What happens if we put more sugar in bread? Or less sugar in bread? How much sugar should be added in bread? I know we all have such questions in our mind while baking bread. So, in this article let’s unreveal the main functions of sugar in bread making.
I used to believe that the main function of sugar in bread making is to add sweetness only, but recently I got an opportunity to have an informative trip to a bread-making factory. It was an exciting day for me, as we stepped into the bread factory, the inviting aroma of freshly baked bread greeted us, and we explored how dough transforms into delicious bread. At this time, I grasped the main function of sugar in bread making is a lot more than adding sweetness. It can turn a plain dough into something extraordinary.
According to recent studies, approximately 70% to 80% of bread recipes globally include sugar as a primary ingredient. It is a misconception that sugar is added to make food and drinks sweet only. Little did I know that it has other functions as well. Therefore, if you want to uncover the main function of sugar in bread making, this article could be a good choice. Now let’s explore the various and main function of sugar in bread making.
Main Function of Sugar in Bread Making
Sugar is an essential ingredient in the bread-making process. It can enhance the overall taste and texture of the bread, if added in moderate quantities. Instead of only adding sweetness, other main function of sugar in bread making are mentioned below:
Fig 1 : Main function of sugar in bread making
1. Yeast Activation and Fermentation
Yeast is a microorganism that needs food for their metabolism. Sugar gives a boost to the yeast to grow and multiply faster. It feeds on sugar and converts it into carbon dioxide and alcohol. This process is called alcoholic fermentation, which makes dough rise. Adding sugar while mixing the ingredients in dough formation helps expedite the fermentation process.
2. Flavor Enhancement
The most common main function of sugar in bread making is to add sweet flavor, which helps in balancing the collective taste of other ingredients in dough. The type and amount of sugar added can increase dough yield and softness of bread by altering the fermentation rate. Sugar remaining after fermentation contributes to the overall flavor, color, and texture of the final product.
3. Golden Crust
As the dough bakes, a magical transformation occurs. It is because one of the main function of sugar in bread making is to react with heat resulting in its caramelization adding further golden brown color and sweet notes to the crunchy crust.
4. Moisture Retention
Sugar is hygroscopic in nature (it attracts and retains water), building a strong bond with water molecules. These bonds ensure that the loaf remains soft, moist, and fresh for an extended period. A significant amount of sugar in dough produces a fluffy and light texture bread like cakes and pastries.
5. Staling Retardation
Sugar retains water and makes baked goods moist. It locks the moisture in the crumb structure that can slow down the staling process, preserving the softness of the bread over time and avoiding bread molding.
Hear what our dietician say about the function of sugar in bread
Types of Sugar Commonly Used in Baking
As there are multiple main function of sugar in bread making, there are multiple types of sugar also, the most commonly used sugars are:
1. Granulated sugar.
2. Brown sugar.
3. Powdered sugar.
1. Granulated Sugar
It is known as refined, table, or white sugar and comes from sugar cane plants. It has a sweeter taste than other sugars. The fine crystals of granulated sugar do not clump together and make it easier to measure and to dissolve in liquids or batter. It helps in good fermentation, color, and texture in bread and other baking goods.
2. Brown Sugar
It is rich in caramel-like flavor. This flavor plays a pivotal role in baking by adding unique depth to the taste. Brown sugar contains more minerals and less calories as compared to white sugar. It has more moisture content as compared to white sugar. It adds delightful chewiness to cookies and a moist crumb to cakes.
3. Powdered Sugar
It is also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar. It is made by milling granulated sugar into powder form. Its powdery texture helps in easy blending with other ingredients. It is a main ingredient for frosting, glazes, and icing creams and gives a silky texture that beautifully coats the topping of cakes, pastries, and cookies.
The Impact of Using too Little Sugar
Among many of the main function of sugar in bread making, raising the dough and speeding up the fermentation process is of the top priority but what happens if we use too little sugar?
The below mentioned effects will be prominent if we use too little sugar while baking bread:
Fig 2 – Under and limited sugar dough
1. Yeast Activity
Sugar serves as food for yeast. Adding less sugar can cause no dough rise or a longer rising-time because of the low fermentation process.
2. Texture and Crumb
Less sugar might lead to a denser crumb and crust.
3. Crust Color
Sugar promotes browning. With less sugar, the crust may be much lighter in color.
The Impact of Using too Much Sugar
Sugar can change the whole game of bread making. It can transform the overall texture, color and taste of bread, if added too little or too much. It can alter the main function of sugar in bread making into something tasteless.
Let’s see below what happens to bread if we add too much sugar.
Fig 3 – Bread with too much sugar
Below are the impacts of adding too much sugar in bread making.
1. Increase In Sweetness
The most possible effect is that the bread will be sweeter than ordinary bread.
2. Yeast Activity
Yeast feeds on sugar during fermentation. Too much sugar in dough will lead to a vigorous and overly rapid rise in it, making dough sticky and difficult to handle. It can also overwhelm yeast or create an environment where it is difficult for yeast to thrive.
3. Darker Crust
More sugar can result in a darker and caramelized crust. It can make the crust thick and even burnt.
4. Shelf Life
Sugar is directly proportional to the stalling process. Higher sugar content attracts more water to retain in bread and prohibits staling.
5. Nutrition Considerations
More sugar can increase calorie and carbohydrate content in bread, which is not very good for health.
FAQS:
1: How much sugar should be added to the dough?
The amount of sugar can vary depending on personal preferences and the type of bread you are making.
For a basic bread recipe, you might use 1-2 tablespoons of sugar for every 2-3 cups of flour. This composition will make bread rise by boosting yeast.
2: What sugar is used in bread?
The choice of sugar depends on the specific recipe being used. If you want a caramelized flavor, you can use brown sugar. If you want more sweet bread, you can use granulated sugar. It is totally up to your preference.
3: Can artificial sweeteners be used as sugar in bread making?
Artificial sweeteners can give you a sweet taste like sugar, but they may alter the texture, taste, and overall outcome of bread. Because they do not provide the same level of fuel for yeast fermentation as sugar does.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the main function of sugar in bread making is from boosting yeast for fermentation to contributing to the crust color and flavor. Sugar is the pivotal and essential ingredient for bread baking, which cannot be denied. However, it is important to note that adding too much or too little sugar can make the results worse. Baking is an art of measuring ingredients and making the final product look and taste good. It’s important to use sugar in moderate amounts according to the recipe and understand the important and main function of sugar in bread making. I hope this understanding of sugar inspires you to craft golden brown loaves with delightful aromas. Happy Baking!
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