First time bread maker questions.

[Hiedi]

My suggestion would be to try some vital wheat gluten in your recipe. I started adding that to all my bread recipes, and that seems to help it rise better. As some people have already mentioned, homemade bread will be more dense than store bought bread. I will admit; I am still searching for that "perfect" bread recipe.

 

[2dream]

This is the recipe I use weekly. Its the closest I have found to store bought bread. I found this on All Recipes I think. Can't really remember. See bottom of recipe for what I do different.

WHITE BREAD
INGREDIENTS
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour
DIRECTIONS
1.In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

2.Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3.Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

What I do Different than the recipe

First I use about 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of honey.

After I punch down my bread I roll it out with a rolling pin. As flat as I can get it. About 1/2 inch thick. Then I tightly roll it up. Just like you were going to make a rolled cinnamon bread. Just make sure the roll is tight. Then place it in your pans to rise. By rolling it up you will get more the texture of a store bought loaf.

This recipe makes 3 small loaves or 2 large ones.

 

[freemotion]

After I punch down my bread I roll it out with a rolling pin. As flat as I can get it. About 1/2 inch thick. Then I tightly roll it up. Just like you were going to make a rolled cinnamon bread. Just make sure the roll is tight. Then place it in your pans to rise. By rolling it up you will get more the texture of a store bought loaf.

[/b]

Really? Cool. My mother would roll her bread, not as much as you do, but I never bothered. Gotta pay more attention to the "passed down" wisdom.

Anyone know why this is? keljonma?

 

[2dream]

Free - I don't know why the texture turns out different. But it definately did. It took me about 4 tries to figure out exactly how to roll that dough up tight enough. For some reason though the bread slices easier, not as many crumbles, and the texture is perfect for sandwiches.

Would you believe a 80 year old man (the boss' dad) told me how to make my bread better. I had never heard of the roll it up trick before.

 

[keljonma]

When you roll out or flatten the dough and then roll it like for cinnamon bread/rolls - you are removing a lot of trapped co2 - reducing the air pockets.

This results in a firmer texture with smaller spaces or holes in the finished product, which looks more like store purchased bread.

I hand flatten before rolling the dough into a loaf for the pan. If I'm making cinnamon rolls or a bread with a filling (like cinnamon-raisin) then I'll get out the rolling pin.

I heat up a tea towel in the oven or microwave and set it on my board to warm it up a bit before putting the dough on it. [My mom did that -heat a towel in the oven- ... to warm the surface so the dough doesn't get chilled.]


edited for typo

 

[hennypenny9]

2dream- That is exactly the one I tried twice, only I halved the recipe. Maybe the rolling thing will help in the future. And if I do make it again I will only add one or two tablespoons of sugar. Each time I've made bread it's been better than the time before, so I'm sure that eventually I'll get it right. With all your help of course!