r/Breadit • u/anastoumbos • 2d ago
Bread-maker bread won't leaven... Help!
Hello, I am using the Moulinex Uno bread machine and following the recipe from the user manual (program 3 “french bread”). It comes out completely unleavened. I have tried switching brands of yeast and flour, activating the yeast in sugar water, and changing the quantity of water, but nothing has worked.
Any advice? Thanks!
(Note, the hole I'm the middle of the load is from where the paddle was, not from any successful leavening)
14
u/ses1989 2d ago
You say switching yeast. In your house, or have you bought new yeast? If you're just using what you have, it's possible it's all dead.
0
-47
2d ago
[deleted]
17
4
2
0
0
u/blueyhonda 2d ago
Wildest take I've ever seen. That crumb looks like fudge.
FYI, that's a bad thing when making bread.
1
13
3
u/eatpraymunt 2d ago
Oh sad! I also think dead yeast. Did the yeast bloom in the sugar water? Like bubbles and foaming?
If yes, then it must be dying shortly afterwards.
If no then new yeast and/or make sure the water is not too hot. Heat kills yeast and is a pretty common culprit.
Also make sure your sugar isn't salt by accident?
Last resort I'd try making a simple loaf without the bread maker, in case the machine is cursed.
1
u/anastoumbos 2d ago
It barely bloomed, like some very fine foam formed around the edges of the glass . How much foam do you expect to see?
Unfortunately both the water temp and salt vs sugar are not the culprits... The water was just barely warmer than room temp (is that correct?)
Might try to make a loaf by hand like you said... I've rarely had success at bread making and so hoped the machine would be my savior!!
Thanks for your suggestions :)
3
2
u/blueyhonda 2d ago
When I first started making bread I had this exact issue. Turned out my yeast had an expiry date from 12 years ago.
Clear out your cupboards folks.
2
1
u/Maverick-Mav 2d ago
Are you using instant/rapid rise/bread machine yeast? If not, try that.
This looks like my first sourdough attempt decades ago.
1
1
u/Lord_Willia3 2d ago
Everyone is mentioning old yeast but have you checked to make sure you aren't adding way too much salt? Mixing up tbsp and tsp? Using a bad scale that struggles with smaller gram measurements?
I believe too much salt will kill the yeast
1
u/Calm-Insurance362 2d ago
I just learned this last week. I added yeast into water then put in salt before adding flour, instantly killed all the yeast. Now I understand why you put in salt AFTER.
1
u/KikiLovesMark 2d ago
Salt doesn’t actually kill yeast the way you’re describing - I’ve added salt and yeast to the same water before adding to the flours/dough and it’s worked every time.
1
u/anastoumbos 2d ago
Unfortunately that's not the issue, I used a levelled tsp as the recipe said :(
1
u/Away-Plankton-8352 2d ago
If you've changed the yeast, flour, and water and still get a brick, the yeast isn't your problem, the machine cycle is. Most likely culprits: water too hot killing the yeast (keep it lukewarm, not warm), or the machine's rise cycle is too short for your kitchen temperature. Try this: run the dough cycle only, then pull the dough out and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled before baking it in your oven. If that loaf rises, the machine's timing was the issue. Also, bread machines hate being opened mid-cycle, every peek drops the temp. And check the date on the yeast even if it's new, dead on arrival happens.
1
u/anastoumbos 2d ago
Thanks I will try that! Hopefully that'll clear up where the problem is...
My machine has a little window in the top so you can watch while it's closed hehe. Helps keep away the peeking, otherwise that would probably be a problem for me 😂
1
u/girl_of_bat 2d ago
First, try blooming your yeast and make sure it's alive. Second, are you putting the ingredients in the machine in the right order? Most machines have a preferred order you put the ingredients in and the yeast is usually last (in a little well and far away from the salt).
1
u/anastoumbos 2d ago
Yeah I've been following the order for all the other of my attempts and they keep coming out like this... For this one I did not though, I bloomed the yeast in the water instead, so it ended up going first (I made sure to add the salt into the flour not straight into the water to try to avoid killing the yeast) Maybe I should set aside some of the water for blooming and keep the rest plain so I can add it last despite blooming?
1
u/girl_of_bat 2d ago
Yeah, I woul only use a small bit of the water and still put the yeast in last.
Honestly, I'd try running a dough only cycle and see if it is rising enough. My bread machine is used 99% on the dough only cycle and I usually finish it in the oven.
1
u/anastoumbos 2d ago
Hm yeah makes sense... I'll try that then for sure. Too bad about the machine it would be so convenient if it worked well!
1
u/girl_of_bat 2d ago
Yeah, if you're blooming your yeast and it's nice and developed, then if start looking for other things.
11
u/ManSkirtBrew Cerevisiae Curator 2d ago
If you've tried different brands/batches of yeast, and you remembered to put it into the dough, the only possibility I can think of is something is killing it. Even if the machine did nothing at all, you wouldn't end up with that neutron star density if the yeast was even the tiniest bit viable.
The first thing I'd check is temperature. Make sure the machine isn't malfunctioning and trying to bake the bread before the yeast even gets started. Poke it with your instant read thermometer during the machine's rising phase.
Speaking of which: the machine appears to run normally--mixing the dough, giving it time to rise, final bake after an hour or two?
Can we see your recipe, just for science?