Help With My Bread Please

[Shani]

On the subject of weighing vs. measuring the flour (I'm sure this was in another thread too), my digital scales broke on me a week or so ago and I was using my measuring cups to make bread. I had my first failures in a long time that week, it was horrible. Then when I got new scales I weighed what my cup and a half of flour was and it was way over the 225g I was supposed to use. So it does make a huge difference.

[Katie E]

Originally Posted by Shani

On the subject of weighing vs. measuring the flour (I'm sure this was in another thread too), my digital scales broke on me a week or so ago and I was using my measuring cups to make bread. I had my first failures in a long time that week, it was horrible. Then when I got new scales I weighed what my cup and a half of flour was and it was way over the 225g I was supposed to use. So it does make a huge difference.

I understand, Shani. I don't know what I would do if my scale died.

[BettyR]

This is the recipe that I use; I can't post a link to it because it's a recipe that has evolved over time in my family. It started out as a white casserole bread many long years ago.

Light Wheat Bread
(makes 2 loaves)

2 cups warm tap water
1/3 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup of sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4-cup vegetable oil
2 packages (4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1-1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
3 cups bread flour

Place first 5 ingredients into mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed to combine.

Add whole-wheat flour, 1 cup of the bread flour and the yeast and beat on high speed for 4 minutes.

Change to the dough hook and add 1 more cup of bread flour and knead on low speed to combine.

Add the last cup of flour 1 tablespoon at a time kneading until you have a dough that is just barely not sticky and you get a good window pane test.

Grease and allow to rise covered in a warm place until doubled in size.

Shape into loaves…rise for 1 hour or until almost double in size and bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves reach an internal temperature of 185° Remove to cooling rack and cool completely.

[Adillo303]

Strange that I should revisit this thread tonight. I baked bread today, Rye and another attempt at Sourdough. I reread the thread "The yeast of my problems" Post #5 by Dave Hutchins (To gove proper credit). His post is below:

Yeast breads are very critical of temperature so where you proofed you bread was on the cool side this might be your problem..Second It might have been the humidity if it was on the low side and you used the same amount of liquid as the day before the dough would not proof as well as it was to dry. When you are making your dough when you think it is ready to come off the mixer feel it, if it is firm to the touch you do not have the correct amount of water. also have a quick read thermometer your dough should be in the range of just past room temp. If you have a dish washer in you abode
run one cycle till the machine is very warm and the humidity is close to 100% shut off the machine and let your dough proof in there. It will raise much better in a humid environment. Tempature and humidioty play a big part in succesful bread baking
Just my 2 cents

Dishwasher, I thought. Well I can at least try it. I emptied the dishwasher and ran it thorugh a 10 minute quick rinse. The bread rose faster and since the outside was moist, I got a much better oven spring.

To answer how the water in the pan pn the bottom of the oven affect the crust. Maybe a bit softer, not a lot.

Why did I say another attempt at sourdough? My labradors stole the loaves again in the last rise. That's two weeks, no sourdough. Shame, It is rising nicely, and I feel that it will be geat, if I can get it past them.

AC

[BettyR]

Originally Posted by Adillo303

My labradors stole the loaves again in the last rise.
AC

You should keep the dough out of their reach; yeast dough can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.