My wholemeal loaf sunk in the middle

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My wholemeal loaf sunk in the middle
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Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Sun May 28, 06 8:35 am Post subject: My wholemeal loaf sunk in the middle
Breadmaker jobby. I used all wholemeal but cut back on the sugar - recipe called for 5tbs I put in 4 to see what would happen. So much sugar - is it really neccesary? It's the first time I used the breadmaker in years and the flour and yeast were a few months old (but within sell by). Could any of these be the rerason why it sank?

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Sun May 28, 06 7:55 pm Post subject:
20 views, no opinions - downsizers I'm , frankly, disappointed

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun May 28, 06 8:26 pm Post subject:
How much flour did you use and what make of bread maker? We (well Bugs) tends to use a max mix of 50% wholemeal and the rest white bread flour with only a tablespoon of honey and no sugar.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Sun May 28, 06 8:38 pm Post subject:

s'ok treaco - half a bottle of wine and I'm taking the p

I did think about adding some white flour but it gives me heartburn so I thought I'd see how it did without. Good to hear about the honey - though I'm sure hand made bread doesn't need so much sweetener (or powdered milk)

I used 5 cups of wholemeal - maybe I'll substitute a couple of cups of white in future. I don't kow what breadmaker it is (present from my mum a few years ago) - I'll pull it out tomorrow and have a look.

My middle boy has asked for some granary bread - I've bought the flour - any tips?

Leonie

Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 731
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Sun May 28, 06 9:25 pm Post subject:
Stacey have you looked at the breadmaker manual, it usually has a troubleshooting section which might cover your problem. My guess would be old breadflour or too much wholemeal and not enough white mixed in, too much yeast or not enough salt or too much liquid.

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 9:17 am Post subject:

I've looked and have kept an eye on this thread, not because I have any solutions, but because the same thing happens to me - so I was hoping for a solution too!

Watching my bread maker I sometimes get the impression it rises too much and then flumps causing the sunk loaf when baked. Does that sound possible?

My flour bag says to use the white bread programme and that is better ( I think it rises less than the wholemeal one) but my best loaf was one I did on quick loaf where all the times are reduced.

nora

Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 1539
Location: West Yorkshire

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 9:22 am Post subject:
Mine did this with wholemeal flour so now I use brown flour and it works much better. 9oz water, 1lb strong brown bread flour, 1.5 tbsp dried milk powder, 1.5tsp salt, 2tsp soft brown sugar, 0.5tsp dried yeast. I've not tried it with honey, will have to give it a go.

madmonk

Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 835

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 2:19 pm Post subject:
Try going to www.thefoody.com they have some good recipes.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 2:49 pm Post subject:
I'm not cut out for this domesticity malarkey : I think I must have miscalculated the water or forgotten to put it in altogether. I'm also never going to be david bailey am I? Everything behind the 'loaf' in perfect focus

nora

Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 1539
Location: West Yorkshire

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 3:35 pm Post subject:
Oh Stacey - thats dreadful!!! Do you think you may have a faulty breadmaker - it may not be you thats going wrong at all.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 4:38 pm Post subject:
You could also try making rolls, let the bread machine make the dough and then shape and rise the rolls yourself. At least you could experiment a bit with the rise times etc.

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 6:38 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

You could also try making rolls, let the bread machine make the dough and then shape and rise the rolls yourself. At least you could experiment a bit with the rise times etc.

I admit I often do that, there is a sense with the breadmaker that you can't adjust the water/flour ratio as you would do if making by hand on the basis that you can't feel if its right or not.

I've made one today that's a bit sunken and I have got a feeling that it rose beautifully and then something, either during the rising or baking, made it flump. Its ok but a bit mishapen along the top. We shall eat it anyways!!

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 7:08 pm Post subject:

I (almost) never make wholemeal, so this may not be very helpful! It says in my breadmaker destructions that too much water or not enough yeast can cause rising and collapsing.

I reckon that the flour makes the difference - I have made awful bread in my breadmaker, but never with clarks flour (except once when I forgot to put the paddle in, but I can hardly balme anyone else for that!)

Tips for granary - mix 1/3 white flour with it (not very helpful) and add more water (I add about 20mls more) than you do with white.

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 7:26 pm Post subject:

I've been thinking about this. We've been up plot so I set breadmaker to do its stuff before we left. When I came in it was in the baking part of the cycle and I peered in through the glass and could see a smooth rounded top of the loaf. It had about 1/2 an hour to go so what happened in that time during the baking so that when I came to get it out it had sunk. I didn't touch the machine honest, literally looked in window and left it.

Naomi

Joined: 26 Mar 2005
Posts: 1945

Posted: Mon May 29, 06 7:34 pm Post subject:

If you leave the cooked loaf in the breadmaker too long after it has finished baking,then steam/condensation builds up inside the breadmaker and can make the loaf sink in the middle.

Also for wholemeal /granary loaves I alway add extra water making it a sloppier dough (I don't actually measure it, but I just go by how it feels during the dough cycle for regular/white loaves it feels smooth and silky at and has a definite spring to it and for wholemeal bread it is a bit on the sticky side) and that seems to prevent the sinking you get using those flours.

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