"What does Vitamin C do?"
Vitamin C is a natural dough conditioner. It is the only enhancer allowed by 100% organic bread makers and even the rigid French bread laws allow for a little bit of vitamin C. I have used vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, on many occasions. I find it best incorporated into doughs using flours with lower protein contents and doughs in which I will be incorporating garlic. Vitamin C has a way of improving the qualities of hearth loaves, making them lighter in texture while, at the same time, helping to marginally decrease the overall mix time, which is a good thing for dough.
