The Pizza Therapy Forum and Pasta Therapy Forum

[broval]

dough question
for comeercial dough, pizza,
is it necessary to add sugar, if so, why?
thank you
jeff from Hamilton

I have tried both ways and sugar seems to help fresh yeast activate
please educate me on your efforts to produce great pizza dough in large amounts
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JEFF VALENTINE

[dfandreatta]

The sugar does feed the yeast. That's why you would add the sugar to warm water, add the yeast, and let it activate for 5 or 10 minutes before adding the flour and other ingredients.

Try once without it and see how it turns out; even that little teaspoon of salt makes a difference in the flavor.

[broval]

thk u for taking time to answer my dough inquriery
_________________
JEFF VALENTINE

[GOOMBA]

JEFF:
Good afternoon. In essence adding sugar to a lean bread dough is only a option. It is not a requirement. In the proper amount it doesn't do harm
however, if it is a little too much it works in reverse... it will interfere with the function of the yeast. The time to mix in sugar, in it's proper amount is if you are planning to freeze the dough...Why???... as you know, when you freeze a lean bread dough the yeast sometimes gets destroyed or what doesn't then lies dorment. Sometimes 100% of the time, sometimes maybe only 1/3rd the time. In any event being that the yeast is lying dorment because of the freeing of it the sugar prompts the yeast... like it gives the yeast a kick in the butt as it begins to defrost. Anyway I hope this this posts will provide you with the answer you are seeking. Good luck & have a nice day.
~GOOMBA>

[dfandreatta]

My understanding, from what I have read about "How bread works" is that the sugar feeds the yeast. Salt will kill it. If you look at bread recipes, particularly for breadmakers, they say to not put the salt right in with the yeast, and that is because the salt will kill it.

I use a breadmaker for my dough. I always heat the water (not too hot), dissolve some turbinado sugar, and sprinkle the yeast on top. I let it set for 5-10 minutes while the yeast activates. Then I add the flour, gluten, olive oil, and spread the salt on top. Push the button, and there you go!

I also watch the machine while it is kneading, to make sure there is enough water to grab all of the ingredients. I usually add a little, and if the dough is too sticky, dust a little flour on the dough to make it "just right".

Hope this helps!

"Papa Don"
Tampa, Florida

[Apizza Scholls]

You do not need sugar in your dough, unless that taste profile is your personal preference. Sugar is added by many pizzerias as a C.Y.A. (Cover your ***) in case the dough is underfermented or overfermented, so that it will brown during the baking process. Amalyse enzymes, present in the flour, will break down the complex proteins and starches in wheat and convert them to simple sugars, which the yeast will feed upon and levan the dough.

Salt will not kill yeast, unless you are putting your yeast directly in contact with the salt itself for a prolonged period of time. Salt, like acid, slows down the fermentation process, but adds much to the flavor of the crust as it does with all foods.

Sugar may speed up your fermentation, but that is not allowing acid production to take place, which takes time. When you do long, slow fermentations, you produce lactic and acidic acids, which give flavor, texture and natural preservative qualities. My dough takes 24 hours to make at room temperature and many think that it has oil or butter in it, however it is just flour, water, yeast and salt. The buttery flavor comes from the acid production over the long fermentation.

Brian Spangler
Apizza Scholls

[Vince120]

Hi all,

Thanks for some interesting 411 on sugar in dough, Apizza, very interesting. I didn't see anybody mention a couple other things sugar does in dough, even in small quantities. One is that it makes dough slightly more pliable (workable) with handling, interfering with the protein bonds in the gluten. The other thing I have noticed is color. Dough with sugar browns a little nicer than without. Oh yeah, I didn't see this either but it doesn't have to be sugar, it can be honey or other sweeteners.

Happy Pizza!

Vinny

[djh23mcl]

how does that work?