Artisan bread help needed

[miss_thenorth]

Just wondering if anyone else has this problem, or if it's just me. My artisan bread does not rise up. It rises out, but not up, so I have wide, not very tall bread when I bake this. i've looked in the troubleshooting area of my bread book, but it doesn't address this, not to mention it's not the artisan bread book. Anyone have any ideas? I'd really hate to give up this easy bread, but repeatedly, it hasn't turned out well enough to be a keeper.

eta, my yest and everything is fine--I use the same yeast for my other bread, and I am using coarse salt. I use 1/2 ww and 1/2 white.

 

[Dace]

I just use it for loose 'artisian' style loaves.

What kind of loaf are you looking for? More of a sandwich style loaf? Have you tried a bread pan?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have left it free form on a stone, in bread pans, as buns, as breadsticks, and they are ALL flat and wide. I have some rising right now, and I've pretty much had it with the artisan bread, unless I can figure out what I can do to remedy it. There's really not much tweaking you can do to it though--flour water, yeast and salt. I 've adjusted everything one way or the other, and I get the same results every time. I have added gluten too. am I supposed to let it warm up before I shape it? that's the only thing I haven't done.

 

[Dace]

Hmmm....I would think you would shape it and then let it rise, not rise and then shape otherwise you will knock it down and get even less rise out of it....most likely.

I have not been super impressed with that bread either. It is handy to have on hand in the fridge, but I am not thrilled with the flavor or texture. I was going to do an experiment with a traditional bread recipe and just throw it all together and pop into the frig. and see how it goes....haven't gotten to it yet.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I was thnking--let it warm up, shape, let it rise again, then bake. But I gotta agree with you--it's hand to have on hand, but I'm not overly impressed. the kids liked it at first, but now they say the crust is too hard, and they want to feed it to the chickens.

 

[inchworm]

Are you expecting artisan bread to be -- well -- something else? I don't think we can think of it as a "sandwich" bread. It is more of something eaten in chunks, an aside for soup or stew, or served with a wedge of cheese. My artisan bread is just as you describe. We enjoy it. But we also enjoy regular "sandwich" bread or dinner rolls. Each type just serves a different role in your cooking repertoire.

 

[miss_thenorth]

No, I'm not especting it to be sandwich bread, I'm just expecting it to be taller than an inch. Even if I plop it out over two inches tall, it will flatten out, and will rise as in "spread out". It will not rise high, if that makes sense.

 

[Dace]

I know that when I make it I shape it into a fairly high loaf...at least as high as you can get it. I think maybe if you brshed a little olive oil and some seasonings on top you may find renewed interest....think focaccia. Chopped onion, Italian herbs, sea salt....or whatever floats your boat.

I top mine and then let it rise. It might be just the change your clan needs. Also, try it without the pan of water .

 

[miss_thenorth]

Oh, I haven't used the pan of water since the first time I made it. Today I made focaccia shaped loafs, and buns, and rushed it with olive oil after they came out, I also salted the tops,but after they came out. They were flat again, but still good with my bowl of soup. i jsut wish I could get more height from them, that's all.

 

[big brown horse]

I was having a hard time with my sourdough rising. I realized I wasn't kneading it enough. Now I get nice fluffy bread with a good crust. Do you do the "window pane" test or the "poke" test before the first rise?

What kind of flour are you using?