Hi, I'm new to this website - but I've just had a disater making bread. It is years since I've made it, and I followed the instructions completely - but the bread is 'doughy' in the centre and dosen't sound hollow when tapped. What have I done wrong? Did it need more kneading??? Someone please help

Hi Annie1034, I cannot help with the bread problem as i use a bread machine,just wanted to welcome you to the boards

What temperature did you have your oven at? If you put the bread in before the oven had got to the correct temperature that could cause it. I agree with Rustie about the proving - sometimes mine takes a couple of hours, depending on the room temperature. Give it another go and I am sure you will be succesful this time. Good luck

If you are going to make a regular thing of bread making I would buy a breadmaker. I bought one a couple of months ago and wouldn't go back to shop bought. It only takes a few minutes to put the ingredients in and then it does the rest. Today we have a choice of stoneground wholemeal or focaccia

Annie, lave the dough to rise for at least 1-2 hours and bake at 210c if with sugar in the dough or 230c if you have not regards

Thanks for all the replies - I let it prove for just over an hour (but in hindsight I don't think it really was double the original size) and I had the oven pre-heated on Gas 8, and cooked it at Gas 8 - I've decided to buy a breadmaker (I know PH doesn't approve of them!) but I've 4 hungry kids and not much time!!! Got to decide which one to go for now

panasonic

I bought a basic machine from Tesco for £5 and it makes brilliant dough/ bread etc. Bread dough can take a long time to prove if a) it is cold b) the yeast (if using fresh) is not as fresh as it might be, the water is too hot/cold. Also, salt will kill yeast so don't add salt after you have poured the yeast in, make sure it is mixed into the flour. Make sure the loaf has risen to twice its size before you bake it. Hope this helps.

Just finished making a Granary loaf with my bread machine. Got fed up with the loaves turning out the same tall shape, so I now do what a lot on here seem to do and prove the dough in the machine, then put it in my own loaf tin. Absolutely brilliant.
Is that THE Rustie by the way??I do hope so I've REALLY missed her.

Hi Annie, welcome to the board. Hope you've got some useful advice. I bought a breadmaker on a bit of a whim a few months ago, and it's great. It takes less than five minutes to measure ingredients, put them in the tin and set the machine to start immediately, or on a timer. To bake a small loaf takes 3 hours 20 minutes with my particular machine. It's a cliché, but waking up to the smell of fresh bread is just wonderful

As someone who bakes bread by hand can I just ask about breadmakers. Do they all leave a hole in the bottom of the loaf? It always looks like they do, to me, and I don't fancy that.

Hi prawnfiller, mine does i have the panasonic, i do not know about the others,and yes it is annoying when you get to the middle of the loaf ,but other than that mine works very well

Mine left a hole in the bottom too, but the smell of bread baking is lovely, not made any for a while, i buy these kitchen must haves then leave them in the cupboard! Hi prawn, fancy bumping into you here

Mine leaves a hole in the bottom also, I think they all do. I got round that by taking the dough out briefly when it haad finished kneading, removing the blade and then completing the process. Seems to work ok.

That is a good idea. I have the panasonic and it is fantastic, I did buy a cheap job from asda and must say was not very happy with it so invested in the more expencive panasonic, it is on every day and is so simple and easy, well worth the money. If you are interested I purchased mine from amazon, got a good price with free postage and packing.

Think I will stick with hand baking, but thanks for the info. Is that 'our' Honey in the corner? Speak to you later.

It sure is prawn, spent far to long in here yesterday, must get some jobs done today, we're on holls saturday!

I'd go along with what's been said before. I resisted a bread machine for years but gave in and have never looked back. My 11 year old won't go near shop bought bread anymore. I still enjoy making bread by hand when I have the time (not very often) but I would definitely recommend the Panasonic, it's really versatile. Only thing that worries me is the amount of salt and sugar I seem to use now!

Hi Tinabee, I cut down on both suger and salt in the recipes,the bread still comes out the same as with using the full amount.

I've cut down on the salt in mine and just found the crust isn't quite as crusty as previously. Don't know if it's been mentioned before - but would Lo Salt or equivalent work? I too have cut down on the sugar which doesn't seem to have made a great deal of difference.

I use Lo Salt in my breadmaker all the time and it seems
to work ok.

I'll have to give it a try. Do you use the same quantity as for salt?

Yes, same quantity, good luck!

Hi - Thanx for all the replies & tips - Hubby came home tonite with a Morphy Richards breadmaker as a surprise present, and it is on right now - (I wanted the Panasonic really but I'm grateful for the one he bought me - hope the loaf is OK!) Will let you know how it turned out

How did your bread turn out Annie1034? I have the Morphy Richards and I find it brilliant.If you have the recipe book that goes with it I would recommend the fruit bread.It tastes and smells like Hot Cross Buns.delish' and the french bread is lovely and so easy to make.