Why is my bread so shite?

[Pumperthepumper]

I used to make bread all the time but got out of the habit and now every time I do it’s invariably terrible. The dough does this weird thing where it gets stickier and stickier as I knead it, it never goes smooth or silky. I’ve tried to do it in the mixer but then it just goes really solid. How can I produce a lovely, golden, round loaf instead of a lump of pale sadness?

Hey OP, folding (as I've learnt) is as important to the final structure as the kneading and proving. If you get it into a nice tight ball that will hold its shape well you'll get a better rise in the oven.
Bake with Jack has another good vid on this
I know I sound like I work for him...I don't lol. Just find him v accessible in an often inaccessible world of baking!

@Cavagirl he’s absolutely brilliant, I followed his kneadalong video today and the dough is magnificent, it’s prooving just now. Will definitely give this a go in fifteen mins or so, thanks very much!

@banivani

I think rye since there’s less gluten in it but I’m not sure.

This is a link to the original recipe btw www.koket.se/dinkelfrallor it’s in Swedish so no help to anyone ;) but there’s a photo

In Sweden we get a mixed rye-and-wheat flour that I wouldn’t hesitate to add instead of the whole wheat or maybe a little more, but I wouldn’t use all rye.

That’s brilliant, this is my plan for tonight. Ahhh thanks so much for your help - can’t wait to show off about how brilliant I am at making bread after all these tips!

Good luck! I have to say, I am not good at bread-making - I end up with a product alright but it always tastes sort of yeasty and is only good for a day. These bread rolls taste good when fresh (obv) and even the second day. Then they get a bit blah but sure the batch doesn't make enough for them to last long. So they're my new thing - hard to fail! (I got the tip from a colleague who makes them all the time. His 3-yo apparently ate home baked bread at someone else's house and said that "it's nice, but not as delightful as Daddy's" which is priceless )

@Pumperthepumper really glad you found it useful! Let us know how the dough turns out!!

So, a definite improvement but should have trusted my judgement and cooked it for longer gaaaahhh! Getting there though!

I think itlooks good on the whole? But it does come down to taste IMO never mind if it looks perfect, if it tastes of flour, nothing or yeast then it doesn't matter. ;)

@banivani I'm just trying out a new recipe (Pru Leith's Cookery Bible) and she happens to comment that bread will taste too yeasty if you let it rise too quickly (so it would be better left somewhere cooler for a bit longer).

When I used to have a breadmaker, the recipes often included some powdered milk which was said to help the bread last longer. With an active teen in the house it isn't something that I have been able to test!

This is turning out to be a vey useful thread.

I've made bread by hand for years! If it is going sticky when you knead it, just sprinkle a handful of flour over the dough and continue kneading. Add more flour each time it goes sticky until you have a smooth elastic dough, prove, knock back and knead until no more big holes in the dough, prove a second time and bake. If you want an especially brown crust, brush with milk just before baking.

Ah great height though OP, that's a massive difference to yesterday's. Definitely getting there!
What are you doing with all this bread?!?

@banivani

I think itlooks good on the whole? But it does come down to taste IMO never mind if it looks perfect, if it tastes of flour, nothing or yeast then it doesn't matter. ;)

It was too doughy, yesterday’s was stickier but tasting amazing. Making progress though! Also forgot to split in two so made one massive one and I think that’s a mistake with my crappy oven.

@Cavagirl

Ah great height though OP, that's a massive difference to yesterday's. Definitely getting there! What are you doing with all this bread?!?

It’s currently being shoved down the gullets of a pack of ravenous children, but I’m going to turn it into garlic bread for dinner if there’s any left after the feeding frenzy 😂

I second the no-knead and leave overnight method and then slinging in a cast iron pot, as someone recommended up there ^^

Perfect, lovely, crusty bread every time (and I am a shite cook with a shite oven)

@Madcats Yes I've read the same but have trouble getting a good combo re: temp/proving time with traditional recipes. This overnight one works better prob because there is so very little yeast.

I found a good cinnamon bun recipe too (as a Swede I love my kanelbullar) which uses a predough that rises for an hour, and then you mix the rest of the ingredients in and let the dough prove to double the size, and then just bake the buns and in the oven. Really nice ones, minimal kneading and fuss. My new go-to.

@Cavagirl cracked it 💪 Thanks so much for your help, although I’m now eating far too much bread 😂 Followed Jack’s method for kneading and cooked in a cast iron pot. Perfect!