Yes, adding sugar to dough can help with the rising time of bread, and the reason for this lies in the interaction between sugar, yeast, and fermentation.
Yeast is a crucial ingredient in bread-making. It's a microorganism that feeds on sugars and produces carbon dioxide gas and alcohol as byproducts during fermentation. The carbon dioxide gas is what causes the dough to rise and gives bread its airy and light texture.
When sugar is added to the dough, it provides a readily available food source for the yeast. This allows the yeast to grow and multiply more quickly, leading to faster fermentation. As the yeast consumes the sugar, it produces more carbon dioxide gas at a faster rate, which results in a quicker rise of the dough.
However, it's important to use sugar in moderation, as excessive amounts can have some undesirable effects on the bread's flavor, texture, and crust color. Too much sugar can lead to overly sweet bread, a denser texture, and a darker crust due to increased caramelization during baking.
Professional bakers often carefully balance the amount of sugar in a bread recipe to achieve the desired rise time and flavor profile. Additionally, other factors like the ambient temperature, humidity, and the type of yeast used can also influence the rising time of bread dough.