Bread and breadmachine help. It won't rise much

[uppityperson]

Hi all. I used to make bread by hand, couple months back came across a $5 bread machine so thought I'd give it a try. My problem is that the bread doesn't seem to want to raise much.

I am trying new yeast, thinking of cutting the salt back, but wondering if there are other ideas of how to change recipes to make them work in a machine.

Thank you.

[housewolf]

1. Could you post the recipe you've been using?

There are many reasons why you may be having problems. Knowing what recipe you're using will give us a good starting point. You don't need to post all the directions, just the ingredients list.

Thanks! I know you'll get a lot of good help here.

[uppityperson]

3. actually I had a thought. Will make the dough, then cook it in oven and see. Here's recipe

I am used to doing it all by hand, and have learned how to modify as flour/etc change.

It is an Oster machine, and the recipe came with it in the book
1 1/4 cup warm H2O
1 Tbsp butter (sometimes use 2 Tbsp)
3 cups bread flour (to which I change 1 Tbsp in each cup to gluten since can't get good flour)
2 Tbsp sugar (Changed to 3 per my dad's recommendation)
1 Tbsp dry milk
1 1/2 tspn salt
2 1/2 Tbsp yeast

Put it in in order (mixing gluten with flour before adding), do White, Large, on.
3 1/2 hrs later, take it out. It ends up about 5+ by 5+ by 5+, almost square just a titch over 5 inches each way.

Maybe this is how it should be and I'm just used to doing it by hand in more rectangular pans? Thinking I'll try mixing up a batch tomorrow and bake in rectangular pan in oven and see how it turns out.

[MagickMuffin]

7. I have a Breadman machine

My recipes suggest this order

Water, Olive Oil, Salt, Sugar, Flour, then make small hole in flour and add Yeast. They suggest keeping the yeast away from the salt and sugar.


Perhaps you could try this method and see if there are any improvements. I usually make the dough and then bake in the oven.

[Warpy]

2. Two things make bread rise

active yeast and time. Either your water temperature is too warm and you're killing off some or all of the yeast or it's too cool and you're not giving it enough time to work. The amount of salt in a loaf of bread generally doesn't retard the yeast enough to make much of a difference, mixed with dry ingredients. If you salt the proofing water, that makes a big difference. Don't do it.

You could buy a bread machine mix just to get it right once, make sure it's nothing the machine is doing. There might be a reason it was five bucks beyond no storage or counter space.

On edit: poorly risen bread "cookies" make killer melba toast, sliced thinly and toasted in the oven.

[eleny]

4. The ingredients need to go into the machine in a certain order

I'm on my second machine and noted that the order of when I put the ingredients in is different for my new one. Did you get the manual with this machine?

[uppityperson]

5. Yes, I listed ingredients in post 3, put them in in order. That is the recipe came w/machine

It may be that I am used to normal bread loaves and this gives a square one? I'll experiment more.

[eleny]

6. 5" square does seem to be a pretty small loaf

What is the brand of your machine?

[uppityperson]

9. Oster. The bread tastes ok, will try mixing then oven baking tomorrow.

[wildflower]

8. I've always found bread machines more temperamental than baking by hand

For me, what worked is not to pay attention to the order of ingredients it says. What I do is (1) always proof the yeast in warm water and add it last, and (2) make sure the dough is wet enough.* Ensuring warm and wet enough is what works for me every time.

But that is me, others may have different experiences.

*For me, I've found "wet enough" to mean that as the machine kneads, there is a ball in the center, with a little dough around the edges. If all the dough is in just one big ball, that's not wet enough, and I add a little more warm water.

ON EDIT: I should also add that don't use much white flour; I use either white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry with added gluten. So that may make a difference in the way I need to do things.

[Tesha]

10. I could never count on how it would turn out..

Using a machine was like rolling the dice for me.

Making bread by hand lets you balance the ingredients for the humidity or temperature of the kitchen.
You touch it, feel it - and you learn what it needs.

I found a perfect compromise. I can't kneed as long or well as most breads need - so I use a food processor.
Flour in, salt on one side, yeast on the other, a little warm water over the yeast for 5 minutes, turn on the machine to mix and pour in water until you have a ball of dough but still soft. Count to 30, turn off the machine and feel the dough - not right, fix it - right? place it in a rising bowl and keep it warm.

Since I found this process, it hasn't failed once (knock on wood)

[hippywife]

11. My husband was the only one who used our

bread machine we got as a wedding gift, and then only about a dozen times. With all the wonderful no-knead recipes, the machine has become the boat anchor of the early 21st century.

:hi:

[uppityperson]

12. My father does wonderful bread, reliably, so thought I'd give it a try

Maybe it has something to do with his being able to get really good flour in ND. http://www.ndmill.com/
One thing they do well in ND is have REALLY good flour available.

I bought my machine in a second hand store, think someone got tired of it being a dust collector also. I'll use it to mix with today, then report back later.

[csziggy]

13. Sometimes my bread does not rise properly with my Oster

I am not sure if there is a problem with the yeast or if the bread machine might get too hot in the rising segment. It's been at irregular intervals so I am not sure.

I don't bake my bread in the machine. I do not like the "steamed" texture or the shape of the loaf.

My regular bread for my Oster:

(I put the ingredients in the machine in this order. I pretty much just dump stuff in since I will be mixing right away. If you use the timer to delay the start, you need to keep the yeast away from the water.)

1/3 C canola oil
1/3 C honey
1 C warm water (tap hot water temperature)
2 C bread or all purpose flour
1 C whole wheat or rye flour
1 - 1/4 tsp salt
2 - 1/2 tsp Rapid Start yeast - I get the bottled kind for bread machines

Run the dough cycle. Check after the first five minutes - the dough should be sticky but not sloppy wet. Add flour or water as needed.

At the end of the dough cycle, take the dough out, shape it and let it rise until doubled - about an hour. Put into a greased pan or on a baking sheet to rise. (I usually put it in an 11"x5" aluminum loaf pan since that makes good size sandwich slices. If using a 9" pan, separate about 1/3 of the dough and use to make rolls or a mini loaf.)

Bake at 350 F - I have a convection oven and bake for about 40 minutes, but you may need to adjust for your oven. Remove from oven, let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on rack. Do not slice while hot - the loaf is not finished cooking and needs the steam held in.

When I make bread often, it seems to be consistent. If I only make it at irregular intervals, I have problems. So my failures could be old yeast, old flour, or general goofs on my part. But this recipe is one I've had good luck with over the years.

ETA - I also bought my Oster at a thrift shop!

[mopinko]

14. i think bread machines have a secret hazing function.

everyone's first loaf seems to fall. my daughter made a loaf with mine the other night, her first, and blam. my first loaf fell, dh's first loaf fell.
secret cycle for virgins.