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Zojirushi :bread/cake is short and heavy,what am i doing wrong?

jufhhhk's picture
jufhhhk

Zojirushi :bread/cake is short and heavy,what am i doing wrong?

i followed the exact recipes/instructions in the book that comes with the Zojirushi Virtuoso for both cake and bread and the result is always the same.
it comes out always short and heavy inside (the crust is good and crispy).

things i tried to get a different result:
- increase the yeast (i use instant yeast).
- sprinkle 1/4 of the yeast all over . instead of putting all of it in the middle in a small depressing.
- use different flour.
- make cake (no yeast in recipe, only baking powder).
- use olive oil instead of butter.

but i got the same result all the time.
ps. in all recipes i add sesame and black cumin when the add beeps sound.

the attached images are from the french bread recipe :(

 

Antilope's picture
Antilope

The mixing dough should look like uncooked canned biscuit dough. Not too dry and not too sticky. If it is too dry and crumbly during mixing it will make a dense loaf. You should monitor the first few minutes of mixing and kneading and add water or flour to make a dough you could knead by hand.

Do you weigh your ingredients? The Zo recipe manual lists ingredients by grams in addition to volume measurements. It is much more accurate to bake by weight.

Here is a video of a bread machine kneading dough that has proper hydration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqr_hq5ROuE

jufhhhk's picture
jufhhhk

i don't know what is considered too dry or too sticky,i have no previous experience in baking. so how much water should i add? as little as 2-3 tbsp or a cup? i don't have a scale,i use the spoon and the cup that came with the machine for measurements.

thanks

Antilope's picture
Antilope

Watch the above video of dough kneading in a bread machine. The kneading dough should look like the video.

To get the feel of a properly hydrated dough, buy a can of biscuit dough, that is how the dough should look and feel in the bread machine.

For 3 level cups of flour (not heaping) you should add 1 cup of water, and maybe 1 or 2 Tablespoons more. That should create a properly hydrated dough for a bread machine.

Use the recipes in the Zo recipe book before trying other recipes. Start with their basic White Bread and use the ingredient amounts shown in the book. Once you get the feel of making a successful loaf of bread, then you can try recipes from other sources.

 

 

jufhhhk's picture
jufhhhk

those are the results from following the exact amounts in the book, all short and heavy.

but today i increased the amount of water,this what i got, not good either :(

Antilope's picture
Antilope

and get poor results on all recipes, maybe the bread machine is defective. Maybe it's not allowing enough time for a rise, or maybe it's overheating the dough during rising. 

 

jufhhhk's picture
jufhhhk

i noticed that during kneading and rising , the right side surface of the machine is hot, but all the others sides are not(left front and back).

is that normal ?

jufhhhk's picture
jufhhhk

actually only during kneading and then it warms down during rising.

mini_maggie's picture
mini_maggie

Are you using liquid that is too hot or cold?  Too hot will kill yeast and too cold will keep them sleepy. 

Is your salt contacting the yeast?  Yeast should be in the center and salt around the outside to keep them from being in direct contact. 

Are you using a rapid or cake cycle? 

jufhhhk's picture
jufhhhk

i use tap water. it's room temperature.

i use "regular basic course". but instead of active dry yeast, i use something called instant yeast.

for most of the trials, i put the yeast in the middle, i sprinkle the other ingredients around.

thanks

Antilope's picture
Antilope

bread program. Room temperature tap water is okay, the Zo will warm it before kneading starts. I use instant yeast in my Zo on the regular cycle and place it in a small depression on top of the dry flour. So those steps are correct.

jufhhhk's picture
jufhhhk

hi Antilope

can you answer this question

i noticed that during kneading  , the right side surface of the machine is hot, but all the others sides are not(left, front and back).

is that normal ?

thanks.