We all know that first impressions are important, and it can take as short as less than a second to form one. Likewise for bread, a good-looking loaf will more likely trigger purchase as compared to a pale, dry and dense looking bread.

On the first sight of a bread, consumers will assess the shape, colour and volume. Instinctively, they associate a nice-looking loaf with a quality and tasty product. How do you ensure your bread always rises to the occasion? The right choice of formulation is essential for optimising the fermentation process and helping dough to withstand the various mechanical stresses without damage.

Technical Issues with Sponge and Dough Method

Sponge & Dough method is widely used to make sandwich loaves and buns. It consists of two stages. The mixture in the first stage (sponge) containing flour, yeast and water will undergo the first fermentation for 4 hours before the sponge and the remaining ingredients are added and mixed. This pre-fermentation method gives strength and aroma, improves the air-hole texture and the volume of the loaf. For this technique, we recommend adding yeast food to guarantee successful pre-fermentation.

Some technical issues that exist in sponge and dough method include:

• Collapsed sides when baking in tins. This occurs particularly during cooling or chilling, when the bread is too voluminous, or the amylase activity is too high.
• A non-pliable crumb – one that tears on contact with spreads and where the slices become misshapen inside the packaging or becomes saturated when contact with a dressing.
• Loss of softness over time and starts to crumble.
• Mould development.

Your Trusted Solution: MAGIMIX^® Bread Improvers

Are you facing problem getting your breads to look fluffy, golden brown and all consistently sized? Our MAGIMIX^® Green gives your products exceptional volume with improved dough tolerance and better oven-spring during baking. It promotes better machinability and ease of shaping, allowing bakers to be more effective when handling the dough.

Save time, always rise to expectations, and deliver top quality breads to your customers with MAGIMIX^® Green.

Our Baking Center^™ technicians can advise on recipes and processes for optimal use of MAGIMIX^® Green. Reach out to your local distributor or visit us at lesaffre.com.sg for more information.