Maltose

Maltose is a sugar made of two glucose units, and in bread it's mostly produced inside the dough when amylase enzymes break down starch. Yeast and many sourdough bacteria feed on it, so a steady supply of maltose helps keep fermentation going through a long rise. Whatever sugar is left at bake time also helps the crust brown. That's why enzyme activity, damaged starch, and malt all affect how lively a dough is and how dark it bakes.

By Henry Hunter · Updated October 1, 2026

Henry's notes from the bench

• If your long cold ferments come out with a pale crust, the yeast may have eaten most of the available sugar. A small pinch of diastatic malt can keep more sugar coming, but go easy with it.