Okay, here goes...
I am new to this site, I found it searching for answers for the problem I am having. Today was my 5th attempt at making a loaf of bread, but its just unedible. Heres whats happend, from the start.
I have been trying for years to get my bread to rise properly. I always end up with dense (no lovely large holes) tasty but almost flat bread. I purchased Reinharts' bread makers apprentice. I have tried four of his seemingly easy recipes. And met with always abject failure. I have a scale, an instant read thermometer, an oven that can achieve 500"F in regular and convection mode. I am a chemical engineer. I am totally frustrated and about to give up. This is harder than quantum mechanics -which was actually kind of easy-. Is there a baker for dummies book?
I am very new to baking, and I'm running into a problem. My dough seems to not be rising after i mix the ingredients. I can't tell if the yeast is bad (i've been keeping it in the fridge in a ziplock baggie) or if my kitchen is too cold (I'm in north Texas with highs in 50's and the heater running keeping the house between 65-73 throughout the day).
I can't figure out if it's to cold or the yest has gone bad......
any help would be appreciated.
