Very Bread Maker - all gone wrong HELP!

[oldsilver]

I've been making bread for a couple of months now and this time even though I've followed the same recipe, used the same ingrediants, kneaded for the same amount of time - my bread has not risen.

What have I done wrong?

Should I just go back to buying Sainsbos cheap crap as it's far less faff.

My suspicions would fall on your yeast. How has it been stored and how old is it? I find that after a time the rising doesn't, so to speak.
Try a new pack of yeast and see if that works.

Thanks cambridge, I've been using those "Fast Action Dried Yeast Packets". Originally I tried one packet and this sort of worked, then moved on to two packets which worked fine ... uptil now. Box says best before May 2012, perhaps just a dodgy batch.

Tastes OK by the way - just a tad, shall we say, compact!

Could possibly be out-of-date flour?

How long are you leaving it to rise? And where? Also, how hot is the water you're using?

Apologies for Harry Potter related namechange!

As I'm making a loaf every week the flour is only in the house for three weeks 4merly.

Naoko, until it's getting 2 times bigger (though not this time as it didn't and just shoved it in the oven as it had been 6 hours), in the kitchen which is the warmest and dampest room in the house, and warm water from the tap. It's worked the previous times except the time but last when it rose, but not as much and this time - when it didn't really rise at all.

The recipe (taken from the side of the flour packet) is 500g flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbs sunflower oil, 2 tbs runny honey, 8 fl oz warm water - they suggest 1 pkt fast action yeast but have been using 2 which did seem to have been working...

Hm, very odd, does sound like you're not doing anything wrong. I'd try a different batch or maybe even a different brand of yeast first, I have had very different results with different brands here. Not quite sure why, but I do always have to adjust quantity for it.

Does it keep its shape nicely in the oven? Or does it collapse?

Thank you Naoko. Didn't change shape at all, at least no collapsing. Will try different yeast and see if that helps. Just a real novice - haven't "done" yeast before, so it's all a bit new for me.

You could also try putting in a bit less water, as long as the dough still mixes ok. 8 fl oz is more than i usually use. If that makes the dough too dry though, ignore me!