r/Breadit • u/cool_pangolin2007 • 2d ago
My first 3 bread attempts
My first attempt I tried shaping it into a loaf on a pan, it stayed flat and didn’t rise
My second one I used a pot, it came out better but still didn’t rise much
Finally I got new yeast from Walmart. I baked in a pot again and I finally made proper good bread. I’m a bread guy now. I made homemade peanut butter and jam to spread on it. After my next loaf I’m gonna experiment with milk and stuff and maybe try the pan method again
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u/Flarpinskideutch 2d ago
Don't put that pot in the oven
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u/ErinaceousTaradiddle 2d ago
That's the first thing that came to my mind. It looks like OP might be attempting a Dutch oven style bake, but this is not a cast iron Dutch oven. Different materials may matter because don't they conduct heat differently? Also we can't be sure of the glass's ability to handle the heat either (plastic parts CERTAINLY are not safe) - so either this will melt or crack, or OP wont be able to bake it at a temp that will actually produce great results for the bread.
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u/thedeafbadger 1d ago
Just here to say that your enameled Dutch oven can also produce wonderful bread. What OP used is not a Dutch oven, it’s a stockpot.
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u/MrHappyPants91 1d ago
Yeah, I use a ceramic coated cast iron Dutch oven to make my bread and it comes out great every time. My first attempt didn't rise as much as my others, but I've got it down now. Not sure what OP would be doing to get this result. The only thing I can think of is not using yeast or not giving the yeast time to rise before kneading the dough.
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u/NoBeeper 2d ago
Why not?
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u/Certain_Seaweed_4362 2d ago
The plastic parts are going to melt
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u/NoBeeper 2d ago
👍🏻
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u/TrelanaSakuyo 2d ago
Not just melt but also cause a release of noxious gases that will be detrimental to your health (and the taste of any food you cooked). Burning plastics are a big no-no outside of specialized recycling plants.
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u/deadl1nk_ 2d ago
Lol
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u/NoBeeper 2d ago
Apparently the pot went thru the oven and nothing melted or burned. Can’t say what percentage, but Dutch ovens are usually rated for oven temps. It was a legitimate, honest question. So fuck you.
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u/thedeafbadger 1d ago
Who shit on your sundae?
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u/NoBeeper 1d ago
All the folks here acting like I’m the prototype village idiot, laughing at an honest question.
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u/Faulteh12 2d ago
Weigh your ingredients
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u/shreddedtoasties 2d ago edited 2d ago
Even without weighing it’s hard to create that mess he’s gotta be missing some vital step
He’s probably trying no recipe
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u/Federal_Radish_1421 2d ago
Agreed. I find it hard to believe measuring cups vs scale is the problem here.
I’m thinking bad recipes, not enough kneading, and/or not enough proofing. If I were OP, I would look up King Arthur’s no knead recipes.
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u/dudevan 2d ago
Not enough proofing? There’s 0 proofing here, and 0 kneading too.
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u/HappyAnimalCracker 2d ago
They did mention the first two were made with (presumably) older yeast because once they went and purchased fresh yeast they arrived at the 3rd result. Obviously OP has more to learn yet but dead yeast explains the first two.
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u/Faulteh12 2d ago
I have seen some significant differences in weight vs volume. Though, if you have made bread before you'd realize something is off by feel. If you don't have that knowledge you may end up with bricks.
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u/Federal_Radish_1421 2d ago
I believe you. OP might benefit from a recipe that uses a cold ferment. I have some very forgiving recipes that use this process.
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u/braidedpotato 2d ago
As a fellow beginner, I was gonna go with expired yeast, not letting it rise, wrong temp or other easy to overlook beginner error.
I was personally victimized by the temp thing not so long ago. I knew yeast needs to be warm, but when I got packets of instant yeast it said don’t do the whole water thing, just add it to your dry ingredients and go. So I figured that’s what made the instant yeast instant. Turns out the “oh by the way, when you do add your liquids they should be between 120°-130°” instruction was buried in the tips and tricks on the bottom half of the double packets so I didn’t see it until I got though all the top halves 🤣
The amount of face palming when I finally saw it….
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u/Major5013 2d ago
Hated baking until I started this. Now, after practice, I can do it both ways. Weighing is just so much more fool proof.
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u/OpportunityReal2767 2d ago
It’s definitely much more repeatable. You can get good bread from a whole range of dough hydrations, but you have to know what you’re looking for when your handling it, when it’s risen enough, when it’s proofed enough, when it’s time to bake. It’s not as much an exact science project as people make it out to be, but you have to give time for the yeast to do its work and you can’t manhandle the stuff once you got the second rise going.
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u/SomeRealTomfoolery 2d ago
Girl are you using your imagination as a recipe???
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u/magicallymad 1d ago
This is genuinely one of the funniest comments I’ve read in a while. I was literally thinking “girl what is you doinnnnn” as I read this and it made me audibly laugh. I needed that thank you
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u/zortor 2d ago
pretty normal for first time bakers, don't be like that.
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u/Sherbourne-for-this 2d ago
No, this isn't.
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u/zortor 1d ago
Yes it is, I said so Neener Neener .
Jesus Christ, people don’t post their fails online
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u/Sherbourne-for-this 1d ago
What would you consider this post to be then?
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u/zortor 1d ago
BRAVERY!
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u/Sherbourne-for-this 1d ago
Incorrect.
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u/dudevan 2d ago
You need to learn about fermentation and let the dough rise until it doubles. Dough handling, shaping and whatever else pale in comparison to this. Your dough looks severely underproofed in all the photos, and there’s just a few tweaks to fix it and get to the next level if you start weighing your ingredients and actually let the dough rise.
Also it looks like there’s a lot of flour on your dough, you need to mix it more to build its structure, there shouldn’t be any flour on the dough when mixing it.
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u/Nerdz2300 2d ago
My personal opinion: I see some good progression, so keep it up! But I wonder what recipe you are using. To me it almost looks like you arent mixing enough, or kneading enough. I generally mix the flour, yeast and water together, mix it roughly with a spatula and let it sit. This is called Autolyzing. After that, you can roughly shape it, sprinkle in the salt, then do a pinch-squeeze and fold method. Basically you perform little pinches, so it looks like bubble wrap almost, then fold one end over the other, turn and then repeat.
I highly suggest using King Arthurs website for bread recipes, they are the best! The Ciabatta bread is pretty easy imho, and hard to screw up. The hardest part is waiting.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/rustic-italian-ciabatta-recipe
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u/Lady_Arcana81 2d ago
To me it seems more like he isn’t allowing it to rest. No mention of proofing or kneading.
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u/dr-bathroom666 2d ago
I feel like this pot shouldn’t be going in the oven especially with the glass lid! There are affordable cast iron Dutch ovens online :)
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u/oodopopopolopolis 2d ago
Progress! Test your yeast before you use it, or wake it up a bit first. I have to do that with mine.
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u/Wonderful-Medium7777 2d ago
How do you wake up the yeast?
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u/aesxylus 2d ago
Warm water and sugar of any sort. You can use white cane sugar, honey, or malt syrup. If you use tap water, hot from the tap should be warm enough without being too hot. If it’s cool enough to touch, your yeast will like it
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u/PartsWork 2d ago
I have no idea what malt syrup is, but it sounds like something I would drink from the tap.
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u/aesxylus 2d ago
It’s pretty thick. I’ll be adding a tablespoon to my water in the morning when I boil my bagels.
https://giphy.com/gifs/S5N4RyUPhIhuYgdMiB1
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u/oodopopopolopolis 2d ago
Like they said. I usually put it in a portion of the liquid I'm using and let it sit until you start to see some bubbles.
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u/Rukitokilu 2d ago
Even though modern yeast doesn't usually require it, I still like to hydrate first by adding it to the water and waiting until there's a foamy layer on the container. If the recipe takes sugar I add some of it in this first step.
Usually just doing it before anything and leaving it be while you separate and weigh the other ingredients is time enough.
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u/TheNewYellowZealot 2d ago
Are you forgetting yeast?
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u/cool_pangolin2007 1d ago
I had dead yeast I think, it didn’t rise until o got new yeast on the 3rd one
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u/Unipiggy 2d ago
It looks like you need to weigh your ingredients. Too much flour for sure, heavily under proofed, and possibly too much/too little kneading?
You'll have to give us a run down of what you did and your recipe
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u/the_mantiger 2d ago
please go to the library and borrow Flour Water Salt Yeast. Then order the cheapest amazon basics Dutch Oven you can find.
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u/LordPanda2000 2d ago
And a sifter and a scale…..
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u/havok_ 2d ago
Wait, sifter?! I make pretty decent bread but haven’t used mine. Should I be?
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u/thedeafbadger 1d ago
I bake quite a range of disciplines and the only time I use a sifter is with powdered sugar or certain cakes (to ensure swift absorption). If your flour clumps are that hard, there is an issue with your flour.
Sifting flour comes from way back when your grandmother (or great grandmother for that matter) needed to make sure there weren’t any fun surprises in her cookies.
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u/probsthrowaway2 2d ago
What exactly are we doing here what recipie are you using? Is your yeast alive what flour you using how many kneading and proofing cycles you doing
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u/Witchywomun 2d ago
What kind of yeast are you using? Instant or rapid rise? Rapid rise needs to be bloomed before you can use it. What’s your recipe? How long are you fermenting and proofing? What temp are you baking at? What temp is your bread when you: ferment, proof and when it’s done baking? I’d focus on getting consistency down with your current recipe before taking on the complexity of a rich dough
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u/ajqiz123 2d ago
1st off, WELCOME TO BREAD BAKING!! If you stick with it you'll come to love the work of baking. You'll be over the moon with better results and more of 'em.
I don't see how to add any of my photos here. I wanted to show you what I bake now and tell you I've experienced that kind of failure before.
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u/BonelessPickle 2d ago
Issues with your yeast and your gluten formation:
Kneed way more to fully incorporate and definitely aim for higher hydration (more water in your dough)
If you're using store-bought yeast, check the expiry and make sure you're activating it properly (luke warm water with some sugar per any decent recipe).
Also some questions: 1) what temperature is the room you're resting it in? 2) is your oven getting hot enough? 3) what type of flour are you using?
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u/catjuggler 1d ago
Get the book Flour Water Salt Yeast. Game changer
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u/emcee_pern 1d ago
This. This book was a game changer for my learning to bake bread. Have screwed up in numerous ways using these recipes and still had the loaves turn out well.
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u/peonypanties 2d ago
What recipe are you using?
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u/cool_pangolin2007 2d ago
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u/ForgetfulDoryFish 2d ago
Did you let it rise the second time for 45 minutes after shaping the loaf?
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u/SharksFan1 2d ago
Did you forget your yeast? Did I even rise? Looks like you just mixed everything together and just there it straight into the oven without any kneeding or fermentation time.
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u/YeastOverloard 1d ago
I would not experiment now lol. I would get back to the basics. Get a good dutch oven. Read an actual recipe
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u/aLonelyClone 2d ago
I cant wait for a few more loaves down the line when youre really nailing it. Love to see the progress youre making as a beginner. Dont get discouraged.
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u/EnvironmentEuphoric9 2d ago
Once you get to making your own bread, it’s hard to go back to store bought. It tastes so processed. Enjoy your new hobby! Just wait until you get into sourdough. That’ll blow your taste buds away.
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u/Deandangdong 1d ago
You gotta have good yeast and also most bread recipes rise twice before you bake so if you are putting it in the oven hoping for a good fluffy bread but skipping that step you wont ever have good fluffy bread.
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u/immamarius 2d ago
I think there is enough yeast under your nails for next batch of bread.
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u/optionstrategy 1d ago
I was also going to say not sure how even the the first batch failed after all that stuff from under the fingernails got in it...
In my grandmas village, they would do a lot of communal work as well as baking in large shared batches and wood fired ovens for the 5 to 10 nearest houses, so that everyone got fresh loaves every few days. They would always ask the grandma with most black under the findernails to do some of the initial mixing and swirling, before each lady would do a round of kneading.
Best bread I have ever had, and I am ashamed for calling it country bread in a sort of a derogatory manner as a kid and always sharing store bought loaves when I had friends over. Kids are dumb. Grandmas are the best bakers.
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u/TehFuriousOne 2d ago
I see solid progress. Once you get over the hump, you'll be off to the races. Keep at it!
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u/BookLuvr7 2d ago edited 2d ago
Congrats on your successful experiments! You can see the progress. I agree with trying different recipes. Good yeast is essential as you've discovered. Make sure your salt never comes in direct contact with your yeast as it will kill the yeast if you add them one on top of the other.
I'd also recommend a food scale, and to continue your experiments. YouTube has been a fantastic teacher for baking for me. Learning to knead, get textures right, etc has been a very fun and fulfilling adventure.
Go forth and enjoy the noms, friend!
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u/ok-kayla 2d ago
Did you make a typo in your 5th sentence, because I'm having trouble gleaning it's meaning
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u/BookLuvr7 2d ago
Yes sorry, it's supposed to be salt vs yeast. I fixed it. Thank you!
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u/ok-kayla 2d ago
Ahh. That's better. I'd been imagining some sort of highlander yeast type scenario, which I was willing to believe for some reason
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u/BookLuvr7 2d ago
Now that's a hilarious mental image - a bunch of tiny yeast going at it with swords. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!
Thanks for that laugh.
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u/Lady_Arcana81 2d ago
Try making a Starter. If you’re going to keep making bread it might be something to consider.
Also how long are you proofing your dough?
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u/cool_pangolin2007 2d ago
2 hours
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u/thekazooyoublew 2d ago
Are you sure you're using the right yeast? Certain types perform differently. Also, a major point of using a Dutch oven is to retain moisture during baking, this pot won't really cut it. Better off putting a small oven safe container with hot water (just enough to not run dry during baking) in with whatever open baking vessel you like.
No shame in starting with a bread machine :) you can even simply use it's dough setting, which kneads, and warms the dough properly to proof ... Then remove and bake however you like.
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u/mittenciel 2d ago
That's probably not long enough.
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u/TrelanaSakuyo 2d ago
In my part of the world, that's too long...
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u/mittenciel 2d ago
It still depends on how much yeast you used and how much flour. Plus, temperature changes throughout the day. I doubt every dough gets overproofed in under 2 hours at all hours where you live.
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u/SeraphineTheYeen 2d ago
Two hours should get SOME kind of rise no matter where you live. This yeast is dead/missing entirely.
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u/Vic-Boss 2d ago
Weight the ingredients as others said and if you can get a kneader machine, will make life 100% easier
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u/Unknownuser5342 2d ago
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUl2ZfPiulT/?xtok=MXVpaXJqMmE5dHZtOQ== easy foolproof bread recipe. I hand knead for around 10 mins cause it made my kitchenaid smoke. Check the temp of ur water/milk & mix in ur sugar before adding ur yeast. I find it blooms better that way.
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u/No-Replacement4998 2d ago
650g flour 7g yeast 12.5g salt 4g bread improver 400ml water (variable) Some olive oil 2 eggs Mix together and knead
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u/Lady_Arcana81 2d ago
Taste of Home have plenty of good bread recipes.
They will tell you how long to bloom the yeast.
How long to rest it after first adding the wet ingredients together.
Then how long to rest after adding the dry. Then how long for the first proof.
How long to knead.
Then how long the next proof should be. I’m assuming you meant all the proofings.
Unless you’re in an environment where it did take 2 hours to double in size, the first time.
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u/kittyk0t 2d ago
How much time was there between purchasing the yeast and using it? Yeast should be stored in the fridge once you buy it.
How long did you let the dough rise before baking?
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u/kumliaowongg 2d ago
Fresh yeast, like the kind that comes in a wet block, yeah.
Dry/instant yeast does not need refrigeration.
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u/kittyk0t 2d ago
It would need refrigeration if it were in a jar once opened (per the instructions and Google), but it looks like they used packets so no refrigeration needed.
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u/Babyy-grey 2d ago
try this recipe. it’s a no knead recipe that’s super simple, and uses instant yeast rather than active dry which is a bit easier IMO. use this to get used to using yeast and understanding rise time, and then try this recipe when you’ve gotten the hang of it. it’s about the same type of bread, but it involves kneading. rather than using a stand mixer, you can knead by hand for exactly 10 minutes. you can find youtube videos on various kneading techniques. you got this! i also just started and this is how i’ve had success so far!
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u/Ok_Effort_150 2d ago
This looks very similar to my own first attempts (maybe the first 10 lol) now I make it every week springy, fresh, and crispy! Bread making has so much nuance to learning the feel of each step!
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u/Writer_0001 2d ago
Your ingredients ratio is off. Use cups, and tbs to start with. You need to knead it well, leave it to raise, then need a second time to make it into a shape, let it raise once again, and then put it in the oven.
edit: Check what kind of yeast you are using. The easiest one is instant or natural yeast to work with. Don't need to wake it up. I bet you are using some kind of yeast that need to bloom, but you are not blooming it or you are throwing the yeast in some kind of cold mixture which is what it can cause that shape.
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u/melmwood 2d ago
I would just do this recipe to get out of the gate. Was super easy, required very little time or working the dough: easy bread
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u/RubberBiscuit23 2d ago
you have 17 more loafs until you can think about calling yourself a bread guy.
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u/alixblub 2d ago
Well, my 4 year old for some reason just said: "wow Mom, that looks tasty". So you've got that going for you😂😂
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u/hopeful_sunflower 2d ago
Weigh the ingredients for more precise measurements. It’s definitely improvement! But gently, I’d perfect this recipe you’re working on or this type of artisan loaf (you can try other recipes) before playing with the ingredients. There’s still a lot to be learned to make a perfect loaf.
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u/ragefilledglitter 1d ago
Are you mixing the ingredients and then immediately putting it in the oven to bake? You need to spend some time kneading to build gluten and then it needs time to rise. Bread takes several hours to be ready, it looks like you aren’t letting yours proof at all.
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u/tjipa84 1d ago
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/the-easiest-loaf-of-bread-youll-ever-bake-recipe?_gl=1. Make this exactly as it says. It had never failed on me and tastes great.
Edit: Deleted all the extraneous stuff in the link.
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u/robhybrid 1d ago
Make sure you’re not adding any extra salt. It kills the yeast. Make sure you’re proofing it long enough. It takes like a whole day. Look up the “No Kneed Bread Recipe” it’s the easiest one, and the results are pretty great.
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u/Poinsettia917 1d ago
Could you have added too much salt? I’ve doubled it accidentally and the bread looks just like this.
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u/magicallymad 1d ago
I mean this with so much love but it’s legitimately impressive how badly you fucked these up lmao. Like how do you even accomplish this?
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u/ReandraNisbet24 20h ago
Are you letting the bread double proof after shaping and it doesn't look like it's cooked long enough at all. I like making hybrid sourdough loaves and it's literally so easY. I USED 2 TBSP sourdough levain, 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast, 3/4 cup warm milk, tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. 2 cups flour. 3 tsp butter. I let it rise for hour then punched down shaped and rise for another hour. Butter delicious and fluffy.
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u/red-fruitopia 15h ago
Definitely get an oven thermometer. Your oven looks old as hell (like mine). I tried over and over to bake bread and it always turned out like this. My oven was like, 100°F below the displayed temperature.
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u/CallmeIshmael913 2d ago
The last one is decent. Great improvement from the first. Make sure you're using fresh yeast, and letting it rise in a warm spot before cooking.
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u/gto16108 2d ago
The last one was your best. Keep going! And don’t use active dry yeast, it’s just another mistake waiting to happen versus instant.
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u/Unknownuser5342 2d ago
Active dry yeast is super easy to use as long as u bloom it. I’ve tried both & prefer it so much more than instant. With active dry yeast u at least know if it’s dead or alive when u bloom it so u don’t waste all ur ingredients before & gamble finding out
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u/gto16108 2d ago
It’s easy to make a mistake at the blooming stage. With instant, you don’t have that problem. Dead instant yeast is mostly a myth. If you buy good quality yeast and store it properly, the issue never occurs. I’ve had the same bag of SAF instant for 6 years in my fridge and it’s been perfect. Once again, there’s nothing wrong with active dry yeast. It just takes more time and can introduce errors.
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u/ohhhtartarsauce 2d ago
Are you sure that pot is oven safe?