The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

loaf tearing/ripping when baking...help!

benjimelton's picture
benjimelton

loaf tearing/ripping when baking...help!

Hi, this is my first time posting, have been lurking in the shadows and reading and getting advice for months and love the site. have been making bread a few times a week for a couple of years and feel like I have perfected it!.....till recently. (see pics) bread looks nice from the front but of late from the side its fuuuugly!

 The loaves I have made have been ripping and creating a "lid" like a tasty treasure chest. the bread is still as delicious and soft etc but cutting is trickier...trickier...more tricky! I really don't know whats going on, following some advice if kept the cloth damp used to cover when proving, in case the loaf was drying out hence the rip, have proved for longer than I normally would (without overprooving) in case it was underproved and the yeast was too active hence the rip

 I have always shaped the same, ie like a letter (1 third folded up and the other third folded down over that, turn and repeat, then roll up quite tight, pinch the seam firmly, fold edges under and leave to prove) I prove for half an hour-45mins untilit seems done and its usually a fair bit over the tin. my dough is on the moist side, definitely not dry anyway. 330ml water with 500g flour

do I need less yeast, more salt, no ascorbic acid (which I think helps greatly) I use a pinch with non Cumberland sausage fingers. or something iv not thought of, the shaping perhaps? it always worked before. the surface tension doesn't seem too much, it never tears when shaping.

 Please help before I put my head in the oven with it

WoodenSpoon's picture
WoodenSpoon

under proofing jumps out as the first culprit. But you might also be using too much dough for the size of your pan. Also, when you shape are using a lot of flour? I suppose its a possibility that you could be folding in a layer of flour that is causing a weakness between layers allowing the big separation.

Brokeback Cowboy's picture
Brokeback Cowboy

I'd agree that it looks to be under proofing. The fresher yeast is in the dough , the higher it will spring/burst. Have you noticed how an over proofed loaf will either collapse or stay the same size in the oven. This is because the yeast has essentially ate itself to death. A good test of ideal proofing is to poke the loaf with one finger making an indent. If the indent stays it's over proofed. If the indent springs back quickly it's under proofed. If the indent slowly springs back to it's original position it's ready for the oven. Don't be discouraged as it takes baking the same bread dozens and dozens of times to understand at what point it's proofed without touching it. Another idea would be to do a shallow slit with a serrated knife down the center of the loaf right before you put it in the oven.

 

Best wishes

benjimelton's picture
benjimelton

Thanks Sooooo much for the replies, I will try all the above, they do seem proved as I do do the poke test, even though i dont really know 100% what im looking for...It just looks like i know what im doing.

when I proved longer brokeback it didn't grow, just browned....but still managed to misshape a bit! And it is the same tin that's always been used and worked well

Wooden spoon funnily enough I have recently started using flour when I shape, I used to use a spot of olive oil....I think that is most likely it.

I'm actually excited to need (knead) bread again so I can try it haha. Thanks alot. I'll report back

benjimelton's picture
benjimelton

Hi, I tried again today and it's the same! I used no flour to shape and I left it to prove longer! It's frustrating, any other ideas? ;-)

benjimelton's picture
benjimelton

Any advice on shaping tin loaves?? Ta

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

WS notion that you may be putting too much dough in the pan.  Make sure it fills the pan 50% .  When it proofs 1/2 inch (in the center of the loaf) over the rim of the pan (not the sides) then bake it   The oven spring will make it look majestic when done baking.

The dough is just splitting where it wants to rather than where you want it to because you aren't scoring the loaf either..

 

benjimelton's picture
benjimelton

I'll try that dabrownma thanks, still don't get why it was always ok before!

lepainSamidien's picture
lepainSamidien

Personally, I love the aesthetic of the ripped-on-one-side loaf. Reminds me very much of the pan loaves we made at the farm in France !

It could also be that the heat distribution is not even in your oven, though it's an unlikely culprit. You could also try spraying the top of the loaf with water before it heads into the oven, to promote more even, slower expansion.

Good luck !

benjimelton's picture
benjimelton

Another good idea, thanks, maybe I should learn to love it 

browndog's picture
browndog

What's happening is the crust is setting before the inside of the loaf is finished rising. 45 minutes proofing in a reasonably warm kitchen ought to be plenty of time and if the dough is cresting the top of the pan nicely I'm not inclined to think you're under-proofing, which would otherwise have been my first guess. Second guess--you're baking at too high a temperature or your oven's running hotter than it says it is.

benjimelton's picture
benjimelton

Browndog....you may be right. Cos iv tried to prove longer it means my fan oven at 180 has been on longer. Up to half an hour before. So maybe ill put it on 15 mins before.Ta