problem with bread not rising

[kathy003]

Hello,

 

I took at stab at making my own bread today from scratch, without using my bread machine. My problem is it didn't rise. It may have rose a little bit, but it didn't come close to doubling.

 

My question is, i bought the yeast that you have to put in water to activate. How hot do you let the water get? Also, the milk, sugar, shortening and salt were supposed to be heated up also, which I did, but was confused on how hot to get it. Is there a point to where it can be to hot, or is that not a worry? I am thinking by the time my mixture was put together it wasn't hot enough.

 

Sorry, i'm a new bread maker

 

 

 

[westbrook]

are you using..

 

freshly ground wheat?

bread flour?

all purpose flour?

or bread machine mix?

[kathy003]

I am using all purpose flour. The side of the packaging said it could be used for yeast bread.

 

Do you think that might have caused it to not rise?

[Pixie]

Did you feed the yeast? AKA put the sugar in the water with the yeast? If it doesnt foam, it could be the yeast is no good. I keep my yeast in the freezer and I found some yeast that had been in there for several years and was still good.

 

I have never heard of a bread recipe calling for heated ingrediants other than the water. I use hot tap water.

 

Salt kills yeast, so put it in the dough just before you have to kneed it.

 

I also use lemon juice in my bread as a dough conditioner. It works well.

 

 

Hope this helps.

[Pixie]

all pourpose flour is just fine, it's what I use when I make white bread

 

[kathy003]

so the only thing that you heat up is the yeast?

 

No, i did not test the yeast to make sure it was ok, How much sugar do you use to test it?

[Pixie]

no! dont heat the yeast, only the water. Use really warm tap water, put the yeast in it, with the sugar, stir it untill disolved and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then you can use it once it foams

[kathy003]

I will try it right now

[Pixie]

ok.

 

[Pixie]

let me know how it turns out.

[MommyofSeven]

also humidity, or lack thereof can be a contributing factor. http://www.moldova.org/retete/eng/85/1162/ discusses this.

 

Also, too warm or too cold environment during the rise time.

 

Mo7 who is 1 handed typing.

[Campy]

Sounds like either you are killing the yeast or the liquid is not hot enough to activate it.

 

Instant yeast (Active Yeast, Rapid Rise Yeast) require that the liquid be between 100 and 110 degrees F. Much under 100 and the yeast does not activate and much over 110 kills the yeast. I use an "Instant Read" thermometer for determining the temperature.

 

I "proof" my yeast before adding it to the other ingredients. To proof the yeast I get my liquid temperature to 108 - 110 degrees, put in the yeast and stir it a little, then let it sit for about 10 minutes. If the yeast is good, you will see a lot of foam on the surface of the liquid after about 10 minutes.

 

For the liquid I usually use the water, butter (if called for), salt, sugar, milk (if called for) and about 1/2 - 1 1/2 tsp of flour (depending on how many loaves and the size - I use 1/2 tsp per average size loaf of bread). I put this in a sauce pan and heat on the stove or put it in a pyrex measuring cup and heat for about 20 - 30 seconds in the microwave (depends on the amount of liquid). If I have butter in the liquid I heat it on the stove to get the butter melted.

 

For the "rise" I put the covered dough (I cover with a piece of Saran Wrap or aluminum foil) in the oven with just the oven light on. This provides a warm, draft free environment.

 

Hope this helps.

[kathy003]

I think you guys are right,, i had killed my yeast.

 

I went back last night and proofed my yeast. It did foam and after that I had no problems! My bread turned out. Granted it was 1 AM by the time I was done, but i was determined to be able to do this before I went to bed! It even passed the taste test of my husband who is a big bread eater.

 

From now on I will proof my yeast before using it, that must have been the problem.

 

I am really surprised at how easy it was, once i got the process down.

 

Thanks pixie for hanging in there last night with me and answering so quickly, and thanks to everyone else for the advice, i really appreciate it.

 

It looks like from here on out my house will have no more store bought bread,,,, I love this site!

[Pixie]

I am so happy it turned out!

 

I am glad I could help you out.

[BiscuitMaker]

Kathy303, website Thefreshloaf.com is a great place to read about bread baking, they even have 101 classes. Try it you may like it, I love it.

[kathy003]

Thanks, i'll check it out.

 

My next step is to make cinnamon bread,, it's so expensive to purchase in the store and it's a cost i have forgone in the last year.

[Pixie]

Spread out the dough as if you were making cookies, and spread butter over it, not too much, just a bit, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnomon on the butter, and roll it up, and place it into a bread pan.

 

another way is to make little balls and cover them in butter, then brown cinnimon sugar and place them in an angel food cake pan, then once then pour cinnamon bun syrup over it. My mom used to make these. Pull apart cinnamon buns. Very sticky.

 

I make pull apart cheese buns. Add grated sharp cheese to the bread dough. FOrm into balls, coat them in melted butter than inparmasan cheese and place in an angel food cake pana, and bak that way. VEry yummi.