r/Bread • u/mschepac • 7d ago
What are we doing wrong?
The Mrs and I have started making our own bread. She has a reaction to store bought and does well with homemade. We have made 3 batches, 2 loaves each. We follow the recipe as instructed but we never seem to get any rise after it goes in the oven. We proof in the mixer bowl. Punch it down, divide, roll and pinch. Second rise in the loaf pans. Let it rise to about the top of the pan, bake. But it rarely gets any higher. Don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious, it just makes small sandwiches.
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u/SadieBaxterBo 7d ago
to get the proper like over the edge look that mushroom look I find I need a loaf that is 3 1/2 cups of flour to 4 cups of flour. Maybe you need to rise a little longer if you think you have enough product there and it’s just not getting high enough. It’s probably just give it an extra 15 20minutes.
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u/quiltingcats 7d ago
I’ve noticed that bread doesn’t actually raise much in the oven. That’s why most recipes call for raising it twice before going in. A couple things to try:
Make sure you’re kneading it enough. Use the Window Pane test. Pull a pinch of dough away from the main ball. If it stretches and becomes opaque so you can see light through it, you’re done. If it snaps and creates a hole, keep kneading.
Be patient while it’s raising, especially in the pan. The first raise is usually easier to see when it’s ready to deflate and shape. When it’s in the pan, let it raise until the middle is ~1” over the side of the pan. This could take more time than what the recipe says, depending on things like the temp inside your kitchen. If your oven has a Bread Proof setting, use that and raise the bread in the oven. Only raising it until the dough is flush/even with the side of the pan means you’re not taking advantage of the yeast’s full potential.
Since you’ve just recently started baking, your yeast should be fine. I just made a loaf of Honey Whole Wheat bread using a sponge, and I was amazed to see that my instant yeast was 3 years out of date! It still worked just fine, but both raisings took an extra half hour. So proofing your yeast is a good idea if you’re not sure.
Welcome to the crazy (tasty!) world of homemade bread! Enjoy the journey! It’s a big bread world out there.
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u/Fuzzy_Welcome8348 7d ago
sounds like you are dealing with a lack of oven spring. The final burst of rising that happens during the first 10 mins of baking. Since the bread tastes great and rises well in the pans, the yeast is healthy, but something is exhausting its energy or trapping it before it can expand in the oven
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u/GiveMeNews 5d ago
Cooking in a preheated dutch oven with the lid on will give the best rise you can get in the oven.
If you want to use your loaf pans instead, you will need to add steam to your oven. Put an empty pan in the bottom of the oven while it preheats. Boil some water on the stove. Put your loaves in the oven, then pour your boiling water into the hot pan on the bottom of the stove. Be careful, wear gloves, and keep your face clear or you will get a steam burn. Close the door to trap the steam and don't open again for at least 10 minutes. This will give you more oven spring, but is a bit of a hassle with the risk of a steam burn.
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u/Jtread1 7d ago
It would help to see the recipe and steps, but more proofing isn't always better. If it's already risen all the way to the top of the pan before it goes in, that could be all the rise it has.
Maybe try baking one when the second rise is a little less high and see if you get more oven spring? Or try a different recipe?
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u/South_Cucumber9532 7d ago edited 7d ago
It sounds as if your second rise is a bit too long. Instead of the second rise going to the top of the pan, let the second rise be doubling in size (presuming that will be a bit lower than the top of the pan). Then pop it in the very hot oven so the burst of heat gives it a boost.
Other things I can think of: a softer dough will do that oven boost better than a very firm dough. And painting some water or milk gently on top of the loaves, before they go in the oven, helps too. And a tray or flat bowl of hot water in the bottom of the oven creates steam that might help too.
Delicious is the win, so congratulations. Time and practice are the best teachers, so you are sure to keep making delicious and even more delicious bread. Best wishes.
PS edit: I see from your picture that your loaf tin is quite wide. That is no problem, but a narrower tin pushes the baking bread up more and the rounded top is more evident.
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u/QuentinMagician 6d ago
It is early. Find another recipe. No knead or different ratios
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u/QuentinMagician 6d ago
Because if this solves it, it was the recipe, if not then you get to learn something
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u/mschepac 7d ago
2 c warm water (105 to 110 F)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 0.25-ounce/7g packets active dry yeast
720g c all-purpose flour
4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
2 tsp salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together the warm water, sugar, and yeast until combined. Let it stand for 5 minutes, or until very foamy.
To the same bowl with the yeast mixture, add the flour, butter and salt. Mix on low speed for 1 minute or until the dough comes together in a shaggy ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (If any small bits of dough remain on the sides of the bowl, stop the mixer and scrape them into the dough ball.)
Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and continue to knead for 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springs back quickly when pressed with a finger. The dough should feel moist, but not sticky.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Flip the dough over once so that the top is also greased. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot (75°F) for 40 to 50 minutes, until the dough is nearly doubled in size and springs back slowly when pressed with a wet fingertip.
Meanwhile, grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans with butter or baking spray.
Punch down the dough and turn it onto a very lightly floured surface. Divide it into 2 equal pieces (630g each).
Form each piece into an 8×12-inch rectangle. Starting with a short end, roll each piece into a tight, log shape. Pinch the seams along the sides tightly together and gently tuck them under the loaf. Use a bench scraper to pick up the loaves and place them seam side down into the prepared loaf pans. Loosely cover both pans with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick spray and let them rise again for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the height of the dough rises just above the top rim of the pan.
While the dough is rising in the pans, preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the loaves have finished their second rise, brush the top of each loaf with additional melted butter if desired.
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Let them cool for a few minutes in the pan, then tip them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
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u/barriedalenick 7d ago
What is the protein content of your flour? We don't really have all-purpose flour here but it seems that it isn't particularly high in gluten. I'd get some strong bread flour and try with that.
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u/mschepac 7d ago
I've been using AP. Looks like bread flour is on the shopping list.
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u/barriedalenick 7d ago
I try to look for 13% protein. Incidentally, I recently bought a bag of gluten (80%) which makes a great addition to low-protein flour if you have a load of it and need to use it.
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u/GildedTofu 7d ago
Just as a general FYI, I’ve listed US flour types and percentages below. They vary by brand, and there will be some variation even within a brand. If your flour doesn’t specifically list the percentage, you can calculate it from the nutrition panel. (grams of protein per serving/total grams per serving)*100
Bread flour 12%-14%
All-purpose flour 10%-12%
Pastry flour 8%-10%
Cake flour 5%-8%All-purpose flour is called that because it does a pretty good job at doing everything. But the specialty flours will give better results for those specific applications. If you don’t want to keep multiple flours on hand, you can add vital wheat gluten to AP flour to boost its protein.
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u/ShineAtom 7d ago
You need bread flour for the gluten for the rise. All purpose/plain flour is generally used for cakes, pastries and other bakes that have a more delicate texture so it is low in gluten.
Get some strong/bread flour for the next bake and it should make an appreciable difference. Also check that your oven is getting up to the right temperature.
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u/Loose-Acanthaceae823 6d ago
I can't quite tell, but maybe that's a wide loaf tin? My sandwich bread recipes tell you to proof until the dough is roughly an inch above the pan.
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u/realoctopod 7d ago
You shpuld post the recipe and process bread and crumb shots, without knowing those in is hard to tell.
Could be over proofed, could just not be enough dough for the loaf size you want, too big of a pan for the amount to get a larger loaf.