The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Sugar, is it needed?

Kev-UK's picture
Kev-UK

Sugar, is it needed?

Hi All,

I've been baking lovely loaves using Alinsons Easy Bake Yeast, until one day when doughs seemed to go lifeless. I tried various things to improve my doughs but finally put it down to the yeast. I contacted the manufacturer who said my issue was lack of sugar in my recipe! I'd been making very successful loaves with just the usual 4 ingredients, so I'm puzzelled as to why they state sugar, and butter, needs to be added. 

Any thoughts on this? 

drogon's picture
drogon

Not for basic bread doughs that is. Flour, water, salt yeast. That's all you need.

It's not impossible you got a bad sachet of yeast. Maybe the sachet had been punctured or ... etc.

Adding sugar & butter will give you a slightly enriched dough - it might taste a bit sweeter and last a day longer, but if you're going to do that, then make a "proper" enriched bread dough.

If you've a Sainsburys near you, go to the bread counter and ask for some fresh yeast- it's quite cheap. 200g will last a few weeks in a sealed tub in the fridge. Or see if they (or a local wholefoods shop) has the Doves farm dried yeast. (a 200g bag I think - keep it in a tupperware once opened)

I use bioreal organic yeast for the yeasted breads I do, but it's a bit more expensive than others - I get 500g bags from Shipton Mill.

-Gordon

Kev-UK's picture
Kev-UK

Thanks Gordon. 

I bought a few tins of yeast and threw the ones I had problems with. Alinson (Tate & Lyle), end s prepaid envelope for md to send back some yeast. I only had a new unopened tin, which they said worked fine. My thoughts are a bad batch of yeast as you say. 

I was a baker for 12 years only only use fresh yeast. The dried stuff seems to work ok got home baking.