Help With My Bread Please

[BettyR]

Originally Posted by Katie E

Can't think of what is causing your problem, Betty. I haven't kneaded bread by hand in almost 10 years. Use my bread machine to do that.

I use my KA mixer to knead my dough.
I’ll keep experimenting and hopefully figure it out; I appreciate the input.

[pacanis]

Originally Posted by BettyR

I'm doing that.

Well then maybe it's supposed to have holes in it if you are doing everything exactly correct......

[Fisher's Mom]

Now that I think about it, Betty, your problem may be letting the dough rise too long. Since you are kneading properly, I would cut the rise time and see what happens.

[BettyR]

Originally Posted by Fisher's Mom

Now that I think about it, Betty, your problem may be letting the dough rise too long. Since you are kneading properly, I would cut the rise time and see what happens.

I think you may be onto something there. The recipe says to let the dough rise for 1 hour after it is shaped; I thought that sounded like a long time but I'm no bread expert so I didn't question the recipe.

I'm going to cut the rise time down to 40 minutes and see what happens.

Thanks for the help.

[Fisher's Mom]

Originally Posted by BettyR

I think you may be onto something there. The recipe says to let the dough rise for 1 hour after it is shaped; I thought that sounded like a long time but I'm no bread expert so I didn't question the recipe.

I'm going to cut the rise time down to 40 minutes and see what happens.

Thanks for the help.

I had the same problem when I first started trying to make loaves of bread. The rising times given were always too long - maybe it's because Texas is warmer? Anyway, I gave up timing my rise and just let the dough rise til it's doubled. I use a square, straight-sided food storage container that has graduated marks on one side so I can see when it's doubled. But before I got that, I just used a square plastic container and measured how far up the dough was when I first put it in and then added that much more and marked the level it should be when doubled in size. I cover mine with saran wrap so I can see at a glance when it's doubled. I hope this solves your problem, too.

[pacanis]

That's some High-tech stuff ya got goin' on, FM.
I always wondered how you could tell when a blob of something doubled in size, which is why I always rely on the machine. I never thought about doing what you do. Pretty neat.

[BettyR]

Originally Posted by Fisher's Mom

I had the same problem when I first started trying to make loaves of bread. The rising times given were always too long - maybe it's because Texas is warmer? Anyway, I gave up timing my rise and just let the dough rise til it's doubled. I use a square, straight-sided food storage container that has graduated marks on one side so I can see when it's doubled. But before I got that, I just used a square plastic container and measured how far up the dough was when I first put it in and then added that much more and marked the level it should be when doubled in size. I cover mine with saran wrap so I can see at a glance when it's doubled. I hope this solves your problem, too.

Yea and it was pretty warm here today.

I'm going to give this a try; thanks for the help.

[Adillo303]

Just my two cents. I bake at least once a week, and like you I do most of my kneeding with my KA mixer. I do things more by look and feel than time. When adding flour, I measure what the recipie says, then I add about half of that and mix / knead. The last half goes in about 1/8 cup at a time. I am looking for when the dough will not adhere to the side fo the bowl after a few minites of mixing. I then raise the head and scrape all the dough off the dough hook. I then mix again. If the dough comes off the side of the bowl again I have the liquid balance that works for me.

Rising I also do by look. First rising is till the dough ball doubles in size. Then punch down, knead and form loaves. Second rising is till the loaves double in size, then bake. I brush the top of the loaves with water just befpore baking to help with oven spring. While heating the oven, I put a pie plate of water in the bottom of the oven to inject steam intoo the first 200 bimutes of bakiing or so. This also enhances oven spring.

If the big holes are always at the top of the loaf, I think the moisturizing can help. If the dough has a kind of skin on it when it goes in the oven then that can onterfere with baking.

Just a few thoughts.

AC

[Fisher's Mom]

Thanks Pacanis. Of course, now as I actually read Betty's remarks without 3 kids in the room, I see she was saying the recipe said to let it rise for an hour after the loaf is shaped so the doubling doesn't apply. But I'm pretty sure it's over-rising that is causing the air pocket - that was what caused mine. You may even have to cut the rise to 30 minutes.

[pacanis]

Originally Posted by BettyR

Yea and it was pretty warm here today.

I'm going to give this a try; thanks for the help.

Don't you think this falls under: "Too much yeast was used or yeast was accelerated by hot humid weather or overheated ingredients"

I just started making my own bread and can see a big difference in measuring ingredients and having to vary the water/flour just slightly.... just because it's not winter here anymore.

I almost feel like weighing things like Katie E does. Seems like it doesn't take much to change the outcome.