My bread is too soft!

metherer

First of all, feel free to more this post if it would be better off within another thread.

Made a loaf of bread using the instructions on the back of my Hovis fast action yeast. Its delicious, and really light and airy, but so soft as to be almost unsliceable. My DH can't slice at the best of times, but even I had trouble with this loaf. I ended up folding the loaf in half, which lets face it you shouldn't be able to do, and afterwards it sprang back to its proper shape.

The ingredients are as follows:

1lb 2 oz /500g Strong White Bread Flour
1 oz /25g Butter (I used sunflower oil actually)
1 1/4 tsp salt (few grinds of the mill actually)
1 1/2tsp hovis fast action dried yeast
300ml/ 10fl oz warm water
2tsp sugar (optional. I used it.)

I baked it on rapid (one and a half hour).

Can anyone suggest anything I could alter to make it slightly more firm?


Metherer

mophead

Hi Metherer,

Looking at the recipe it looks like too much yeast to me and if you only used a few grinds of the salt mill (barley a teaspoon) this would'nt be enoungh salt to calm it. I only use 1 tsp of fast action yeast per 500g of flour and 1.5 teaspoons of salt.

Clare.x.

metherer

Cheers, I'll need to make another loaf this avo, so will do it properly!!

lil_me

SWAP!!! Mine is always going stiff at the mo, I like squishy bread!

Complicated stuff is bread, if you have a look on google about breadmaking some sites have all the technical aspects of what ingredient does what, how it all works together etc.

purpleivy

Yes, I would suggest what the OP did, salt inhibits the yeast and stops it acting too quickly. 1 level tsp fst action yeast is adequate for a loaf that size

Biggles

I'd agree about the salt, that seems too little (but don't overdo it, 1 tsp is plenty).

It does seem to have cooked rather slowly, though, 40 mins is enough in an oven starting at 425F - starting at a high temperature is supposed to be necessary to kill the yeast.

(I assume you've allowed it to cool, nothing cuts easily when just baked)?

pol

It could be the oil, I use olive oil when I want my bread to be soft, and butter when I want it crusty.

pol