improvers from this list please
Those of you who have tried alternatives, which did you use and are you happy with the results?
I just brought some bread improver a couple of weeks ago, currently at work but pretty sure the type of enzyme isn't noted

[Jude59]

I always use 2 tspns apple cider vinegar to 500 grams bread flour as an improver and my bread is always great.

[Girlpower247]

Yay, that's something I do have in my pantry...thanks kindly Jude

[droverjess]

I never use improver and make good bread.

[Alexis]

I just saw a program on TV that said that pig hair is used as a bread improver. Yuck!

[Bonsai]

I bought some bread improver years ago. It smells awful and I don't think I could see any benefit in using it. Like Droverjess my bread seems quite ok without extra bits so I've given up using it.

[deedub]

hmmmm might chuck out my bread improver too, don't have the packet anymore so can't remember what brand it is. I have some vitamin C powder in the pantry, can't remember why I bought it, so will try that instead or just go without.

[goldfish]

Bump

[droverjess]

I sometimes put in 1/4 tsp vit c powder
See my loaf recipe in the bread thread

[achookwoman]

Can't see any need for this if you use good bread flour. Recently read somewhere that they thought that the gluten problems may be related to the over use of this.