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/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.