Comment by VyseofArcadia | Hacker News Reader

Comment by VyseofArcadia | Hacker News Reader

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> even bog standard bread

Yes, we definitely have too much sugar in everything, but as an amateur baker I will defend sugar in bread. Sure, you don't need it in a baguette or a rustic boule, but it is indispensable for a nice, soft sandwich loaf. It's not there to make the bread sweeter. It makes the bread softer, it boosts the yeast for a nicer rise, and it keeps it from going stale as quickly.

Granted, I don't use a ton of it. My favorite sandwich bread recipe[0] is 8g of sugar to 500g flour, and with my long loaf pan I typically get 20-25 slices, so maximum 400mg a slice. Quite good compared to my favorite supermarket bread at 2g a slice.

Sure, "bog standard" bread could have less sugar, but some sugar is essential for this style of bread.

[0] https://www.nigella.com/recipes/old-fashioned-sandwich-loaf, omitting the butter and oil and using cultured buttermilk instead of spoiled milk or sour cream. I say "omitting the butter", but I do still butter the loaf pan. I just don't include any in the dough itself.

> Sure, "bog standard" bread could have less sugar, but some sugar is essential for this style of bread.

I fully agree. As a German I do want to point out that American style sandwich bread is a very specific style. Sugar goes into it much as it does into challah dough or brioche - but all these stradle the cake-bread boundary for me.

If you want sugar in your bread, you gotta suffer through the process of making pumpernickel like everyone else, gosh darn it! /j

what does pumpernickel have to do with sugar?

Its very high acidity dough combined with its long, low bake makes the starches break down into sugars more compared to other breads.

Thanks

I'll add to this: A lot of home cooks were taught to add a bit of sugar to the bread to help the yeast. I used to mix yeast, water, and a bit of sugar together to get the yeast started. I mostly did this because I learned to make bread before the internet, and this was common in instructions that I could access.

https://youtu.be/AqFeXxa_NTk

This guy experiments with sugar levels and how it affects yeast.

Turns out the water absorbing properties of sugar also has a large effect in the other direction, so maybe it doesn't really help the yeast

Sugar can inhibit yeast development: This is generally only an issue with sweet doughs, though. A teaspoon of yeast won't have that effect, especially if it is in a half cup of water.

But more importantly, in the times before the internet, you just couldn't reason like that. If your mother and grandmother and great-grandmother all start bread by dissolving yeast and a small amount of sugar in some water... well, you do it too. The cookbooks sometimes told you this if it wasn't too terribly old (old cookbooks expect you to know a lot, and directions get sparse).

> but it is indispensable for a nice, soft sandwich loaf

There's a difference between the kind of bread you're making, and Wonder Bread. Wonder Bread is just an oversized marshmallow.

The difference between a nice brioche - made with plenty of sugar, with a soft, fluffy character - and a standard loaf of french bread is quite large. I spring for the french bread only because it's cheaper. Bread with sugar is superior.

That’s pretty much the point though isn’t it? Everything is a bit (or a lot) better to the human brain when you add sugar

I consume nothing but sourdough, because of the simplicity of ingredients and no sugar is necessary in its recipe. Lately I've found that "take-and-bake" loaves can be purchased, frozen, and freshly baked on demand. It works out great, and I love the simple, honest flavor of San Francisco style sourdough for sandwiches or just a buttered slice to go with my supper.

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