Homemade bread

northwest1965

MicheH wrote: »

I'd really appreciate some help if you can.

I've made my third attempt at homemade bread, followed the instructions on the back of the pack of bread flour and it's still come out hard and heavy!

What am I doing wrong?

Have you tried using fresh yeast at all? I get mine from Morrisons. 45p per pack and enough (I think) to make at least 8 -10 loaves. Its in the chiller next to butter.
I agree it is a lot denser texture, but boy oh boy its fantastic toasted and much more filling than the fresh air in packets you get off the shelves:)

MicheH

Thank you both so much. I'm cutting into a [STRIKE]slice[/STRIKE] chunk now and I fear I may chip a tooth the outside is so hard but it is very yummy. My packet yeast is probably a year old by now as I gave up after my first attempt quite some time ago and I'd never heard of fresh yeast so I'll be hunting it out.

I had no idea I was eating part fresh air of my £1.30 loaf makes me quite cross.

kymbogs

MicheH wrote: »

Thank you both so much. I'm cutting into a [STRIKE]slice[/STRIKE] chunk now and I fear I may chip a tooth the outside is so hard but it is very yummy. My packet yeast is probably a year old by now as I gave up after my first attempt quite some time ago and I'd never heard of fresh yeast so I'll be hunting it out.

I had no idea I was eating part fresh air of my £1.30 loaf makes me quite cross.

Are you using a breadmaker? My BM bakes a very hard thick crust that I don't like particularly when want to make sarnies, so I make the dough in the BM and bake in t'oven.

meanmarie

I use SR flour to make white soda bread....have never heard of soda bread flour, you can also use plain flour with bicarb. Recipes for Irish brown bread differ from house to house, never mind county to county....I would use 12 ozs wholemeal to 4 ozs white flour and never sugar, but think that it is a case of faffing around with recipes until you find one you like....think that soda bread is easier (certainly faster) than yeast bread, although will try the one posted by Lindadykes....seems so easy and we prefer brown bread.

Have a breadmaker and find that the result is much nicer if I put the ingredients into the bm at night and set it to be finished around the time we get up....just might help someone.

Marie

northwest1965

MicheH wrote: »

Thank you both so much. I'm cutting into a [STRIKE]slice[/STRIKE] chunk now and I fear I may chip a tooth the outside is so hard but it is very yummy. My packet yeast is probably a year old by now as I gave up after my first attempt quite some time ago and I'd never heard of fresh yeast so I'll be hunting it out.

I had no idea I was eating part fresh air of my £1.30 loaf makes me quite cross.

You can get 2 loaves Hovis for a £1 at Farmfoods:T

Have you tried covering with a tea towel when its just out the oven? that should soften it. Keep trying though. I dont think you can beat it.

fizz1987

hi northwest1965

You don't have to buy yeast .... You can ask the bakers at Tesco and they give you about half pound FREE..... You can get it every week if you want it ...

angeltreats

wssla00 wrote: »

Hiya,

Just a quickie. Where do you get soda bread flour? I don't think I have seen it in Scotland...

We use soda bread flour at work, we get it from Shipton Mill. It's absolutely lovely. LINK

I just use normal wholemeal or plain flour at home for soda bread though.

northwest1965

fizz1987 wrote: »

hi northwest1965

You don't have to buy yeast .... You can ask the bakers at Tesco and they give you about half pound FREE..... You can get it every week if you want it ...

Thanks for that Fizz, unfoirtunately I dont go to Tescos but if I'm passing I'll make sure I get some.