bread dough won't rise urgent help needed!!!

raphanius

every time i try to make hand made breads of any sort the dough fails. ive tried different yeasts and flours and different recipes so all thats ruled out. i am desperate as i have dough balls on the go and nothing is happening. the cooker is on - both ovens to get some heat going but i am fighting the draughts as its windy outside. i cant keep binning dough. help!

horsechestnut

Put a large pan of boiling water in the base of your cold oven; DO NOT SWITCH ON THE OVEN. Put your bread dough into a bowl and cover with cling film/ polythene (this helps to keep the heat in, keeps it moist and stops any bits falling on to the dough fron the oven) and place on the oven shelf above the pan of water. It should double in size in about one hour.
If this doesn't work, then you have a problem with the yeast or flour or your water is too hot.
You could always try using a bread mix to see if it IS the ingredients that are the problem.

raphanius

thanks but this doesn't help me now. i need a quick fix. ovens are already on to get some heat going but dough is inert.

mumoftwo

raphanius wrote: »

thanks but this doesn't help me now. i need a quick fix. ovens are already on to get some heat going but dough is inert.

You have prob already dealt with the dough, but I would have put it in the microwave for a minute on very low to see if it would rise. Have done it before if I needed my dough to rise a bit quicker. Only 20 seconds at a time, check and another 20 sec etc. if nothing happens it is your yeast, did the salt touch the yeast or water too hot, or yeast too old?
to check the yeast, put some in warm water with a bit of sugar and leave for 15 minutes, it should foam up if healthy yeast. What kind of yeast are you using?

As an alternative, shape them into flat bread, or wraps and bake them

raphanius

ive tested this yeast before last time the dough failed its allinson packet dated 2014. the salt didnt touch the yeast and the water was tepid. ive been baking since childhood and this is a new problem to me.