The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Suggestions needed for fragile crumb

lindyc's picture
lindyc

Suggestions needed for fragile crumb

I've been trying to create a reliable recipe and improve my technique so that I can create a daily toast type bread that I can add grains and seeds to and perhaps a small amount of wholemeal or different type of flour (soy, besan etc)

I was happy with my results and improvements in the texture of my bread - as I've posted here in talking about a basic white bread with a good wholey spongy texture.

I have just made a couple of loaves with the same recipe but have added a mixture of linseed, black quinoa and sesame. The bread is beatuifully light and fluffy and wholey, but prehaps less spongy that before and the main dissappointment is that the bread is pretty fragile on the inside. and breaks apart a bit when buttered.

I'm guessing this may be due to the seeds breaking up the tension in the dough?? Or could it be something else.

Any suggestion on how to overcome this and create a nice strong crumb would be gladly received!

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Hi Lindyc

It Seems that the flour used in this bread is low in gluten.. What type of flour have you used?

Mebake

lindyc's picture
lindyc

I'm using plain organic flour (for breadmaking). I has 11.5 g protein in it per 100g.

I've been using this flour for a while now and I don't think I've had this particular problem before without seeds, or when using a denser dough I guess.

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Try using some Fat(oil/butter/ghee) in your final dough, or yet better, use a little sourdough starter. The acid in the wild yeast starter will firm up your crumb structure, or try a combination of the two suggestions.

Alternatively, there are some natural dough conditioners. I remember having come across soy licithin, and something else.. you may want to research dough conditioners.

Mebake

flournwater's picture
flournwater

I may be off base with this one, but I'd try adding the yolk of an egg to the dough.

lindyc's picture
lindyc

Thanks I have some sourdough starter so I will try this.

I wonder if there is something I can do in relation to my technique rather than using additives?

I usually mix the dough in the kitchenaid for 4-5 minutes and then french fold the dough a few times. Proof till doubled, french fold again and then shape. I have gotton a nice holey spongy crumb doing this with basic white bread, but it was still a bit fragile. For this particular loaf I tried a method my partner using on his plain loaf where he mixes for 10 minutes in mixer, rests for 5 and then mixes for another 5 minutes. I still used french fold as well. I think this made the dough a lot fluffier (as oppossed to spongy which I sometimes prefer) and a bit more fragile perhaps.

 

 

BreadintheBone's picture
BreadintheBone

I was going to suggest adding fats (milk would work), but mebake beat me to it. Personally, I think you worked the dough just a tad too much. Your method is better than your partner's, to my mind.