Bread Making

[KeeponLearning]

Hi,
This is my very first time joing a blog and I am very excited to be joining this group. I have read some of your questions and answers and I feel I already belong to this cooking family!

I have been baking multi-grain bread all winter and occasionally a loaf falls slightly in the middle when I put in the oven to bake. Urrghh! Why does this happen?

 

[Douzer77]

Welcome to the boards. Hope you enjoy it. Post your question about bread in the breadmaking forum and you'll get lots of suggestions!

 

[Jstargo]

I am also new to this blog...and I love to bake bread. I am not sure why it falls in theyour bread falls in the middle...I have a bread machine (Zo) and use it to make my dough (usually)...then make rolls, etc. I make whole wheat loaves quite a bit...and I would love some good muti grain recipes.

 

[Jstargo]

I will go to the bread forum as well...

 

[KeeponLearning]

Thank you so much!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Typically, bread falls because it either has too little gluten to maintain structural integrity, or it's been allowd to rise too long. The first problem is solved either by using bread flour, or by adding vital gluten to the flour you are using. The second one is solved by punching down the bread after the first rise, filling your bread pan until the dough comes two thirds up the sides, and then placing it into the hot oven after it has doubled in size. dop not open and close the oven door as this can cause the bread to collapse from the vibrations if the door is allowed to slam shut.

Hope this helps.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Bilby]

Welcome to DC!!

 

[flukx]

If you give us your recipe and cooking method, I am sure someone can pinpoint the problem. Welcome to DC!

 

[KeeponLearning]

DC friends - thank you! I will take the advise about using bread. Here is the recipe I have been using:

Honey Oat Bread
Makes 2 loaves

1/3 cup of honey
2 cups warm water (110-115F)
3 packages active dry yeast
1&1/2 cups rolled oats
¼ cup olive oil or canola oil
1 egg
1 Tablespoon salt
2 cups whole-wheat flour
3 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons wheat bran (millers’ bran)
2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal

Combine honey with water; add yeast. Let stand 5 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine oats, olive oil, egg, salt, whole wheat flour and all but 1 cup of the all purpose flour.
Mix with wooden spoon to form soft dough.
Knead the dough by hand or by machine, gradually adding remaining 1 cup of all purpose flour, until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a 2&1/2 quart bowl greased with oil, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1&1/2 hours.
Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
Punch dough down; divide into halves. Let rest 5 minutes. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into an 18x9-inch rectangle. Roll into a cylinder. Place seam side down in loaf pans greased with margarine or butter. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
Bake in a 350 F. oven 20-30 minutes. When dough is set, remove from pans to oven rack and cook 10-15 minutes longer or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire racks.