Why isn't my HM bread light and fluffy?

Uniscots97

Hi All,
I make my bread by hand rather than with a breadmaker (no room in the kitchen for a start). Here's the recipe I use:-

650g bread flour (I use Lidl's)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 tsp oil
400 ml water (hot)
7g packet of yeast

mix together and then knead it for 10 mins. I put it onto the baking tray (I don't use a bread tin), damp tea towel over the top and put it next to the radiator for 30 mins then in the oven at about 200C.

They come out lovely but they are very heavy and more so recently. What am I doing wrong? How do I get a lighter texture? Should I let the bread rise over a pan of simmering water?

HypnoNu

I may well be wrong but I'm sure the water should be wamr and not hot (as this kills the yeast) and also it might well need longer to rise to become lighter and fluffier?

Penelope_Penguin

I leave my bread dough to prove until doubled in size, knock back, and do a second rise (about 30-60 mins).

Penny. x

seraphina

HM bread will not be as light and fluffy as store bread. Most commercial bread has milk or milk powder in it to make it lighter - you can try substituting the warm water for some milk or adding a bit of milk powder (sorry, I don't weigh so I've no idea how much - a few tablespoons?)

I also think that flours are incredibly variable - sometimes my dough will need more water than my recipe, sometimes it will need less. So you get a feel for the bread and I now add water until it gets to a point that I'm happy with, rather than chucking in x mls of water regardless.

Also are you sure you only need to do one rise? I always do two: once until doubled in size, then knock it back, stick it in the tin and then another 40 mins or so.

Uniscots97

When you say knock it back do you mean knead it again?

Gingernutmeg

When you knock bread back you basically let it rise once, then literally 'knock' the air out of it by kneading it again. Then you put it into the baking tin and let it rise again before you bake it. This knocking back helps to develop the gluten further and distributes the air bubbles more evenly, and it will make a difference to the lightness of the bread.

freyasmum

The water should be warm, hand hot - too hot and it will kill the yeast, not hot enough and it won't activate :rolleyes:

unixgirluk wrote: »

When you say knock it back do you mean knead it again?

Just very gently, yes - you will feel the difference in it.

I leave my bread till doubled in size (usually about an hour), gently knock it back and then leave to rise again.

Homemade bread will never be as light and fluffy as shop bought bread as that is generally made using the Chorleywood Bread Process (CBP) - this involves using an assortment of additives and high-speed mixing to give extra 'lightness and volume' (so they get more money and we get less bread ).

Just to clarify, when talking about 'shop bought', I mean the mass produced pap currently paraded on our supermarket shelves as bread.

Uniscots97

Thanks for the help everyone, much appreciated I'll give it a go.

SEE

The only thing that ever annoys me about bread, is you can't get bread tins big enough. I use a 1 1/2 lb strong flour, and have to use 2, 3lb tins which still aren't big enough:rolleyes:I bake bread every day.

Swan_2

SEE wrote: »

The only thing that ever annoys me about bread, is you can't get bread tins big enough. I use a 1 1/2 lb strong flour, and have to use 2, 3lb tins which still aren't big enough:rolleyes:I bake bread every day.

Alan Silverwood make larger bread tins in various sizes CLICK HERE & scroll down the page to see them

if you Google 'Silverwood v pans' you should be able to find a stockist

SEE

Swan wrote: »

Alan Silverwood make larger bread tins in various sizes CLICK HERE & scroll down the page to see them

if you Google 'Silverwood v pans' you should be able to find a stockist

Thank you for that. The high rise on my bread means no matter what, the damp cloth always sticks to the dough and weighs it down:rolleyes: