Please help me!

[past94x]

I've had my TM for a week now and everything I have made in it has been absolutely superb.........except bread/rolls.
 I have tried everything and the rolls are heavy and dense every time. Could someone who makes lovely bread dough, and there must be thousands of you, please help this dumb blond make decent bread.
I have tried using brown and white bread flour - admittedly the brown rolls are heavier, but the white ones were heavy too.
I have followed every recipe to the letter, but, still I have sub standard bread. It tastes nice but I wouldn't want to drop it on my foot!!!
 Should I use the oven at low temperature (35-40 degrees) to prove or should I not. Most recipes I have tried say to use the dough setting in the TM for about 2 minutes. Is that long enough? Is there a failsafe recipe that will go into real detail for us new TM owners? (I can't believe I am the only one having problems, or am I?
 I love bread and would so like to make something nice to eat with my scrumptious soup. Thankyou soooooooooooooooooooooooo much for any help you might be able to give me. I am so thrilled with my new baby and, apart from bread, it is excelling itself every time. Thankyou again for listening to me winge on about this problem. Luckily, the birds will love my latest attempt, it is snowing heavily here and they gobble up anything I put out for them.

[EmeraldSue]

I'm no expert, but I would try kneading for 4 minutes and doing a double rise.
Is your yeast fresh?
Which recipe have you been using? Have you tried the no fuss rolls http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=4253.0?
The other thing you could try is adding a teaspoon of bread improver to the mix. I tried this for the first time this week and the bread hit the top of the oven when it was baking and has kept fresh for several days.

[Cornish Cream]

I'm no bread expert but can I ask you what flour you are using?
I have found supermarket own brands don't give you good results.I have started to buy  Canadian Strong Bread flour Like this
Is you yeast fresh? Another possibility.
Look at Chooikes No Fuss recipe here
I put my TM bowl on ( balance) the radiator at home for it's first rise until the MC pops out the top.
I then put it back on the TM machine and   for 30sec.Tip it out shape it and put it in a loaf tin.Cover it with a tea towel,pop it back on/ near a radiator and when doubled in sized follow the rest rest of  Chookies instructions.
It's perseverance with bread making.

[achookwoman]

Past94x,  Where do you live?  Is it cold at the moment?  Don't use the method in the  Everyday cook book that came with your TMX.  There are lots of good recipes for bread on the forum.  Pick one and make it several times until you get it right.   We will help you as there are plenty of good bakers here and we want you to have fun and success with your TMX like we do.

[past94x]

Thankyou so much EmeraldSue, CornishCream and Achookwoman for your kind advice and very sensible it seems too.
 I think I have not given my bread dough enough time to rise, and I probably won't use the oven to prove it in the future.
I live in the Uk and it is literally freezing here today, with a couple of inches of snow on the ground (and still snowing heavily), but the house is lovely and warm, so I don't think that's the problem.
I shall buy some bread improver and use the radiator trick as well.
I am using fresh, good quality strong bread flour, my yeast is the dried sort in the little sachet (but fresh and in date)
I shall try again asap using the radiator and giving my dough time to prove .... twice...... not once.
I shall report back. At least those poor little birds on my lawn have benefitted from my newly baked rolls, but whether they can still fly is another story.
I used the Olive Bread recipe from the INTHEMIX book today. It was so heavy and sooooooooooooooo salty (20 grams of salt) In hindsight, that may well have been a typo. 20 grams of salt is such a lot and I've read that too much salt can actually kill yeast. I stupidly just followed the recipe, but the salt made the bread, even though it was very heavy, much too salty to eat.
One more question and then I'll shut up. Should I ALWAYS add a little bit of sugar to my dough? I have read that sugar feeds yeast. Thank you again, so much, for all your help. I'll get this right if it kills me.

[Bonsai]

Hi past94x

Some bread recipes call for sugar and some don't. Yeast loves a bit of sugar so it's always ok to add some, although higher amounts will end up with sweeter tasting bread. I agree with your suspicions about the salt, it seems like a lot, try 1 tsp instead.

Don't give up, lovely bread is achievable !

[Cornish Cream]

Past94x have a look at Maddy's Bacon and Cheese Rolls here Maddy's recipe is superb and delicious.My DH and DS love them and they are very easy to make

[past94x]

Many thanks for the link - these sound wonderful and I shall be making them ASAP.
Thanks for taking the time to help me.
P.S. You do realise that it will be your fault that I now get fat? Or should I say, fatter!

[achookwoman]

Past94x,  listen to CC,  she is in your environment.  I like your attitude, keep trying. 

[cookie1]

Do keep at it, it is such a wonderful feeling when you master it. Then there will be no stopping you. As others have mentioned there are a lot of fabulous recipes on here. I'm not sure if it has been mentioned but JulieO's conversion of Sour Cream bread has step by step instructions.
Please let us know how things go.

[Amanda]

There are lots of variables in breadmaking and weather, humidity, elevation and liquid content all play a role - as does the flour you use, which can vary from batch to batch of even the same brand.

Stick with the recipes recommended here and advice from Cornish Cream and achookwoman - they are wise beyond their years!