When NOT to Use Dough Enhancer
Some breads are better without enhancement. Learn which ones and why traditional techniques matter.
The Golden Rule
Dough enhancers are designed for soft, sandwich-style breads that prioritize tender texture and extended freshness. For artisan and crusty breads where crust, crumb structure, and complex flavors are the goal, traditional techniques work better than additives.
Breads That Don't Need Dough Enhancer
Artisan Sourdough
Long fermentation naturally develops what enhancers provide
Sourdough relies on extended fermentation (12-48 hours) which naturally develops gluten strength, complex flavors, and improved digestibility. Adding enhancers can interfere with the wild yeast and lactobacillus cultures, and shortcuts the very process that makes sourdough special.
French Baguettes
Traditional recipes use only flour, water, salt, and yeast
Authentic baguettes achieve their characteristic crispy crust and open crumb through technique—steam injection, proper shaping, and scoring. Enhancers would soften the crust and change the crumb structure, losing the hallmark qualities of a true baguette.
Italian Ciabatta
High hydration and long autolyse create the signature texture
Ciabatta's rustic, open-holed structure comes from very wet dough (75-85% hydration) and extended fermentation. Enhancers are designed to strengthen dough, which would work against the loose, stretchy structure ciabatta requires.
Focaccia
Olive oil provides the softness; open crumb is the goal
Focaccia's tender texture comes from generous amounts of olive oil, not emulsifiers. Adding enhancers would create a tighter crumb—the opposite of focaccia's characteristic airy, open texture with large irregular holes.
Rustic Crusty Breads
Crispy crust is the priority, not soft texture
Breads like pain de campagne, country loaves, and boules are prized for their thick, crispy crust and chewy crumb. Enhancers are formulated to create softness—exactly what you don't want in these traditional breads.
Naturally Leavened Breads
Pre-ferments (poolish, biga) provide natural enhancement
When using pre-ferments, the extended fermentation already develops gluten strength, improves flavor, and extends shelf life naturally. Adding enhancers is redundant and can mask the nuanced flavors these techniques develop.
Why These Breads Don't Need Enhancers
Dough enhancers solve specific problems that artisan breads don't have:
- Long fermentation naturally strengthens gluten - Artisan breads use extended fermentation times that develop gluten strength organically, making added gluten unnecessary.
- Crispy crust is the goal - Enhancers contain emulsifiers designed to keep bread soft. For crusty breads, this works against the desired outcome.
- Open, irregular crumb is desired - Enhancers create a tighter, more uniform crumb structure—the opposite of what ciabatta and focaccia require.
- Flavor development through time - The complex flavors in artisan breads come from fermentation. Shortcuts can mute these flavors.
When You SHOULD Use Dough Enhancer
Recommended Products
Ready to try dough enhancer in your baking? Explore our Grandmother Eloise product line: