lauelk

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Help! My bread won't rise!

This is my fourth time attempting to make this recipe...it worked the first time and was wonderful, but the dough hasn't risen the other three times. I've tried a number of things...

The recipe says to disolve one packet of yeast in a 1/4 water - no temp specified and it doesn't say to add salt or sugar. The next step is to combine butter, 2c milk and 1/2 c sugar in a saucepan and gently heat until the butter is melted (no boiling.) Then it says to add the yeast/water to the butter/milk/sugar. This mixture then gets added to the flour in the mixer.

When my second attempt didn't work I bought a thermometer to make sure the water temp was between 110-115. The yeast/water didn't get foamy and my bread didn't rise. My third attempt (today), I measured the water temp again, but this time I added a little sugar to the yeast/water mixture and it got foamy. I then added this to the milk mixture as the recipe says, but it still did not rise.

I know it isn't my yeast because I've used the same yeast successfully with another recipe. Can someone please lend some advice? Is the milk mixture too hot and killing the yeast? If this is the case then shouldn't the recipe say something?

Thanks for your help!! 

 ellie36

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Re: Help! My bread won't rise!

Yeast must be added to liquid that is warm and not hot. Usually110-115. If your milk was still hot, that would kill the yeast. Try testing the milk temp as well, next time. Hopefully, it will work. Also, make sure it rises in a warm environment, free from drafts.  I like to preheat my oven a few seconds, until nice and cozy(definitely not hot!) Turn off the oven, and then place dough to rise. Close the oven door. Some people also place the dough in the oven and leave the light on instead of slightly heating it up. Either way, it should have a nice cozy environment to rise in. Hope that helps.~Ellie36

 cecils02

Friday, January 08, 2010

Re: Help! My bread won't rise!

I've had dead yeast before, use to buy in a jar, now I only use packets.  But I'm going to agree with Ellie, I'd be careful with the temp of the milk.  Your water and yeast should be activating before that step though.

 wiskid52_10

Friday, January 08, 2010

Re: Help! My bread won't rise!

Water and yeast should be activated??  What does this mean and how can you tell?

 sgrishka

Friday, January 08, 2010

Re: Help! My bread won't rise!

I recommend that you proof your yeast. Even if a recipe doesn't mention proofing in the instructions and even if the jar of yeast says it can be added right into the dough, I always proof. Proofing is a method for "proving" that the yeast is still active. Some experienced bakers skip this step but unless you're baking every day, I still think proofing is a good idea...it's much better to be safe than sorry!

There is a good video explaining the proofing process here on Bigoven: www.bigoven.com/cookingvideo.aspx

[edited January-8-2010]

 deeder5

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Re: Help! My bread won't rise!

Sounds like your milk was too hot or you didn't knead your bread enough.  Did it pass the windowpane test?  It should be kneaded until the gluten strands form.

Could also try a high gluten flour

 lynalyn

Monday, May 24, 2010

Re: Help! My bread won't rise!

Sounds like too hot of a temp. to me.  I would just get the milk  to 80 to 90 degrees and try it. 

 gourmetgenie

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Help! My bread won't rise!

First and always, proof you yeast.  If your yeast is bad, you are doomed from the start. If your yeast if good, then continue with your recipe. Don't guess at the temperature of the water when you start to proof you yeast. Use a candy thermometer. As gross as it may sound the term for the water is 'Blood Heat'. That means 98.4F is the correct temperature for yeast to grow properly, and absolutely not over 110F. Over 110F will kill the yeast.   Place your water in a small glass bowl or cup and sprinkle in your yeast. After 5 minutes it should start to bloom, grow, foam, bubble, etc. If nothing is going on after 10 minutes, then you have bad yeast.

About sugar.....too much sugar can retard gluten development. For standard bread recipes, the best rule of thumb is 2 teaspoons of sugar per 2 cups of flour.   

With proofed yeast you are ready to start your recipe.  I would scald the milk and when you see those tiny little bubbles just beginning to form around the edges of  your pan,  remove the milk from the stove. Add the butter and sugar and stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Let the milk mixture come to room temperature, then and only then,  add your dissolved yeast mixture to it and your flour.

Another thing to consider is your flour. Be sure you are using 'unbleached flour' and if the bag says 'enriched', all the better. This is a higher gluten flour.

Bread flour is great. It has a high gluten/protein content and that gives you nice big loaves of bread. If you do use bread flour, it must be kneaded longer than all-purpose flour to develope the gluten.

Soaking some of the flour used in your recipe activates more of the gluten. Gluten is the glue and glue becomes sticky when wet. Kneading works up the gluten and soaking the flour just adds to that activation.  You get better results with less flour. Using a 'starter' is using 'soaked' flour.  A starter can greatly increase the rise of your loaf. You can use a starter like this with most any recipe. Just mix equal parts of flour and water. Add 1 teaspoon of yeast. Let if sit for a few hours (or even overnight). Use this 'starter' in your bread recipes. All you have to do is substitute the starter for equal parts of water and flour called for in your recipe. Keep in mind that a starter such as this is always the same: 1 cup of starter always will equal 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water. So to use the starter in a recipe,  use 1 cup of starter ( which is 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water), then decrease the water in your recipe by 1/2 cup and decrease the flour called for in your recipe by 1/2 cup.

All your bread ingredients should be at a 'warm' room temperature. I keep my house very cold and my pantry ingredients and my bowls. You will be amazed at how cold the bowl of your mixer really is. So use warm flour and warm bowl.   To warm the flour, sieve the flour into a warm bowl and leave it for a little while until the flour is warm.   If the recipe calls for eggs, they should be at room temperature.

A good bread preparation environment is an average room temperature of 75F and the temperature of you flour should be 75F.

The perfect temperature of your dough should be 75F, and kneading can add 10-30 degrees ...

One thing, never add your salt directly into your yeast. Add the salt to the flour and combine. Then add your yeast mixture.

The finished dough must be kne