Hot Cross Bun Failure

[meganjane]

What went wrong? I've lost my bread making mojo....
Lately, none of my breads have been working. I've been using All About Bread mixes, rather than flour, and the dough just isn't rising well.
I tired three lots of Hot X Buns and all were heavy and doughy. They took forever to rise! I used the EDC recipe with bread mix, then I tried it with Wallaby flour instead and added all my usual ingredients - bread improver, wonderfresh, lecithin, but they just wouldn't rise!!
The only thing I haven't checked is my yeast. I use Allowrie and keep it in the fridge. I'm away at the moment, but will check it when I get home. It's half finished, but really should still be good. I've wasted so much flour and bread mix and I'm getting very frustrated.

[Thermomixer]

Would check the yeast with some water, flour and sugar in the tmx and turn on to 37 deg for 3 or 4 minutes and then leave to see how it bubbles up

[achookwoman]

Sounds like the yeast,meaganjane.   How warm is it where you live?   Don't give up,  I sometimes go through a bad patch,  so I just make soup instead.

[cathy79]

How annoying.  I've started activating my yeast for everything so I know before I add everything that it's going to work (in theroy).  But as it gets cooler I guess it will be harder.  Maybe that's why I had trouble with the sweet grape pizza.

How much yeast did you use?  Hope you saw the tweaks on here which suggest 4 tsp of instant yeast instead of 2.

[maddy]

I also keep my yeast in the freezer.......keeps it fresh.

[cookie1]

 


 


                                 

[JulieO]

Yes I keep mine in the freezer also.  It still stays as granules, doesn't freeze into a clump. 

[meganjane]

Well, it's not my yeast! I sponged it with a little warm water and a tsp of sugar and it fluffed up.
I do realise now that the EDC recipe should have 4 tsp yeast! Stupid me seemed to miss that vital part of the review thread.

I'm trying another loaf right now with a mix of AAB's Light Wholemeal and wholemeal spelt flour. I sponged the yeast first and the dough popped out of the in no time at all. It's much warmer today, and I think that was a part of the problem. I wasn't putting it in a warm enough place to rise.

I'm still planning on buying more yeast when I next go to town as this one has an expiry date of Aug 10. It's Lowan yeast, not Allowrie.

Thanks for the sympathy cookie!!

[Thermomixer]

Holiday over ?  Hope that the 4 tsps helps - but a bit late for this year 

[meganjane]

Yes, T'mixer, holiday over....   Although, I'm not really sad as now I'm home to hot water and my Thermomix!!

My bread is lovely. I put 3/4 of the dough in a large tin and put the lid on and made  isi style Portuguese rolls with the rest of the dough.

I'm still determined to make Hot X Buns. I don't care that Easter is over.

[Ceejay]

LOL MJ! 

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Glad to hear you are back on track MJ!!!  I'm sure the hot cross buns will be worth the wait.  We usually only have them on Easter Friday (with the crosses on them anyway) but we loved them so much this year that I may need to make another batch this week.

[CreamPuff63]

yay MJ, further to my previous advice I was always told when you fall off the horse you have to get straight back on!
Hope you cook up an ECB storm 

[meganjane]

They're rising right now. The first rise was wonderful! I need to remember to:

READ THE RECIPE!!
READ THE RECIPE!!
READ THE RECIPE!!
READ THE RECIPE!!
READ THE RECIPE!!
READ THE RECIPE!!

[Thermomixer]

Good to hear - always satisfying and invigorating when it works !!!