Are you ready to create high, billowy, beautiful loaves of homemade bread?
Our grandmothers knew that certain ingredients helped the dough rise faster and higher, have a better texture, and keep longer without going stale or molding. These natural dough enhancers and bread improvers still work well today!
About dough enhancers
One of the most frequent questions people ask me is how I achieve those big, fluffy loaves. It's not really a secret - I do what commercial bakeries do.
Dough enhancer, also called bread improver.
There are a lot of reasons bread doesn't rise to its full potential, so to speak, but one way to ensure that gorgeous loaf is a dough enhancer. Commercial bakeries use it for a reason.
Now, I am not telling you to use a bunch of chemicals dumped into your recipe. There are tons of natural ingredients that help your bread rise high, light, and fluffy.
Here are some of my favorite ingredients to make your dough rise higher. You can use one of them or combine several. Take some time to try each of them to see what works for you.
Ginger
I first learned about adding 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger from an (almost) ancient cookbook. Old cookbooks are one of my addictions and I found this one in a second hand store. The note to add ginger was handwritten in the flyleaf so I tried it - and loved the result.
Ginger is still my favorite dough enhancer additive. This common spice boosts the yeast like that first cup of coffee hitting you in the morning. The yeast gets more active much more quickly.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of ginger in with the water when you are first proofing the yeast to help your bread rise higher and fluffier. It won't make your bread taste like ginger, either.
Potato water
The next time you boil potatoes don't salt the water. When the potatoes are done save that cloudy water in a Mason jar. Cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator.
Then, when you are ready to make your recipe, warm the potato water to 110F and use it in place of the water or milk (in equal measure).
This works to help your bread rise because of the potato starch that's left in the water. The starch encloses the gas bubbles in dough and strengthens them.
That makes your bread rise lighter and higher. Of course it also gives a pleasant flavor and I feel good about being as frugal as my grandmother was!
Don't keep potato water more than a few days, though. It sours and can really smell up your kitchen.
Wheat gluten
Wheat gluten is a protein that's present in all wheat flour. It's the substance that gives the dough that elastic feel.
It strengthens the dough and holds the gas bubbles produced by the yeast and to make the bread rise higher. It's really helpful when you are using different kinds of flour.
You can buy vital wheat gluten, which is just the gluten. Substitute 1 tablespoon gluten for 1 tablespoon flour in each cup of flour for whole wheat bread and about half that for white.
So, if your recipe calls for 8 cups whole wheat flour you'll remove 1/2 cup of the flour and add 1/2 cup of gluten added in with the flour.
If you're making pizza dough or Italian bread you can add about 1 1/2 tablespoons per cup of flour to give your bread that chewier texture.
Dry milk powder
Adding 2 tablespoons instant dry milk powder per loaf of bread will help your bread rise higher, stay soft, and hold the moisture longer. That means it won't get stale as quickly. Dry milk powder creates a more golden brown crust and improves nutrition, too.
Add it with the flour.
Vitamin C powder
Don't use this in your artisan type breads that have a coarser crumb but it will help make sandwich loaves soft -- especially good when it comes to wheat breads.
The acid of the vitamin C helps the yeast to work better and also acts as a preservative by deterring the growth of mold and bacteria.
I toss the contents of a bottle of vitamin C tablets in the blender, turn them into a powder, and then store it in a Mason jar.
Use 1/8 teaspoon per loaf of bread, adding it in with the flour.
Other possibilities
There are other additives you can use, of course. In addition to the ones mentioned above people add:
- dried potato flakes
- Lecithin
- Vinegar
- A variety of other ingredients
I tend to stick with those listed here because in the 41+ years I've been making bread they haven't let me down!
Learn all the tricks!!
Since this is a pdf file you can download it immediately after purchase and get all the tips and tricks today! Check it out- Complete Beginner's Guide to Making Homemade Bread
Supplies
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Gluten flour is available almost everywhere but I often get mine on Amazon because it's just so darn convenient. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Flour
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
FAQs
Here are the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you don't find the answer to yours here leave a comment below or email me - I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
Ingredients or combinations of ingredients that are added to bread dough to get it to rise better, stay softer, and last longer.
What is bread improver?
Yeast turns the starches and sugars in flour to carbon dioxide gas which in turn inflates air bubbles in the bread causing it to rise. Since the yeast is also multiplying and producing more carbon dioxide the bread rises more and more.
Related
Dough enhancers (also called bread conditioners or dough improvers) work really well when everything else is working right, too. If you are still having trouble check out this information on troubleshooting.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
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Click through to these bread recipes to try this great dough enhancer out!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Dough Enhancer
Print Add to CollectionEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 cup wheat gluten
- 2 tablespoons lecithin granules
- 1 teaspoon vitamin C granules
- 2 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin
- 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
Instructions
- Mix together and store in a capped Mason jar in the refrigerator.
- To Use: Add 3 tablespoons for each loaf of bread a recipe makes.
Notes
- Let come to room temperature before making bread.
- Shake the jar before using.
- This will stay good indefinitely in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published August 2015. Last updated July 2020 to update information and give the reader a better experience.
Kathy
Hi, I have a question on using ginger, on one spot I see that you said !/4 tsp. and on another spot you say 1 tsp. so I wanted to know which one is correct? Thank you
Marye
If you are making a bread recipe then 1/4 teaspoon. If you are making the recipe for the enhancer to USE in your bread recipes then it's 1 teaspoon. 🙂
Melody
Yes, gave the vitamin C with orange flavour a go last night. No problem with taste. Lovely soft and crusty. My only observation was our wholemeal seeded bread hasn't risen as much the last two times. But the first time it didn't rise as much we hadn't tried the vitamin C trick. Only change is where we brought our powdered ginger and the fact that is getting hotter and more humid. The vitamin C didn't seem to have any effect on rising. We bake using a breadmaker and put it on a 13hr time delay to have it fresh in the morning. We store the yeast in the freezer, so we are a bit lost to why the decrease in rise. Happy baking.
Stacia
Melody, don’t freeze your yeast. Freezing yeast kills certain bacteria strains. Since I’ve been keeping yeast in the fridge the yeast keeps its strength through the whole life of the jar. source: ken forkish, from his book: flour, water, salt, yeast.
Melody
Hello, thanks so much for all your great tips with bread making. We love the addition of ginger it really works well. Thinking about trying the addition of vitamin C but seem to be only finding vitamin C with orange flavour. Will this effect the flavour of the bread or should I seek harder to find vitamin C with no flavour. All the best
Marye
It might give it a slight orange flavor depending on how strong the flavoring was. I'd try it. 🙂
Melody
Yes, gave the vitamin C with orange flavour a go last night. No problem with taste. Lovely soft and crusty. My only observation was our wholemeal seeded bread hasn't risen as much the last two times. But the first time it didn't rise as much we hadn't tried the vitamin C trick. Only change is where we brought our powdered ginger and the fact that is getting hotter and more humid. The vitamin C didn't seem to have any effect on rising. We bake using a breadmaker and put it on a 13hr time delay to have it fresh in the morning. We store the yeast in the freezer, so we are a bit lost to why the decrease in rise. Happy baking.
Erica
When adding the milk powder, do we need to replace any of the milk/sugar or flour like you say to do with the gluten?
I am so excited to try this, I have everything ready to go!!
Also, just as a suggestion, I use a high protein flour (Wheat Montana is awesome!!), but it's not bread flour, and the Tbsp measurement is too much for 13% flour. You might want to suggest the 1 Tsp to 1 Tbsp difference depending on the protein level of the flour 🙂 Might make bread too dense with higher protein flours.
Marye
No.
Roc
Need help with Gluten-Free Flours! For a regular loaf, love the height and moistness when adding 1/4 tsp of ginger!
I have a few friends that cannot eat wheat. They hate the density of gluten-free bread.
I tried to use your 1/4 tsp of powder ginger with a GF flour with my Zojirushi bread machine and did use the GF button, but it was still flat but not as bad. Can you suggest maybe the proportions need changing or other ingredients to add? any help would be wonderful.
Marye
I'm sorry. I am not familiar enough with gluten free flour to be any help.
Angela Weiland
Hello! Thanks for the great tips...I am new to the bread making art and love it!! I love to learn all the tricks and stuff LOL but I was hoping you could share your opinion about if the ginger flavor is strong and changes the bread flavor that much? I appreciate your input.....again, thank you!!!
Angela
Marye
Not at all. It just helps to get the yeast going.
Santhi
Hi, I'm allergic for yeast I love to eat bread, do you have recipes that I can make bread without yeast.
I would appreciate if you can help me.
Thanks & Regards,
Santhi
Marye
Hi Santhi,
Try this - you can use regular flour if you have it. https://www.restlesschipotle.com/easy-oatmeal-batter-bread-without-flour/
Linda Beus
Just spent way to much time trying to save this in Pinterest and never did get it to work!
Marye
I'm sorry. You can find the pin here - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/54746951707831012/
There's a glitch but I'm working on it.
Shirley
Do you increase amount of yeast if making 8 loaves of bread.at one time
Marye
I'd add 2 tablespoons or 2 packets is all.
Karen Adams
Hi I was just wondering if you can taste the ginger in any of the bread you make. Thanks for all the great information.
Marye
Nope! It only activates the yeast - it doesn't add flavor!