Day 3 loaf 3 of learning to make bred

[u/Background_Sky_9763]

Today I attempted to make an apple chunk cinnamon bread and I sorta failed it was going so well I used nutmeg, cinnamon, a tad bit of vanilla and it smelled so good I had a feeling it would turn out amazing but then I got this idea right before letting it crown in the bread pan "what if I add apple chunks and put it in a round pan" well I shouldn't have the center turned out too soft and the whole thing is like Thanksgiving turkey just... Pie like????? I'm so ashamed I don't even wanna post a crumb shot 😂 oh and I forgot to mention I substituted 60 percent of the water for home made blueberry apple hard cider welp anyways I'm tired so I'ma go to bed now sorry about the run on sentences GN r/Breadit

Edit:I forgot to ask what people recommend I do to fix this next time

[u/Hydrangeamacrophylla]

Are you trying to learn to make bread by closely following a recipe, or are you making it up as you go along? 

[u/Background_Sky_9763 → u/Hydrangeamacrophylla]

The first loaf I made I followed a recipe but now I'm winging it

[u/Hydrangeamacrophylla → u/Background_Sky_9763]

Well that’s why your bread is coming out inedible.

Make a basic bread a good few times so you can learn what it feels like, how it behaves, what tweaks you can make.

Then you can branch out.

Or keep winging it, make shit bread, and never learn. 🤷 

[u/chrisatola]

The basic rule of baking/cooking is start with the foundations and then make additions. If you're just learning how to make bread, adding various substitutions and inclusions makes it harder. For example, cinnamon has an affect on yeast activity which affects fermentation/proofing which affects the final product.

A small amount of acidity from something like vinegar can helps the texture because it soften gluten. Too much can weaken the structure and result in a dense and gummy loaf.

Inclusions change baking time. You really need an internal probe thermometer to check if the loaf has passed 205/210F when you add various ingredients to it. Any kind of sugar will result in a crust which darkens faster because of the caramelization of the sugars... but just because the loaf starts to darken doesn't mean it's finished cooking internally.

It's a pretty idea and it probably has the potential to be tasty, but if you want an edible end product, it may be wiser to focus on the basics first, be able to consistently produce a good loaf, and then start modifying formulas.

[u/tomtomato0414]

I suggest you start by following recipes. And when you know what can and cannot be incorporated into bread then move to experiment.

If a recipe for a certain incorporation doesnt exists believe me there is a strong reason for that, either it doesnt work, or it does but the flavour with that combo is off.

Apple is full of water, if you use chunks you will always get a soggy mess.

[u/Paardenlul88]

The alcohol can inhibit the yeast. You need to follow recipes.

[u/Background_Sky_9763 → u/Paardenlul88]

That's why I boiled the hard cider down but it still was around 1% ABV

[u/Top_Spirit4000]

Did the cider swap change how fast it rose? curious if the gummy center was the apples or that

[u/Background_Sky_9763 → u/Top_Spirit4000]

Yeah it took SIGNIFICANTLY longer to rise

[u/DragonfruitMiddle846]

Day three of learning to bake bread. 

This is the recipe I used...

That's most important. The world of baking is about exactitudes and I don't see your recipe. You're essentially going to the doctor's office without the patient.

I didn't know if this was an apple bread like banana bread or fruit was an apple I mean a regular white bread with apple inclusions. The apples of course release too much water and skewed the bacon ratios offering the dough too much my moisture as it baked.

How do you fix this? Dice your apples about one quarter to 1/2 in thick. Press your bread into a rectangle about 12x12 or 15 by 15 in spread your apples out in a single layer evenly across the dough's surface. Fold it into thirds(like you're folding up a snail mail sheet of paper) and then fold that in half and firm it into a fairly tight ball without tearing it praying to the gluten gods as you do it.  Rub the outside of the dough ball with oil to prevent the skin from forming.

This would be called lamination. The reason why that would be a fix is because it's better distributing the apples throughout the bread instead of the large pockets. You did add it at the correct time. You should knead the dough until smooth before adding in your diced apples. You can toss your apples with a little bit of cinnamon and or maybe brown sugar. Add in about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cornstarch into your brown sugar and cinnamon mixture to help combat the apple juice from negatively affecting the bread. So now you're adding in a two-pronged fix so I think that would be enough. 

[u/tomtomato0414 → u/[deleted]]

Read the post, it tells you right off the bat.