Question

With a little extra work and time, bakers can make bread at home without having to buy commercial used at the store. The most basic bread recipe begins with just flour and water. What is the most likely, alternative source of these that is also necessary to make bread?

Answer 1

To make bread in addition to flour and water, yeast is an essential ingredient that acts as a leavening agent by converting sugar into carbon dioxide, making the bread rise and become fluffy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely, alternative source of leavening that is also necessary to make bread, in addition to just flour and water, is yeast. Historically, artisanal breads were made by capturing wild yeasts from the air, which was a long and laborious process. This is because many batches of dough ended up being discarded due to the unpredictability of wild yeast. However, yeast is essential because it converts sugar to carbon dioxide, causing the dough to expand and making the bread light and fluffy.

In modern baking, bakers can add commercial yeast to their dough which is easy to cultivate, tough to kill, and works rapidly and predictably. This is a significant contrast to the past where wild yeasts were less reliable. Using a sourdough starter, which is a culture of yeast and bacteria, can also leaven dough and impart a tangy flavor to the bread.