Hint for making Bread.

[achookwoman]

I will attempt to give some pointers about why bread is not successful and also some things to do to make a good loaf.
It will take several days,  so please be patient.

Not a perfect loaf.?

Dough didn't rise.

Water too hot and has killed the yeast.       Water should be at baby bottle temp,  just warm.
Yeast is stale so won't activate.       Instant yeast should be in a packet/container that excludes air. It can be kept in the freezer. Fresh yeast can be frozen, but thawed before use. It should be activated in water before adding to flour.
Salt too close to yeast in initial mix.
Dough will rise best in temp. between 20 and 25 degrees C.

If dough hasn't risen,  mix a fresh lot of yeast with a little warm water and knead it into the dough.

Baked bread has not browned and is very soft.

Oven not hot enough.  Test oven with an oven thermometer.
Not cooked long enough.  Increase time and test with an instant thermometer probe.  This should register 200 degrees F

Turn bread around in oven when 1/2 way through
Remove bread from tin, lay it on its side and face base to back of oven.  Bake for 10 more minutes.

  Crust too soft.

Not enough steam in oven.    Place a dish with water in bottom of oven or bake bread in a dutch oven with lid ,  for first 30 mins,  then remove lid , and bake for another 20 mins.
Not cooked long enough and/or at a high enough temperature.
Need to spray loaf  with water before placing in oven and during first and second rising.
Bumping tin with proved bread or banging oven door can cause the top to deflate and be soft.

  Loaf is crumbly and dry

Too much flour and not enough water.
Baked too long.
Better to have it too wet than too dry
Dough should feel like a silicon breast.  (so one of my students told me)

   Loaf collapses in the oven  

Left too long to prove.    Only prove to just under double for the second rise.
Loaf has been knocked on the way to oven.  Treat it like a baby.  Don't bang the oven door.

    Loaf is dense and flat

You have not kneaded the dough long enough.   Minimum of 4 mins.  in the TMX.

Many professional bakers have different theories about kneading.   I have tried Dan Lepard's method of knead and sit, knead and sit .  With the TMX this doesn't seem to make much difference.  Some , such as Yoke throw the dough in the air.  Rodney Dunn at the Agrarian kitchen ,  slaps the dough down on the bench.  Some ,  knock the dough back ,  after first prove and then leave it for 15 mins,  covered with a damp cloth and then shape it before the final rise.
Forced rising,  (too much heat) can also cause the loaf to collapse.
Too much liquid can also make for a weak dough which can't hold its structure and will collapse.
Stale flour can not work properly with the yeast and make for a dense flat loaf.
Too much added grain and seeds will not provide enough gluten gor the yeast to work with.

    Bread has a yeasty flavor

Especially with fresh yeast,  to much will give a yeasty flavor.       Best to add less and give the dough extra time to prove.

   Large holes in the cooked bread or a long hollow under the crust.

Dough wasn't knocked back enough after first rise.   Take your time and fold the dough into thirds,  onto itself, and roll it to fit the tin with the seam underneath.

     Bread tastes bland

Not enough salt.  1 Teaspoon to 500 g.  should be enough.  (Keep the salt away from the yeast,  when placed into TMX bowl.)

     Crust splits on one side

Loaf too close to the heat source.   Turn the loaf 1/2 way through baking.

     Loaf has a crack around just above the tin line.

Loaf wasn't proved long enough during second proving,  and had a strong oven 'spring'.

      MORE TOMORROW 

[judydawn]

I think it best if we leave any comments off this thread (I will remove mine once Chookie has completed her list).  That way it will be an uninterrupted guide to bread making and it's problems.  Thanks Chookie, much appreciated.
I will start a Hint for making bread comment thread as I'm sure you will want to ask questions and comment on things from Chookies list.

[Bedlam]

Love the look of this loaf by lorraine pascale, i am sorry i dont know how to link but if you google lorraine pascale twisted poppy seed bread you will see it. She used an interesting technique to shape and it cooks beautifully.

[judydawn]

Looks lovely Denise.  I was over there looking at it so thought I might as well add the link for you.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/twister_bread_10942

[Bedlam]

Thanks Judy( you are so clever). She has some great ideas. I saw another loaf where she mixes rice flour and other things to a paste and put it on top after the first rise to make a cracked crunchy topping. I can imagine the twister to be very versatile.

[cookie1]

I love the amount of honey-2 squidges. I wonder how this would go with something sweet in it?

[Aussie Brenda]

Hi, although I have been happy with my bread I'm never quite sure whether or not to cook it with the fan forced heat or just top and bottom heating elements, the book says the latter except when using two shelves then fan forced,  what does everyone else use?  I find top and bottom heating browns the top,of the bread a bit much but I don't want to dry it out too much with fan forced. I'm usually switching between the two.   This is with Astarra's go to bread so rolls on the bottom and loaf on top.

[Aussie Brenda]

Just got them out the oven

[Cuilidh]

They look good, AB. 

[achookwoman]

AB,  I use Fan Forced with dish of water in the bottom of oven.  I also spray the loaf with water before popping in oven, even if I have brushed with egg.
Your photo looks pretty good.   I think it is a matter of what work for you. 

[Aussie Brenda]

Thanks Chookie I prefer to use the fan forced, I have been proving in the oven with a dish a hot water and it is working really well. 

[cookie1]

I've found that I like fan forced for bread but not for cakes or biscuits.