Confused about bread making!

[Dillie]

I wanted to make my own bread and my first attempt went ok(ish)

However I made enough for a 2lb tin, but it was huge!! And when I say huge, I mean huge!! It rose high above the tin in the oven and almost filled up the oven bottom to top!

I followed Delia Smith recipe to the letter and she reckoned a 2lb would be ok! 700g flour, 1tsp yeast, 1tsp sugar and 420ml hand hot water.

The dough was very wet (think I added too much water) so had to add a little more flour to make it useable. I think this is where I went wrong. It rose up well and well with in the time given. The bread was a little heavy, but makes wonderful toast!!

Anyway, I have been looking at other recipes and they seem to vary an awful lot. Some have more yeast to flour, some have oil some don't!?

Any fool proof recipe ideas? I do not have a bread machine so I make it with muscle power :)

well for an extra large loaf my breadmaker only uses 1 znd 1/4 tsp of yeast and 600g of flour so 700 seems loads!

I usually make a large loaf with 1 tsp yeast, 500g bread flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 25g butter, 1 and 1/2 tbsp milk powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp salt and 350 ml water

but that is for a bread machine don't know if that makes a difference

Think your dough was enough for 2x2lb loaf tins from memory.

If you think about it, bread is full of holes - the water and flour weigh over 2lb, and if that only filled 1 tin, it would be completely solid.

I always use the recipe on the flour-bag....600g flour, one sachet easy-blend yeast (7g), 1.5 tsp salt, 400ml hand-hot water, or a bit more if it seems like a dry mix.

I don't use a bread maker so no idea how that works - but I mix it all, knead till springy and 'live', leave to rise for about an hour till doubled in size.

Then gently fold to knock out some of the air - not too much - shape into a free form loaf or put in a 2lb tin, and leave to rise again for an hour or so. Then bake and sniff appreciatively at the lovely new bread aromas...

Seems pretty reliable and I can't recall any major problems with this method. Not sure why yours went awry, OP! Maybe just a weird one-off?

The trouble with tins - they vary and are you sure it was a 2Ib tin?

Yes, most recipes are for x2 2Ib tin so I usually do 1 loaf and rolls with the other.

Wet bread is good, the wetter the better if you start adding flour then you can make it tough.

Yes, bread making is a science and some good and bad recipes - like Dan Lepard have excellent books, blog and forums. He also does a food write up in the Guardian and you can get these on the net too. Shipton Mill have good recipes and you can order flour direct.

Taste comes from adding sugar and salt, oil keeps it moist so does butter. Depth in flavour comes from long slow fermentation (all day or overnight), things like sponges are starters and these increase the tange. Sour dough starters are also excellent. Bread is a healthy food if made slowly with less yeast, you can grow yr own wild yeast. Handmade slowly, provides more acids, vits and minerals which are very beneficial. The trouble is white breads have been striped of all the important stuff thats needed. Good reading Andrew Whitley on this.

Good bread takes a lot of reading and understanding of the science. I'm not for for quick, no knead or grant loaves I'd rather not bother.

Although I generally use a half-sponge method with 1 dsp active Dried Yeast, I sometimes do a quicker loaf with a sachet of Fast Action Dried Yeast. The recipe I use is 700gms flour and 450ml warm water (300ml cold and 150ml boiling), 1 sachet of yeast, 1.5tsp salt, about 1.5tbsp olive oil and 1tbsp golden syrup or maple syrup. Then I add a couple of handfuls of assorted seeds (pumpkin, linseed, sunflower, poppy etc) This produces a finished loaf that weighs 2lb and fits very well in one of our large loaf pans. It rises to about double the height of the pan in the oven

HOWEVER, a correct 2lb loaf actually starts its life as 2lb of dough, so a normal 2lb loaf pan is slightly smaller than ours. It should, typically, finish at about double the height of the pan. This would be the 500gms of flour and 300ml water.

The OPs 700gm flour and 420 ml water seems to be a bit dry (rather than wet). Wholemeal flour will absorb more water than white flour. White does produce a wet dough, and is best kneaded by the Bertinet method (pick up and a quick flick over which can send bits of dough flying off to the far reaches of humanity/the kitchen, then fold and repeat about 100 times.

As for its second rise, I let it come about 3/4 inch above the top of the pan before slashing the top and putting in the oven, allowing it to grow the last 1.5 inches while cooking. It shouldn't take over the oven though!

Thanks for the replies :)

Going to try again this weekend. I did double check the recipe and it was for 1x 2lb tin or 2x 1lb tin.

One thing I didn't do was fold it in three as Delia said to. I also did not slash the top, so not sure if this contributed to the size! :D

Tasted alright though, and has gone down a treat with my family :)

Dillie,

Did you try again?

Heya yes I did :) followed the recipe on the flour packet and it was perfect :)

I did persevere this time, kneeded it for longer and did not put in all the water, which I think is where it went Pete Tong!

Who needs Delia!! :o