Hi

Hello one and all

I am from Northern Ireland I'm 44 and just getting back into baking, I'm a trained chef but I never did alot of baking.

I have a fairly good set up ankarsrum etc and more books than I will probably need on bread making.

My first attempt today was short of a farce, my starter out grew its home that's was fun clean up, then I defrosted my "fresh" yeast and it was a packet of now a goo like substance on the first mix.

All went will in the afor mentioned ankarsrum it looked like so many I have watched on YouTube as smooth as a you like and tight, that was with 4 minutes left on the clock (going flat out at this time mixer that is) then it stopped by itself when the on board timer went, and it had reverted back to a wet sticky dough? I added some flour to try and dry it up a bit but that didn't really work as I didn't want alot of raw u worked flour in mix, I was making the polka bread from the la rousse bread book, first recipe you come to felt logical to try it.

Flat, hard, torpedo shaped underisen dough appeared out of the oven, I wasn't that surprised as the1st proof was rubbish and the second non existant.

So I know the yeast was knackered but why did it go backwards in the mixer? Over neading?

If anyone who has managed to read all of this knows the answer I'd love to hear it thanks.