Five Seed Bread Help!

[khyder]

Help!
I have made the Five Seed bread several times, followed the recipe to the letter - even went out and got myself a 20x20cm tin.  The problem is with the rising. 
I have given it 20-25 mins as the recipe said, and it does not rise very far.  So, several times I have allowed it to rise for 1hr+ and still it does not rise very far.  The recipe says it should reach the top of the tin, but in my experience, even half way up the tin is hard to achieve! 
I live in central QLD, so it is always warm in my kitchen, so I don't think that is the issue...Any ideas?  I would like to experience the 'light' bread the EDCB tells me it should be, instead of the flat, dense loaf I have had several times!

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Have you used your yeast lately for other things?  Perhaps it is the problem?  Also are you using lukewarm water to make the bread.  Bread takes a lot longer to rise with cold water. My five seed loaves normally take a good hour or so to double in size, but I do live in Tassie. 

[cookie1]

I haven't made it for a few weeks but mine takes at least the hour to rise.

[judydawn]

Hi khyder, welcome to the forum.
There is a discussion on this bread here http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=1658.0 after it replaced another seeded loaf in the original EDC's.  You may find some interesting points on here.

[Sonan]

HI Kyhder
I am in central QLD too !
I don't time the rising, I just wait till it rises, so I can't tell you how long it took. On overcast days, I have proved it in the oven on the lowest setting and this worked well also.

[thermie crew]

I too find it takes a while to reach the top of the tin but it does get there for me. I cover it with the bread mat once it's in the tin and this seems to help. Persist as it's a great loaf!!

[4getfulelephant]

I love my five seed bread... but any tips of softening the crust?  I find the crust always goes very hard which turns to rock when you toast it!

[judydawn]

I think this is one of Chookie's tips - perhaps you could try that 4GE.

Place your bread in a plastic bag as soon as it has cooled to a warm temperature. The moisture in the heat should keep your crust soft.

Then read more here : How to Soften Crusty Bread | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6367720_soften-crusty-bread.html#ixzz2O7rZmg8G