Bread Improver

[wallie]

Where in the UK can I buy bread improver, I have never seen it in any of the major supermarkets.

wallie

[scotty]

Where in the UK can I buy bread improver, I have never seen it in any of the major supermarkets.

wallie

First i ever heard of it--thanks for the lesson.
I didn't realize that there are so many kinds though

http://www.fermex.com.au/products/produ ... +Improvers

[wheels]

Wallie

Here:
http://www.kitchenfoods.co.uk/index.htm

Phil

[saucisson]

I used her malty wholemeal improver in that wholemeal loaf you liked the look of Phil so a thumbs up from me.

Dave

[Gordon]

I use the improver from kitchen foods it transformed my bread.

Improver is also available from Lakeland shops

[wallie]

Thanks guy, my order has just went out to Kitchen Foods.

wallie

[RodinBangkok]

I'm not a big fan of these. I use vital wheat gluten or gluten flour, ascorbic acid, but as I'm baking my own to insure I know what's in it I stay away from these type general additives. Case in point, L-Cysteine, a common ingredient in dough enhancers. I'm not some health freak when it comes to adding food grade chemicals to anything, but this one it kind of got to me for some reason. Google it along with the word bread.

For me its more fun to experiment with basic ingredients to learn and understand their effect on the formula, and generally cheaper in the long run.

But they do work!

[Spuddy]

I buy from this guy:

http://www.tastesoftorrisholme.co.uk/

[saucisson]

Rod, L-cysteine is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of any protein, I wouldn't worry about adding it just because it has been artificially extracted/synthesised.

Dave

[wheels]

Rod - You can join me in the Luddites corner, I don't use it either!

Phil

[saucisson]

You do realise your easy blend yeast almost certainly has some nasty chemicals in it that are exactly the same as the ones in improvers?

Dave

[wheels]

Yep. so why would I want to add more?

Seriously though, I have no problem with people using additional improvers, but I don't - it's a pity we can't get an 'easy blend' (powdered) yeast without them - unless someone knows a source?

I have made my bread recipes with fresh, ordinary dried, and wild yeast and, other than the rising/proving times, there is no significant difference. I use easy blend because then my bread making fits easily into my life and I'm able to make all our bread this way. Whichever method you use the important thing is to have a routine you can maintain, otherwise it just becomes a chore.

Phil

[captain wassname]

Iwas walking round my local tesco today when i came across doves farm fast action dried yeasy. It did contain an emulsifier ,sorbitan monostearate but nothing else. Maybe this would be a step in the right direction for those seeking to avoid addatives.

Phil mentioned in another thread lemon juice and anti freeze: I have used lemon juice 2tsp per 500Gm flour in any reciepe involving wholemeal flour.for about 5 years ,something to do withh making the gluten work better.but I dont rememberthe exact details except that I baked a better loaf.

Ihave also had some experience of glycerine (glycol) when i wat pipefitting. when mixed with lead monoxide it amde a joint which was impervious to any known (at that timr) solvent probably ideal for a hard crust. Maybe those out there of a more enquiring mind could investigate the possibilities of glycerine lemon and honey throat sweets

Jim

[wheels]

Jim

It was distinctly "tough in cheek" when I said about the lemon/antifreeze. A good starting point for people wanting to speed up the process without using a proprietary improver would be vitamin C or, as you mention, the Dove's Farm product.

Phil

[sausagemaker]

Lakeland have one see link below

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/claybrooke-mi ... duct/11682

Regards
Richard