I'm making bread at the moment and find that each time it rises OK but, during baking, the top collapses. Is it too much water? Not even flour? Water too warm? Aaaaaaaaaaagh! IT tastes lovely each time but I can do without flatop bread!
Help please!
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Bad bread
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, i dunno.....but I know a man who does!
Orgasminator
Instead of making a loaf, why not make flat cakes, then you will have no problems.
TS
TS
has got me in stitches!
:rotflmao: :rotflmao: Orgasminator
Quote by Jags
NO help TS!!!!
No But I am quite sure that the agoney aunt on the Sun maybe able to help you our on this one.
lol
hi jags
This is whats in our Bread machine book says (troubleshooting page)
The bread didn't rise.........:Make sure you actually added the yeast, and that it is still active. If your yeast was alive, and you did add it, something may have killed it, such as too much sugar or salt.
The top (or sides) of the bread is caved in.......:Sometimes bread will rise too fast, then not have enough gluten to support it. This is particularly true when baking at altitudes above 3,000 feet. Try reducing the amount of liquid or cheese, or the amount of yeast. Make sure the room or the liquids are not too warm. Many cheese breads will have a caved-in top no matter what....
We still carnt get it right some times....
Luv
Caz&Gavin
This is whats in our Bread machine book says (troubleshooting page)
The bread didn't rise.........:Make sure you actually added the yeast, and that it is still active. If your yeast was alive, and you did add it, something may have killed it, such as too much sugar or salt.
The top (or sides) of the bread is caved in.......:Sometimes bread will rise too fast, then not have enough gluten to support it. This is particularly true when baking at altitudes above 3,000 feet. Try reducing the amount of liquid or cheese, or the amount of yeast. Make sure the room or the liquids are not too warm. Many cheese breads will have a caved-in top no matter what....
We still carnt get it right some times....
Luv
Caz&Gavin
Jags
Have asked my dad about this for you - do you put the bread in on timer?
If you do the yeast has to go on top and be kept dry until the mixing starts, so must be last ingredient in on top of flour, otherwise it reacts too early and your bread goes flat - I'm afraid this is the last help I will be able to give as I am not willing to listen to the technicalities of bread making from my dad again
Have asked my dad about this for you - do you put the bread in on timer?
If you do the yeast has to go on top and be kept dry until the mixing starts, so must be last ingredient in on top of flour, otherwise it reacts too early and your bread goes flat - I'm afraid this is the last help I will be able to give as I am not willing to listen to the technicalities of bread making from my dad again
Quote by tim-jas
Jags
Have asked my dad about this for you - do you put the bread in on timer?
If you do the yeast has to go on top and be kept dry until the mixing starts, so must be last ingredient in on top of flour, otherwise it reacts too early and your bread goes flat - I'm afraid this is the last help I will be able to give as I am not willing to listen to the technicalities of bread making from my dad again
Hi - and no!!! Bread was cooking whilst I was here... but thanks for the efforts being made. xx xx
SO many tossers around at mo it's good to see the familiar faces!!!
x xx x
Quote by Caz_Gav
The top (or sides) of the bread is caved in.......:Sometimes bread will rise too fast, then not have enough gluten to support it. This is particularly true when baking at altitudes above 3,000 feet. Try reducing the amount of liquid or cheese, or the amount of yeast. Make sure the room or the liquids are not too warm. Many cheese breads will have a caved-in top no matter what....
Oh to be above 3,000 feet!!
I think it's the amount of water... too much steam makes a nice dome in the rise stage but then it will collapse at the cooking stage!! THANKS
:kiss: 
Orgasminator
Jags,
My bread dd the same thing. As I love experimenting, I started playing with the recipe. What I found was two things: Amount of liquid and temperature.
My breadmaker only goes to 126C and has the elements at the bottom. If the elements are half way up the sides you get a better crust and you need to make sure the seal on the lid is OK. I found that by putting the breadmaker by the radiator in the kitchen and putting a damp cloth over the viewing window (not the vents - very important) I got a better result.
As to liquid, firstly use butter rather than oil (I like olive oil in mine but it makes the top sink more). If you live near the sea or a lake (or somewhere damp)reduce the amount of liquid by about 5ml.
Hope that helps,
Oh, I also make homemade marmalade (usually alcoholic). The last batch was Seville orange and Navy Rum - my best yet.
The 3 hours and 40 minutes it takes to make a loaf is just enough time for a "quickie".
My bread dd the same thing. As I love experimenting, I started playing with the recipe. What I found was two things: Amount of liquid and temperature.
My breadmaker only goes to 126C and has the elements at the bottom. If the elements are half way up the sides you get a better crust and you need to make sure the seal on the lid is OK. I found that by putting the breadmaker by the radiator in the kitchen and putting a damp cloth over the viewing window (not the vents - very important) I got a better result.
As to liquid, firstly use butter rather than oil (I like olive oil in mine but it makes the top sink more). If you live near the sea or a lake (or somewhere damp)reduce the amount of liquid by about 5ml.
Hope that helps,
Oh, I also make homemade marmalade (usually alcoholic). The last batch was Seville orange and Navy Rum - my best yet.
The 3 hours and 40 minutes it takes to make a loaf is just enough time for a "quickie".
Orgasminator
Oh and I love sausages and marmalade as well :rascal:
JQL
Think it must have been the liquid - I was using butter with this loaf (malted brown with sunflowers .. so good for the bowels!!!) but the organic white is always oil...
I shall use less water and see what happens next - I've only had it a couple/three weeks so not used to it yet, but am hooked on the taste! Carb craving coming up.
x xx x
Think it must have been the liquid - I was using butter with this loaf (malted brown with sunflowers .. so good for the bowels!!!) but the organic white is always oil...
I shall use less water and see what happens next - I've only had it a couple/three weeks so not used to it yet, but am hooked on the taste! Carb craving coming up.
x xx x
Orgasminator
Jags,
In an ordinary white 2lb loaf add 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds. Not enough to be overpowering, just enough to really add flavour.
In an ordinary white 2lb loaf add 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds. Not enough to be overpowering, just enough to really add flavour.
Blimey!
So now I am a bread expert!
Funnily enough I have had problems with my wholemeal rolls slumping on the second raise! :shock: :shock:
The bread will collapse for a number of reasons. First of all it could be the gluten - make sure your flour is OK - try a different bag of flour. We buy ours from a Mill at for a 32KG sack and have never had a problem with it.
Secondly - too much liquid will cause the dough to collapse as it starts to bake. The reason may be that your flour has got damp and has therefore already absorbed water. Try to reduce your water by 10% and see if that solves it. An early sign of too much water is big air bubbles in your bread where the gluten strands break and cannot hold the air bubbles together.
The yeast could be causing the problem. Is it a fast acting dried yeast - if so are you adding the right amount.
The salt helps the gluten to be stretchy - too little salt and the gluten strands break. Use real salt only - never use course ground salt or a salt substitute like LoSalt.
My recipe I use is:
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1.5 tbsp milk powder
1 tbsp sugar
450 g flour
290g water
20g butter
If all the above fail - buy a Panasonic Breadmaker!
Fred
So now I am a bread expert!
Funnily enough I have had problems with my wholemeal rolls slumping on the second raise! :shock: :shock:
The bread will collapse for a number of reasons. First of all it could be the gluten - make sure your flour is OK - try a different bag of flour. We buy ours from a Mill at for a 32KG sack and have never had a problem with it.
Secondly - too much liquid will cause the dough to collapse as it starts to bake. The reason may be that your flour has got damp and has therefore already absorbed water. Try to reduce your water by 10% and see if that solves it. An early sign of too much water is big air bubbles in your bread where the gluten strands break and cannot hold the air bubbles together.
The yeast could be causing the problem. Is it a fast acting dried yeast - if so are you adding the right amount.
The salt helps the gluten to be stretchy - too little salt and the gluten strands break. Use real salt only - never use course ground salt or a salt substitute like LoSalt.
My recipe I use is:
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1.5 tbsp milk powder
1 tbsp sugar
450 g flour
290g water
20g butter
If all the above fail - buy a Panasonic Breadmaker!
Fred
Blimey!
So now I am a bread expert!
Yep - defender of the site, knower of all things and Chief Kneader!!
The bread will collapse for a number of reasons. First of all it could be the gluten - make sure your flour is OK - try a different bag of flour. We buy ours from a Mill at for a 32KG sack and have never had a problem with it.
Will you email me the name of that Mill - I'm using Shipton Mill flour but can only get it in 1kg packs which is a real pain
Try to reduce your water by 10% and see if that solves it. An early sign of too much water is big air bubbles in your bread where the gluten strands break and cannot hold the air bubbles together.
First part makes sense - second part is like asking me what tyre pressure is best for my car!!
The yeast could be causing the problem. Is it a fast acting dried yeast - if so are you adding the right amount.
Yep - got the Nigella Lawson measuring spoons - a delightful mixture of function and form if ever I saw it!
The salt helps the gluten to be stretchy - too little salt and the gluten strands break. Use real salt only - never use course ground salt or a salt substitute like LoSalt.
NEVER use low salt or sea salt in cooking - first is ghastly and second has big flakes which need longer in liquid to break down.
My recipe I use is:
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1.5 tbsp milk powder
1 tbsp sugar
450 g flour
290g water
20g butter
If all the above fail - buy a Panasonic Breadmaker!
Fred
Will try that - there's more water and more flour but LESS yeast than my receipt. And my machine is a Kenwood Breakmaker Ultimate - I blame the user and not the machine!!
Fred - you're a star - again.
So are the rest of you too. Thanks!
x xx
All been said by the well informed people above. but I will use this as an appeal to all -try it! You'll never eat bought stuff again. And the varieties you can make are endless.
Fred is dead right about the flour: everything else follows. Buy the best you can. We've made our own bread for donkey's years. we haven't got a bread maker -(too mean, as I've said before, so instead I use a several thousand pound Rayburn!). have you tried 'proper' yeast? we stopped using the dried stuff a long time ago. Many shops stock it now, and it keeps plenty long enough in fridge. Good flour is getting ever easier to get: we only buy organic, from a local farm/mill (Pimhill). Good, hard 'bread' wheats are now succesful in this country.'The only other thing to go wrong is too much liquid, as stated, with fluctuation in temperature (opening the lid to peep?) and poor 'proving' or kneading. Anyway, all been said already
Fred is dead right about the flour: everything else follows. Buy the best you can. We've made our own bread for donkey's years. we haven't got a bread maker -(too mean, as I've said before, so instead I use a several thousand pound Rayburn!). have you tried 'proper' yeast? we stopped using the dried stuff a long time ago. Many shops stock it now, and it keeps plenty long enough in fridge. Good flour is getting ever easier to get: we only buy organic, from a local farm/mill (Pimhill). Good, hard 'bread' wheats are now succesful in this country.'The only other thing to go wrong is too much liquid, as stated, with fluctuation in temperature (opening the lid to peep?) and poor 'proving' or kneading. Anyway, all been said already
Orgasminator
Artificer,
You can get fresh yeast from the bakery dept at Tesco. Stick your head round the corner and ask. Quite often there's no charge either.
You can get fresh yeast from the bakery dept at Tesco. Stick your head round the corner and ask. Quite often there's no charge either.
