handmade bread

mouseymousey99

hi ive been making my bread for a week now nut it doesnt rise! its nice and fluffy and tastes good but is only 4 inches high any ideas?


Hi Jackie, another vote for the yeast here - also have you tried increasing the amount of yeast you use? When I started I didn't realise how important salt and sugar were so mine didn't rise that much.
Tins? I use these from Lakeland:-
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/bread-tins-(as-used-by-delia)/F/C/cooking-baking/C/cooking-baking-bread-making/product/5624_5625
I use the small one just about every day as with 2 of us its hard to get through anything larger.
I've got a 'favourite' plastic bag I slip my bread inside when it is rising - I think the yeast spores cling to the inside now! I read a cheffy chap saying use the same tea towel all the time so I think its doing the same thing.
Hope that helps a bit too, don't give up its so satisying and you save oodles.

zippychick

thriftlady wrote: »

Brown flour isn't the same as wholemeal flour Zippy. I'm sure it makes perfectly tasty bread but you won't be getting the 'wholegrain'.

Yes, half wholemeal and half white produces a good loaf.

No - I didn't think it was. Sorry , i didn't really finish that last post. So what is the difference then between brown and wholemeal? Does the wholemeal have the grains and stuff?

i was going to make the brown part up of half this, half nuts /grains/seeds stuff - as the nuts and grains flour is quite expensive in comparison to the others. Any thoughts?

thriftlady_2

zippychick wrote: »

So what is the difference then between brown and wholemeal? Does the wholemeal have the grains and stuff?

I think brown flour is white flour coloured brown with caramel. Check the label to see what ingredients are listed.

Wholemeal flour is the wholegrain ground up.

zippychick

thriftlady wrote: »

I think brown flour is white flour coloured brown with caramel. Check the label to see what ingredients are listed.

Wholemeal flour is the wholegrain ground up.

ick, don't like the sound of that!

Ingredients - they aren't on tesco webby so will check when i go home. When i compare the Nutritional info though, is as follows

100g -

Brown
Calories 340 brown.........340 whte - same
Sugar 1.7 brown ........ 1.4 white - so brown higher
Fat 2 brown............1.4 white - brown higher
Staurates 0.3 brown........0.2 white
Salt trace<1 - both equal

So the brown has more sugar and more fat! Rubbish. Conned. I'll stick to what I know in future, but its basically as you say white with colouring :eek:

jacki981

thriftlady wrote: »

Immediate thought is that your yeast is too old. Check the date.

Second thought-are you using a tin? If you are forming a loaf without a tin it will naturally spread over the baking tray and not be very high.

Third thought- are you letting it prove? After it has risen and you have shaped it, you need to let rise again or 'prove' that the yeast is doing its work.

er... the yeast is a new pot! ive tried a tin and not a tin and prove? no i leave for 2hours the straight in the oven! should i be reshaping after the 2 hours then?

thriftlady_2

jacki981 wrote: »

er... the yeast is a new pot! ive tried a tin and not a tin and prove? no i leave for 2hours the straight in the oven! should i be reshaping after the 2 hours then?

Yes After it has risen for 2 hours punch it down and knead it for a few seconds, then shape, put it in your tin and leave again for about 30 mins. The dough should rise again to the top of the tin and make a nice domed shape in the tin. Then bake for 40 mins at 220 c or 200 for a fan oven.

If that doesn't work then I'm afraid I don't know what's up.

You are using strong or bread flour aren't you and not ordinary plain flour?

thriftlady_2

zippychick wrote: »

So the brown has more sugar and more fat! Rubbish. Conned. I'll stick to what I know in future, but its basically as you say white with colouring :eek:

I think the sugar and fat here refers to the naturally occuring carbs and fat in wheat and not anything added.

jacki981

hi yeah using strong flour! and i tried proving it last night! it helped my loaf was apox a 3rd taller lol but i noticed ive been using the yeast wrong! iys balls im meant to add to water not the dough so ill try again tonight! thanks for the advice.

thriftlady_2

jacki981 wrote: »

hi yeah using strong flour! and i tried proving it last night! it helped my loaf was apox a 3rd taller lol but i noticed ive been using the yeast wrong! iys balls im meant to add to water not the dough so ill try again tonight! thanks for the advice.

Aha! Yes, you're right. The dried yeast that comes in little balls needs reconstituting in warm water before you add it to the flour. You need to wait for it to get a head of froth like beer before you use it;) That should solve your problem.

zippychick

Right, have my attempt at 2-3 white, 1-3 seedy brown in the fridge thingying over night (rising? tired)

When i leave it out to prove tomorrow, do i do it for longer as it came from the fridge, or just the same as room temperature?

Also, to save me getting a submarine loaf, do i do that folding in thirds thing to ensure the shape?
As delia says

then fold one end into the centre and the other in on top

Is that right? *grins*

Thanks in advance