Breadmaking help?

squashy

My handmade bread is a bit on the heavy side and I wondered if anyone has any tips?

My method is:

Rub 500g strong white flour and 25g of butter together. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar, half a tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of quick action yeast. Add 320ml of warm water gradually and stir in. Mix with hands and knead for about 5 mins into a soft dough. Leave in a warm place covered with oiled cling film, for an hour. Then knock the air out before giving one final knead and put into a loaf tin. Allow to rise for half an hour while oven is preheating, then flour the top and cook for 30 mins on 180 ish.

It looks risen properly when it goes into the oven but it just tastes a bit heavy, like soda bread almost! I love it but the kids don't!

OddjobKIA

you need to really kneed it lots and then kneed it again..

or trymaybe a little more yeast

OddjobKIA

try making a cream out of the yeast and someofthe warmwater first then add to mix

sandy2_2

I'm sure I saw a post that mentioned adding a vitamin c tablet to make bread less dense, but I can't find it at the moment

sparklygirl1

I would say less water maybe by 20ml and 1/4 tsp more yeast.......

Biggles

OddjobKIA wrote: »

try making a cream out of the yeast and someofthe warmwater first then add to mix

Yes, you don't need quick action yeast if you're making bread by hand. If you have dried yeast, mix with 150ml warm water and the sugar. Add to the mix when it has a good froth on top. With live yeast, you could do the same, or add it straightaway like OddJob says.

But the temperature you suggest is very low. Most recipes suggest starting at 450 or 425F (230/220C) (needs to start high to kill the yeast) and then dropping to 400/375F (200/190C) after 10 minutes, and even then I still cook for 40 minutes minimum.

In_Search_Of_Me

I havetwo fab recipes for hm bread - one needs kneading & the other doesent! Would you like them?

In_Search_Of_Me

Quick wholemeal bread (Readers digest recipe)

(makes loaf – approx 14 slice)

450g/1 Ibs strong wholemeal bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp easy blend dried yeast
1 tsp light mucadavo sugar or clear honey
450ml/15fl oz tepid water
1 tsp plain white four to dust
* 2 -3 tablespoons sunflower seeds if you want extra nuttiness!

Lighty grease 2ib loaf tin and set aside while making bread.
Sift flour salt & yeast into large bowl – tipping any extra unseived bran in and make a well in the centre.
Stir honey or sugar into tepid water and then add this mix to the flour. I mix it in with my hand (take any rngs off first or it gets everywhere!!) for approx 2 mins until it comes away from the sides adding a bit of flour if its too sticky but it should be quite sticky anyway! *At this stage add sunflower seeds etc if you want to!
Put dough into the tin & cover for approx 30 mins – should rise to top of tin.
Sprinkle white flour on top for effect (I often forget & it still looks good!)
Preheat oven to 200C/400F/GM 6
Place tin in oven & cook for 30-40 mins – should tap hollow when done. You can return this to the oven for 5 mins if you want crispy sides! Place on baking rack & cool with cloth over it! Eat & enjoy! It really is easy peasy lemon squeezy & has a nice texture!

In_Search_Of_Me

Potato bread – readers digest recipe

400g (14oz) floury potato - scrubbed
700g (1ib 9oz) strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 sachet easy blend yeast – approx 7g
1 tblsp molasses

Put potatoes in a pan and simmer for 15 minutes until soft – leave skins on and then when cooked remove from water (keep water) and cool and then scrape the skin off (keeping skins on while cooking preserves the nutrients that lie just beneath the skin). Mash well.

In mixing bowl sieve 1ib 5 oz flour, salt & yeast (I used real yeast from the baker – a lump a bit smaller than a tablespoon!) and mix together the add potato and mix in.

In a jug mix 10 fl oz of potato water & molasses which should still be warm. Slowly add to the mix until a soft but not sticky dough consistency is reached.

The knead with some of the remaining flour for 5-10 mins until it goes smooth & elastic (don’t worry if any lumps of potato!). Put in an oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel for 40 mins.

Then knead again for 3 mins and divide mix into two and put into two well greased bread pans. Cover again & let it rise for 20 mins. After 15 mins turn the oven on to 180 c/350F or GM 4 and then put the bread in & cook for 40-45 mins until well risen and brown.

Turn onto wire rack to cool. Can be kept for up to a week.

Each slice (assuming 14 slices per loaf) is 195 kcal/6g protein/1g fat (of which 0% is saturated!) 43g carbs (of which sugars 1g) and 2g fibre.

Note: This is a lovely moist bread that is surprisingly light & almost like crumpet in texture and doesnt take of potato – less dense than any other HM bread I’ve made yet! Delicious with marmite & honey! (but possibly not on the same slice!!)

squashy

Biggles wrote: »

Yes, you don't need quick action yeast if you're making bread by hand. If you have dried yeast, mix with 150ml warm water and the sugar. Add to the mix when it has a good froth on top. With live yeast, you could do the same, or add it straightaway like OddJob says.

But the temperature you suggest is very low. Most recipes suggest starting at 450 or 425F (230/220C) (needs to start high to kill the yeast) and then dropping to 400/375F (200/190C) after 10 minutes, and even then I still cook for 40 minutes minimum.

My oven is ridiculously hot so I always turn it down a notch and I think the recommended was 200. Might try it hotter although I suspect we will end up with toast!!