home made bread

[nightshade]

okay so last night for the first time since I lived at home I made home made bread. It tastes great but it came out heavy. My gram says that it was probably the recipe. So does any one have a simple bread recipe that the bread does not come out heavy?

 

[old fashioned]

what type of recipe did you use? and how well and often did it raise? how fresh was the yeast?
sometimes these things have effect on the outcome of bread, also amount of humidity in the air.
I'm not an expert on this, but I know that sometimes my bread turns out differently each time I use the same recipe.
I usually knead the dough with flour on the counter top and usually get a "heavier or denser" bread than when done with oil in the bowl. But other micro factors may contribute to the differences too.
Kinda like chocolate chip cookies-soft chewy vs thin crispy vs somewhere in between. Each recipe has pretty much the same ingredients just in different amounts that give different results. I figure about the same with bread or other goodies. As long as it tastes good and everyone enjoys it, no harm done. Just keep experimenting or ask Gram if she has a good recipe. Good luck!

 

[Dace]

Also if you did not quite cook it long enough it will be heavy.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Here is a great website about bread baking . They have recipes as well as information. I'm not sure what type of basic bread recipe you want, but you could probably find lots of different options there. If your bread did not rise very well, as others have said, it could have been a lot of different things. Did you stir the dough really well . . . did you use white bread flour or a heavier whole grain flour? . . . did you knead it long enough? . . . how fresh was the yeast? . . . did the dough get too hot or not warm enough? Lots of factors to consider.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I don't know what your experience is, so i'm just throwing this out there. Sometimes folks who have generally always eaten store-bought bread are expecting their homemade bread to be as airy and fluffy. Generally, it won't be. Part of the goodness of homemade bread is its density.

And....what everyone else said.

 

[nightshade]

Hi guys thanks for the tips. I think I did not leave it in long enough because I also thought that it was a little doughy yet. I will try leaving it in longer.

 

[Wildsky]

Try this one
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=120918

 

[peapatch]

add a tablespoon of vinegar to your bread recipe this will make your bread nice and tender

 

[kitchwitch]

I just leave my bread sit out all day(covered) before baking and occasionally beat it down (every 2 hours or so).
Also I've added baking powder and water ( 1 tsp ea.) if I think my bread will be heavy, like if I add way too much wheat flour to my mix, then I use this trick. It seems to work.

 

[sufficientforme]

Wildsky already suggest gumps bread over on BYC I threw some together a while back and it was the easiest bread to make. It baked up light and golden and it's very versatile for other baking such as rolls, cinnamon rolls etc. I am trying to stay away from white flour so I have only made it once though.