Bothersome Bread!

[Jenny H]

Hello all

I've been excitedly making the Five Seed Bread but i think i must be doing something wrong  .  We find the bread is really crumbly and difficult to butter!  Has anyone else had this experience and is there something I can do to prevent this.  Or should I just shut up and enjoy it??

Regards
Jenny H

[Thermomixer]

Are you using baker's flour ( hard flour) or just ordinary plain flour.  It may be that the gluten has not been activated enough?

I haven't made it, but if you are using the baker's flour then maybe after the first rising punch it all back down and allow a second rise before baking?

[cookie1]

I find that mine is very, very slightly crumbly; but I love the taste and it isn't enough to worry me.

[I Love Bimby!]

The last batch I made was a bit more crumbly, but generally has been pretty good.

However next time I shall try a second rise like Thermomixer suggested and perhaps try some more bread flour to make it workable and less sticky.

[cookie1]

I've got a loaf of the 5 seed bread just doing its 2nd rising now. I'll report back when it's cooked on how crumbly it is compared to before.

[I Love Bimby!]

Great. Thanks Cookie.

[cookie1]

The 5 seed bread with the second rising seemed to be the same 'crumbliness' as the single rising. It was much more aerated than the normal loaf but I think I like the slightly more dense loaf. So from now on I'll only be doing the one rising. I wonder if a little more kneading would help or would it toughen it? Might try with the next loaf.

[theaddamsfamily]

I have read somewhere else (can't remember where now, sorry), to knead for 4 or 5 minutes, rather than the 2 mins, and to then do the 2 risings.  Maybe you could try that?? I haven't done any bread yet, so couldn't vouch for that.

[cookie1]

Will certainly try the extra kneading time.  Then perhaps the loaf after that can be extra kneading time and 2 risings. Do you slice your bread with an electric knife? I find that makes it better as there is no pressure on the bread when you're slicing causing it to crumble.

[brazen20au]

i desperately need to get an electric knife for slicing the GF bread! i'm hoping aldi have them in soon