Monday, January 16, 2012

How to make Homemade Dough Enhancer:

I make bread twice a week and this dough enhancer really makes a difference in my bread I use half whole wheat and half white flour so I use 2 Tbl. Enhancer (My goal is to use all wheat flour that I grind myself )
Dough enhancer is just what you need to make whole grain homemade bread light and wonderful, just like white bread, only better. You can buy dough enhancer, but it’s cheaper to make your own.

What goes into a dough enhancer? I use a combination of wheat gluten, lecithin, ascorbic acid crystals, pectin, gelatin, nonfat dry milk, and ginger. Wheat gluten improves the texture and rise of bread. Lecithin teams up with the gluten to make bread lighter. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) helps the yeast work better. Pectin adds moisture, as does the gelatin. The dry milk helps the dough relax and the ginger is another yeast booster (you won’t taste it in the finished product). Most of these are also preservatives, so they help keep your bread fresh longer, and they are all natural.

How to make Homemade Dough Enhancer:
1 cup wheat gluten
2 tablespoons lecithin granules
1 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals ( you can use a 500 mg. Vit C )
2 tablespoons powdered pectin ( Sure-Jell )
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1 teaspoon powdered ginger

Mix together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For 100% whole grain breads, use 3 tablespoons per loaf. Add to your recipe along with the flour.

While it’s not necessary to use dough enhancer in white bread recipes, you can. I haven't used it in plain white bread but I think 1 tablespoon would work. You’ll have higher loaves, and loaves that stay fresh longer. Especially in summer months, if you don’t use air conditioning, dough enhancer will help you keep your bread fresh longer.

I love dough enhancer so much I make it in triple batches and keep it in a quart-size jar.

2 comments:

  1. How much do you use for white bread (per cup of flour)?

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    Replies
    1. I haven't tried it on plain white bread but I would think 1 tablespoon per loaf of bread would be good.
      Connie

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