Desert boy raised to make bread (8)
I believe the answer is:
leavened
'to make bread' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'desert boy raised' is the wordplay.
'desert' becomes 'leave' (desert can mean to leave or abandon).
'boy' becomes 'den' ().
'raised' says the letters should be written backwards (going up in a down clue).
'den' backwards is 'ned'.
'leave'+'ned'='LEAVENED'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for leavened that I've seen before include "Of bread, containing substance that causes fermentation in dough" , "With substance added that produces fermentation in dough" , "made to rise" , "In a ferment" , "transformed for the better?" .)