Help!
Hello, I'm from the UK. I've made several loafs in the last 2 weeks. I have read 3 books, looked at a number of recipes and I'm getting in a mess.
I make white bread with
500g of strong white flour
I have been using yeast in a sachet and wasn't sure if it was working so I looked online and found a way of testing it to see I'd it was working. Found out it wasn't so u got some dry active yeast that you activate in warm water before, and that worked, to an extent. I'm concerned that my second proving isn't happening with this so I used easy fast yeast.
I had been using sea salt but I was concerned that they were too big, even though they were quite fine but not as fine as plain salt, so I changed that.
I Might have kneaded too vigorously, so I have changed that to firm and gentle which has helped.
I've started making sure the water is 2 parts cold 1 part boiling.
Not sure if I need to add sugar unless it is the yeast you need to activate before hand.
Do I need to add butter or oil? Some recipes call for it others don't but I've noticed very little in rise.
I used a 1 and 1/2 loaf tin and it mushrooned so I bought a 4lb loaf tin to give it room to support itsejf and it rises about half way but reviews of the tin say it reaches the top.
For the first proving it is normally an hour or so but some recipes say an hour or others say double in size. And I'm wondering if I've over proofed as my husband says the bread tastes great but could do with being higher or more air in it. I'm going to try with a 2lb tin. And the second proving in the tin barely does anything. I'm so confused as to where I am going wrong.
You haven't mentioned how much water, salt or yeast you're using.
Sea salt should be fine.
You're unlikely to have over-kneaded.
What final temperature does two parts cold to one part boiling give you? If it's over about 35-40°C then you're probably killing some of the yeast. The dough should be around 25°C once mixed and not very much more.
You do not need to use sugar, even to activate the yeast.
You don't need to add butter or oil, although you can if wish. Better to start with just flour, water, salt and yeast until you get the hang of it, though.
The 'first proving' (or 'bulk fermentation' as it's usually known) is unlikely to happen in an hour. If it does, you're using too much yeast.
To add to the above questions, I was wondering what kind of bread you are trying to make? Is it a simple french bread or what (simple in the ingredients that is)?
It's going in a tin, so it's almost certainly a sandwich loaf. We like our crumb on these isles.
A book I have in bread says to check if the first rise is complete your can gently push a finger in and if it us under it will push back quickly, if it is over it won't push back at all and if it is proven then it will push back slowly.
Salt 7g
Yeast 7g
Water 310-350ml,
The temp is over 40oc but that is the directions on the Allison's tin of yeast. It does feel much warmer than the tepid water I would normally use, so I thought that is where I am going wrong by having the temp too low.
Maybe it us the first rise being too short?
...then it was far too hot.
Follow Gordon's advice in his post "The bog-standard british bloomer" below and you'll get a good loaf.
What is your room temperature? If it is rather cool, then you need a warmer environment for your dough to rise.
I think room temp is about 18 oc, is that enough?
That is rather cool for the yeast. They like much warmer temperatures. 23°C or above would be better. Try using warmer water in your recipe [wait, strike that, your water temp seems to be plenty warm]. Set a boiling cup of water in your microwave with your bowl of dough for a makeshift proofing box. Or put the bowl of dough in your oven with the light on. Lately I have been using a seedling heat mat to create a warmer environment, though I am seriously thinking of treating myself with a Brød & Taylor Folding Bread Proofer.
... or tin loaf, whatever.
That's basically what you've described, but you've not really said what's wrong with it - and your husband seems to like it, so ....
The standard "back of flour packet" recipe is along the lines of: 500g flour, 320g water (cold is fine but if your house is like mine then this time of year the cold is dropping, so I add some warm to get it to about 20°C), then a sachet of yeast (they're typically 7g) and some salt. Any old kitchen salt will do - if you want to use posh sea salt then that's OK. How much salt? Well, the UK guidelines are to have no more than 1% salt in the baked weight - for this, anywhere from 7-10g is fine.
Mix, tip out onto your workbench and leave covered (with the bowl) for half an hour, give it a quick knead (really - one minute, maybe 2!) and shape into a big round blob (boule) (and note that it's virtually impossible to over knead by hand), then put back into the bowl leave covered until it's about double (might take over an hour!) - gently tip out of the bowl, gently stretch then roll into a log that will fit your tin and put it in the tin. Leave covered for about an hour (google the "finger poke test" if you want to be sure), but it's best to leave it less time than more here.
then into a hot oven - get your oven up to 250°C if possible then turn it down to 210°C and leave it half an hour. Tip it out of the tin and put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes if it seems soft and doesn't have a good hollow sound when tapped.
That's easy, basic, simple Bread.
Leave to cool, cut, smother in butter, enjoy.
-Gordon
water too hot - the water should be no warmer than a baby's bath
room too cold - increase your rise time