What's wrong with me bread?

[funkychicken]

I made four loaves on the weekend and they all ended up flat as a thing. I followed the recipe (From the Big Book of Bread) to the letter but to no avail.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

[Johncs]

I made four loaves on the weekend and they all ended up flat as a thing. I followed the recipe (From the Big Book of Bread) to the letter but to no avail.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

I'm not familiar with the book. Since you seem to be a beginner, I suggest you use trainer wheels - get some bread mix. It comes with yeast, and basically it's "just add water."

I do this:
Weigh (don't trust dem measuring jugs, I use electronic scales) warm water. Stir in the specified amount of yeast and a tsp of caster sugar. This should be ready in ten minutes. I stir it a little whenever I think of it.

Sift the bread mix. The purpose is to loosen up the mix, not remove stuff. I use a wire strainer. Mostly, I use a multigrain mix, so having strained out the seeds and so on, I just toss them in the bowl.

Maybe, add a tablespoon of olive oil, whether the directions say to or not.

Pour the liquid onto the sieved mix, stir in.

Get a cup of flour ready.

ightly oil the bench (I actually use a 450x450 ceramic tile, I can wash it under the tap), and lightly flour it.

Pour the contents of the bowl into the floured/oiled area. Oil your hands.

Knead for ten minutes. When the dougn starts to to something, flour it and/or oil it.

After ten minutes, put the dough back in the bowl and cover it, with a table tea towel or plastic wrap.

Set it aside to rise. A lot of people say to put it in a warm place, but this is not necessary. Overnight in the fridge works.When it doubles in size - ordinarily 40 minutes to an hour it's ready for the next stage, called "punching down." I find that gently stiring it (with my clean hand) works fine, it breaks from the side.

I do, though, knead it a little if I'm going to bake it into a tin. Basically, I'm shaping it.

I often make buns. I've found about 100 gms makes a good size, so I weigh the dough to decide how many I can make.

I tear the dough into pieces, shape them into a ball, and put them into a shallow baking tin or biscuit tray, lined with baking paper (best way to prevent sticking).

The can be touching, that way you get soft-sided buns, or further apart to get buns with a crust all round.

I use a fan-forced oven.

Let the bread sit for about half an hour, then head the oven to 180c. When it's up to temperature (I like to wait a little longer), bake the bread. Check after 20 minutes, expect them to take 25, maybe 30 (but they should be getting a very good tan by then).

[snowyskiesau]

I made four loaves on the weekend and they all ended up flat as a thing. I followed the recipe (From the Big Book of Bread) to the letter but to no avail.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

Not familiar with the book but from past experience making bread:


The yeast is too old or has been poorly stored.
Not enough kneading.
The temperature is too cold for the yeast to work properly.

I usually add part of the water, the sugar and salt to a small dish and add the yeast while getting the other ingredients ready. You'll soon know if the yeast is not performing.

I use a dead simple recipe from a Jamie Oliver cookbook, hasn't failed me yet!

[ajw]

Make sure you're using "strong" flour. Bread-making flour has high protein content that helps it form a good dough structure. Don't take short-cuts on the kneading. The kneading process develops the gluten in the dough, and it takes time.

Also, when the bread rises, don't let it go on too long. The rising process is the yeast forming gas that causes the dough to expand. It can go on and on, making the structure more airy, and more likely to collapse. You're generally looking for bread dough to double in size.

Have another go. Fresh home-made bread is fantastic.

ajw

[robbygard]

I made four loaves on the weekend and they all ended up flat as a thing. I followed the recipe (From the Big Book of Bread) to the letter but to no avail.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?


like others i am not familiar with the book or your recipes


a few of things that can cause that sort of thing would be:

too much salt in the mix
old yeast
low fdt
insufficient mixing before proving and kneading


i think it is also beneficial to make sure the yeast and the salt are not together before you start mixing ... ie put the flour in and the salt on one side and the yeast on the other

make sure your yeast is fresh


final dough temperature (fdt) varies eg pizza base is about 30C, grain bread 26 and white or wholemeal 28 (at least in my recipes) ... rough rule of thumb for that is regard the flour and water as equal components ... ie say for grain bread 56 minus temp of flour for the temp of the water (2 x fdt-temp of flour)

dough should be well mixed (i use a solid mixer for about 20mins)


in saying that it is a long time since i bothered making my own bread


hope this helps

regards david

[robbygard]

Make sure you're using "strong" flour. Bread-making flour has high protein content that helps it form a good dough structure. Don't take short-cuts on the kneading. The kneading process develops the gluten in the dough, and it takes time.

.

ajw


good point too ... breaqd making flour is quite diferent from ordinary flour ... my recipes all call for additional dry gluten as well

regards david

[lubbing5cherubs]

as well as the water to cold for the yeast. water too hot will also kill the yeast it got to be luke warm and make sure it in a warm place to rise too. a cold drafty place like near a window in cooler weather will rise less than a warm corner of your home for example a place with filtered sun. particular in winter time.
hth
Toni

[funkychicken]

I used IGA Wholmeal flour, I couldn't find any "Strong" flour (which is what the recipe called for)
The yeast was fresh, I kneaded for a good 10 minutes, I let it rise until doubled in size (Kitchen sink full of hot water, dough in a covered bowl floating in the sink)

I might try some bread mix

[Ricardito]

I used IGA Wholmeal flour, I couldn't find any "Strong" flour (which is what the recipe called for)
The yeast was fresh, I kneaded for a good 10 minutes, I let it rise until doubled in size (Kitchen sink full of hot water, dough in a covered bowl floating in the sink)

I might try some bread mix

By what yiu hav written so far I noticed that the dough has overproofed that is it went past its peak or prime to be baked the temperature was either too high or left exposed to open air so the loaf went flat.
I am not a baker per se but I have baked loaves of different kind and methods and I used more than 100kg of flour during the period.
The methods vary but in general it easy I always kept my poolish cold and my dough cold I have the only in the final stages of proofing the loaves is done at room temp and then the loaves must enter a very hot and humid oven or otherwise score the loaves, apply a fine water mist over the the loaves sides of oven and bake.
Poolish recipe you'll find many just google
You also need a high protein flour 11.5 plus or bakers flour preferably showing batch or milling date a high extraction flour indicates the kernel has been ground to remove ash so it is whiter. higher ash content will absorb more water.
Remeber to flod the doung couple of times to make the dough really tight and then proof the loave finally scoring before baking.
Good luck

[Ashore]

I followed the recipe (From the Big Book of Bread) to the letter but to no avail.

?


]I used IGA Wholmeal flour,[/COLOR] I couldn't find any "Strong" flour (which is what the recipe called for)

That aint to the letter :doh:

[TP1]

The year is 2009. My solution to baking bread is the same as sawing and machining timber - the right tool for the job. In the case of bread, I use a bread maker all the time without failures. I admit its not my expertise that causes the success , but who cares? Certainly not anyone who is hungry. And for those purists who think this is cheating, I say go back to using hand powered drills and saws, and then I'll listen.

I have to say that my wife makes bread buns that have the whole family in raptures - Its her recipe tweaking, but again with the bread maker.

[ajw]

FC, I think the problem will be the wholemeal flour you're using. If you want a wholmeal loaf, use a high-protein or "strong" flour, and add a bit of wholemeal to it. Nothing beats fresh baked bread - have another go!

ajw

[funkychicken]

I've now got some white bread mix, I'll try it on the weekend

[robbo266317]

I use a breadmaker too, I can be doing more interesting things than kneading dough.
One trick that has been in our family for weeks is to use 1/2 teaspoon vitamin C in the mix. It makes it hold shape without sagging in the middle.
You can use one orange flavoured tablet as you don't notice it in a loaf or you can get pure C at the health food store.

[Big Shed]

Another bread machine user:2tsup: Put all the ingredients in the pan before I go to bed, wake up to an almost finished loaf in the morning, smells great and frsh bread for lunch.

Also make fruit bread, focaccia, pizza base, buttermilk bread, wholemeal bread, tomato and olive bread, various bread rolls, no limit really.

[robbo266317]

Another benefit.... Pasta!

let the machine make it and then roll your lasagne etc in the pasta machine.

Simple, cheap, rewarding

[DeElle]

Funky chicken, forget making bread by hand, just get yourself a breadmaker, you want regret it. You should be able to get one from e-bay for around $30!
No worry about success, works every time, plus all the other delicious breads, pitza's, buns, scrolls, need I say more! :U

[funkychicken]

Success! I used some mix this time

[lubbing5cherubs]

good job. Next time fry some of you dough and have soem strawberry jam and cream on stand by. Then you have puffed dalloons and an all time hit. can make that for anyone and get brownie points immediately. :D

[acmegridley]

I can feel my arteries hardening already.:oo:

[Johncs]

The year is 2009. My solution to baking bread is the same as sawing and machining timber - the right tool for the job. In the case of bread, I use a bread maker all the time without failures. I admit its not my expertise that causes the success , but who cares? Certainly not anyone who is hungry. And for those purists who think this is cheating, I say go back to using hand powered drills and saws, and then I'll listen.

.

Rather than using power tools, I'd say using a bread machine is more like using a furniture machine into which one puts wood, glue and (maybe fasteners), and takes out the furniture a few hours later.

Woodworking, whether using mainly hand tools, power tools or maybe even some machinery, allows one to develop skills and make goods with their own personal touch.

A bread machine requires no skills, develops no skills and the results are determined by the premix used, and some basic settings. It might be nice bread for all that, but when I looked at the machines a year or so ago, all I saw was limitations.

Making by hand from a bread mix develops the basic skills, skills on which one can build later.

And kneading the dough for ten minutes isn't all that different from a few minutes sanding or hand-planing.

[Johncs]

Success! I used some mix this time

Good.:)

Like pizza? Make some with flour, yeast-water, a little salt and some oil. Despite what someone else said, I've found ordinary plain flour works fine.

For variety, add some herbs (rosemary?), thoroughly chopped chilli, or some chopped nuts. Or even some curry powder.

You can, of course, use bread mix for the dough. Or two parts plain flour plus one part wholemeal.

One thing I have not mastered is thin pizza bases.

One of my books has a recipe for chocolate cake. I made some once:)

[Big Shed]

Rather than using power tools, I'd say using a bread machine is more like using a furniture machine into which one puts wood, glue and (maybe fasteners), and takes out the furniture a few hours later.

Woodworking, whether using mainly hand tools, power tools or maybe even some machinery, allows one to develop skills and make goods with their own personal touch.

A bread machine requires no skills, develops no skills and the results are determined by the premix used, and some basic settings. It might be nice bread for all that, but when I looked at the machines a year or so ago, all I saw was limitations.

Making by hand from a bread mix develops the basic skills, skills on which one can build later.

And kneading the dough for ten minutes isn't all that different from a few minutes sanding or hand-planing.

You are of course entitled to your opinion.

Could I say though that a bread machine does not just rely on a pre-mixed bread mix.

I make a fair percentage of my breads by mixing ingredients from scratch, have quite a collection of bread making books and other assorted recipes which I use and modify to suit my requirements.

And of course pre-mix bread mix can be prepared by hand without the use of bread machines as well, so your argument is a bit fallacious.

I agree that kneading the dough by hand can be quite therapeutic, so can riding my bike, but I use the car more often.:2tsup:

[TP1]

Rather than using power tools, I'd say using a bread machine is more like using a furniture machine into which one puts wood, glue and (maybe fasteners), and takes out the furniture a few hours later.

Woodworking, whether using mainly hand tools, power tools or maybe even some machinery, allows one to develop skills and make goods with their own personal touch.

A bread machine requires no skills, develops no skills and the results are determined by the premix used, and some basic settings. It might be nice bread for all that, but when I looked at the machines a year or so ago, all I saw was limitations.

Making by hand from a bread mix develops the basic skills, skills on which one can build later.

And kneading the dough for ten minutes isn't all that different from a few minutes sanding or hand-planing.

Rubbing 2 sticks together by hand also develops fire lighting skills but I prefer to use modern technology.

And just in case anyone really thinks bread makers are only good for pre-mixed ingredients, think again. We don't use any premixed stuff and experiment continually. The result? Far more fresh loaves than anyone I know who does it the old fashioned way.

[funkychicken]

Does anyone here use Bread Improver? I bought a big bag of "strong" flour and the included recipe calls for it