Homemade bread and sugar
 

We've gotten into making our own bread and I was wondering if any of you know if there is any substitute for using sugar. I know sugar does something with the yeast so I didn't know if a substitute would be able to do the same thing. I have agave nectar and erythritol and stevia at home. Or does that small amount of sugar not really matter that much in the grand scheme of things. What is it? Usually a teaspoon or so over a whole loaf or batch of rolls?

Thanks for any advice!

Kara

I always use agave nectar in my homemade bread, but you could use stevia, erythritol, or even splenda with good results, too.

I usually use agave. I do use dark molasses in some dark breads though. It's such a small amount that I don't worry about it (maybe a tablespoon per loaf). The yeast just needs enough to activate.

Thanks, gals! :)

This thread just gave me a great idea. I'm going to make lots of rolls and bread with white whole wheat flour and freeze them for my Dad a part of his Christmas gift. I was frustrated again last weekend to discover "wheat" rolls in the house with 4 different kinds of sugar listed. He likes soft breads and white whole wheat does that. Thanks gals ;)

Yes, ma'am!! I already started my baking/freezing. I have a few suggestions for sweet breads...apple cinnamon, pumpkin, chunky monkey(banana n chocolate pudding in the mix), lemon, mandarin orange and ginger...and the list goes on and on. GOOD LUCK!!

Kara, I recently made this recipe using the whole wheat instructions. I did it twice. The first time, I was a bit scared of the bread not rising without the sugar, so I did this:

The bread turned out fine, but I found myself addicted and slightly jittery.

When I made the second batch, I still used the tsp. of sugar, but I used substitutes for the rest. It worked just as well as the first time, but I wasn't jittery and I was able to control my portion size.

Moral of the story: you may need a little sugar (though agave nectar or maple syrup could work for that) to get the yeast going, but you don't need much. :shrug: At least, that's my take on it.

CathyM I just googled white whole wheat. Sounds like a dream! Maybe it can make ww pizza taste better to my family??!

Don't you have to have a little sweetener for the yeast to start to grow? I thought it had to be something actually sugary like sugar, honey, molasses, syrup-not an artificial sweetener.

Will bread rise without sugar?

Sarah in MD