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Making bread

I started making my own a couple of years ago, mainly whole meal (with a bit of strong white flour added in to help the texture).  I am totally self taught so my expertise is limited.

Sometimes my bread rises and looks beautifully domed, then sinks so the top is flat.  It’s happened to my latest loaf.  I made it last night but didn’t want to bake it until today so I left it to rise in the fridge overnight.

it occurs to me that the collective expertise of MSE bakers might be able to explain what I’ve done wrong and give me some useful tips.

in case it’s relevant, my kitchen is quite warm and the first rise generally only takes about half an hour.
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Comments

  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 14,055 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    So Wholemeal Strong Flour + some White Strong Flour? 

    What's the bread like inside after you cut it open with it having collapsed?

    Most commonly its because the bread has overproved but if it stodgy inside/not baked properly it can be the oven is too hot
  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,595 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Thanks. The texture (and taste) is fine, so over proving night be the problem? The first prove is always way quicker than the books suggest it should be. I forget how long last night’s first prove was, should probably have paid more attention to the time.  Maybe I’ll have to get into the habit of putting a timer on so that I look at it more regularly(?)
  • LaineyT
    LaineyT Posts: 4,827 Forumite
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    Does sound like your kitchen is too warm and the first prove is therefore too quick, mine takes between 1.5 to 2 hours with the second one only as long as the oven takes to heat up?

    Would try leaving it in a cooler room and see what happens, trial and error is very much the way to go with bread making ☺️
  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,595 Forumite
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    Could the first prove be done in the fridge?  
  • LaineyT
    LaineyT Posts: 4,827 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    It’s not something I’ve done myself but know others who do prove overnight in the fridge, would suggest that the second prove may take longer 🤔
  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,595 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I might give the fridge a try, not particularly bothered about the length of the second prove.  My flat is warm throughout.  The only other cool place I can think of is the windowsill in my bedroom under under the draught from an open transom.
  • I wanted to make 100% wholewheat bread, from home-milled flour. Mixing 50/50 with shop-bought white bread flour worked fine, but for 100% wholemeal, my loaves often collapsed.

    I learned that wholewheat has less gluten than white but also that the bran in wholewheat can cut the gluten as it forms.

    The answer was Vital Wheat Gluten powder. This is literally powdered gluten, a naturally made product, and a teaspoon of it strengthened my loaves' gluten and fixed my problem.

    Whatever is causing your loaves to collapse, this might be worth trying. A bag costs less than a fiver, and will last you almost forever.
  • Nelliegrace
    Nelliegrace Posts: 731 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    The old Panasonic breadmaker recipe book had a teaspoon of Vitamin C in the wholemeal bread ingredients.

    We shopped for a few things at Sains this week to get the car parking fee refunded. I found Dove yeast 125g for £1.30, hidden in a different aisle instead of with the more expensive yeasts with the bread flours. 
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,898 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Homepage Hero Name Dropper
    The old Panasonic breadmaker recipe book had a teaspoon of Vitamin C in the wholemeal bread ingredients.

    Adding vinegar helps as well, not the one the onions were pickled in though, but even then maybe if making a flavoured loaf, cheese & onion perhaps?
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • CrispyChris
    CrispyChris Posts: 24 Forumite
    Second Anniversary 10 Posts
    Try using bread improver easy enough to find on the Internet, stocked by Amazon etc. 
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