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bread improvers contain the enzymes amylase and protease which help to produce and retain the gas as yeast has a limited amount of this and on it's own takes longer where as with the use of improvers can speed up the process which is necessary for bread produced on a huge scale (or if you are in a rush)

The old fashioned way of making bread i.e using sourdoughs or sponge and dough method takes much longer.

So I guess it's each person's decision and preference on the use of improvers when making home made bread

Hi

topics of bread improvers and fresh yeast. yeast first morrisons sells it in the chillier isle next to butter for a few pence per pack. Asda and Tesco will give you it for free if you ask at the bakery counter and Sainsbury’s sells it at the bakery counter for around 99p for a full block or a few pence for around 40g. bread improvers help with both the shelf life, taste and texture of the load or buns that you are making and can be found mostly on eBay and some artisan bakeries I use both fresh yeast and bread improvers in all my bread, buns and also in the likes of tea cake and other sweet buns hope this helps some of you out there that like to bake fresh bread Stuart

Hi

I have just started to make bread not very successfully - had to chisel some of it out of the tin. I went into a bakery in Bristol and asked for a few ounces of fresh yeast and he sold me a block that weighed about 2lb. You can freeze it for up to 9 weeks. I put mine in little ice cube trays in the freezer and then you just take out what you need. Happy baking. Great site

Hi

I have just started to make bread not very successuflly - had to chissel some of it out of the tin. I went into a bakery in Bristol and asked for a few ounces of fresh yeast and he sold me a block that weighed about 2lb. You can freeze it for up to 9 weeks. I put mine in little ice cube trays in the freezer and then you just take out what you need. Happy baking. Great site

Hi, you can also buy fresh yeast on ebay

Tesco Customer Services at my store said they wouldn't sell me some. Asked at their bakery section and the chap there gave me some!! Just goes to show it doesn't hurt to ask! Let's hope other peoples branches are as helpful :-)

My local Morrisons sells fresh yeast in Liverpool.Also I find Tesco are really good if you ask the bakery section. Hope this helps liverbird 2

I use quick yeast, it comes in little 10g sachets, and claims to be enough for 500g-1kg flour. I have used it for varying quantities, sometimes as much as 1.5kg flour, and it has always worked for me.
You simply sprinkle the yeast onto the flour, but you must be careful to mix in any sugar or salt prior to adding the yeast, as these can affect the yeast's properties. It has vitamin C added, which makes it work better.
I have seen this product in the "home baking" section of Sainsbury in the UK. The beauty of it is that it has a good shelf life. I don't know about bread "improvers"; my feeling is why add unknown ingredients to a good, natural product?
I always make my own bread and rolls; I have a B&B, and my guests appreciate the home made goodies.
I gave up following recipes when I found out just how easy bread is; try using half white and half wholemeal, and adding sunflower, pumpkin and linseed seeds.
Also, adding half a cup of semolina and half a cup of polenta to white flour.
I also add rye flour, about 1/3 to 2.4 white flour.
Good luck with the bread.

Hi I started making my own bread early this year (with badly needed encouragement from message boarders) and havent bought a loaf since - I had a few disasters at first but hopefully have now got the hang of it - It is so theraputic when stressed - I was told supermarkets sold it but like you, have found Sainsburys the only one who do - Is this perhaps because they are the only ones who bake from scratch on the premises?!!!!! Health food shops also sell it and you can also get it on ebay believe it or not, I am tempted to try the bread improver advertised on ebay, it says you get a better rise as it is cooking - does anyone have any info about bread improvers as one of the reasons I bake my own bread is I know what goes into it regards Lesley50 1

Try Sainsbury's that is where I get my fresh yeast from, at the bakery section.

thanks for your help with this one as i went to my local tesco today and they don,t give fresh yeast out anymore and they don,t sell it either.

This is a note I made to myself when I first started bread making. Although I have only used fresh yeast for ages.

1/2 dried yeast to match fresh yeast i.e. 20g fresh to 10g dried yeast.

This is a great site for questions like this, so if I am wrong I am sure others will help soon.