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eridani (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 02:28 AMOriginal message It's official. Plain white bread implodes in my oven too. Although it isn't anywhere near as dense as the whole wheat.2 and 1/2 teaspoons yeast in 1 cup of 110F water. Bubbles nicely.6 cups unbleached Gold Medal all purpose flour sifted with 2 tsp salt1 extra cup of 110F waterMix for a couple of minutes with dough hookDough is wet but can be handled.Rise for 1 1/2 hours works just fine.Divide the bread and roll cylinders for olive oil greased bread pans.Rise for another hour, and the dough is slightly higher than the top of the pans.Put three slices on top with razor blade.Preheat oven to 450F with water pan in the lower rack.Add more water and put bread in the oven.Check after 20 minutes to add more water, and the loaves have fallen. Nothing at all expanded through the razor slices.Results after another 15 minutes--after which photograph of two loaves of white breadWTF?!?!?Second loaf is turned upside down.
Arkansas Granny (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 09:23 AMResponse to Original message 1. I'm not a bread expert, but I found some info on bread failure that might help. http://extension.usu.edu/saltlake/files/uploads/pdf/Wha... http://www.baking911.com/bread/problems.htm Also, have you checked your oven temperature with a thermometer? The loaf on the right looks really dark for the time spent in the oven.
hippywife (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 10:23 AMResponse to Original message 2. Hmmm. Definitely looks like some uneven heating going on there. Also, the amount of yeast for the amount of flour seems too little. The Ain5 recipe calls for 1 1/2 T for that amount of flour. I usually don't put water in during the preheat (not that it might be a problem) but right after I slide the bread in. Are you using hot water when you add more?I'm no expert, either, but asking these questions based on what I do that does work. We'll all get this problem dissected and fixed for you yet.
hippywife (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 12:19 PMResponse to Reply #2 6. When I refer to adding more water, in the above post, I'm talking about to the broiler pan, not the bread.
Blues Heron (129 posts) Thu Apr-09-09 11:29 AMResponse to Original message 3. How much did they rise the second time? Also - did they literally fall in the oven or just not rise? I'm with hippywife on this - possibly not enough yeast, or the yeast didn't have enough oomph. i'd like to hear what housewolf has to say about these bricks!!
eridani (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 10:53 PMResponse to Reply #3 8. They literally fell, to about 2/3 the height of the pans They started out with the second rise just a little higher than the pans.
Lucinda (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 11:35 AMResponse to Original message 4. They still look mighty tasty! I'm in agreement on the yeast amount and also depending on what type of yeast you used, I think the water temp might have inhibited the growth.
hippywife (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 12:18 PMResponse to Reply #4 5. There's a thought. Instant yeast wouldn't have lasted long enough to make it to baking, I don't think. Would it? Seems like it would have eaten up all available food before it was baked.
Warpy (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 09:23 PMResponse to Reply #5 7. No, it takes yeast a lot longer than that to multiply and digest all the carbohydrate in the flour. Instant yeast isn't a different animal, just a different preparation of the same animal.My own guess is that the bread wasn't kneaded long enough to develop the gluten fully. The best way to judge a dough's readiness is the windowpane test, pick up the dough and see if you can stretch it into a translucent, thin layer at least a half an inch wide. If you can, then it's been kneaded enough.Still, if those loaves are too dense to use for sandwiches or toast, consider slicing them thin and putting them into a slow oven to turn into Melba toast.Very little bread is a true failure, only if it's burnt to a cinder.
eridani (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 10:55 PMResponse to Reply #4 9. I measured the hot water out of the tap at 110F Most instructions I read say to use 105-115F. Would going to 100F or lower be better, do you think?
I made a loaf of 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat bread the other day that was absolutley divine. Aside from rising time, it took me maybe 5 minutes to assemble.I think I figured out the cost as something like 84 cents.
