How to make bread improver? [closed]

Question

For unknown reasons, but probably related to the covid pandemic, we are unable to buy bread improver.

Related question - What is 'Bread Improver'?

Our daily bread is made in a bread machine, and our recipe is approximately 50% rye, 50% white (or sometimes wholemeal), salt, water and yeast. Without the bread improver, it's still OK, but is about 30% larger "loaf~ier" with the improver included.

Is there some way of making your own bread-improver? I found these suggestions, but I would have preferred more of the science behind the actions of the ingredient.

I think the main ingredient in our improver is Soy Lecithin.

Since lecithin is found in egg yolk, milk and soy beans. I'd be happy to add all these to the bread, but I'm after a few hints before I go wasting good flour on ill-informed experimentation.

My current thought is to start with maybe a tablespoon (20ml) of skim milk-power added to the flour. Does that sound reasonable?

EDIT: found a recipe: http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/recipes/enhancer-recipes/bread-freshtm-dough-enhancer.php I'm by no means a vegetarian, but I am also not particularly keen on adding gelatine to my bread.

Answer 1

Vitamin C is probably the most critical of the components of most bread improvers. It helps the yeast grow essentially - just like you need vitamins, so does the yeast. Apparently it also strengthens the gluten through a chemical reaction.

Lecithin is also good to add. At the quantities provided in a typical lecithin additive to bread it acts as an emulsifier - breaking down fats/oils supplied in the bread mixture and making them more available to the yeast, thereby enhancing metabolism, as well as improving moisture retention through better mixing of the fat/oil and water within the loaf.