Bread
 

I make a crusty Italian bread every couple of weeks, use tap water, AP flour, some whole wheat and have no problems with several rises. Perhaps it helps that I make a biga that I let sit in the fridge overnight, and I work the dough between rises (usually four). No magic here, just a bit of work.

So, with that, what brand and model of bread machine do you use? :)

I believe one of the other posters nailed it. (Stale yeast)

I buy bricks of ADY Active Dry Yeast.

Buy on Amazon - only $9.00 for enough for lots of bread.

I break the brick Down into snack size bags and freeze for future use. The frozen yeast will last about 2 years. Enough to share with all your neighbors

High protein flour 13% or more is also a good idea. I buy 50# sacks at Costco business center in Orlando- about $25.00

Make sure you have a bug proof storage container for bulk flour. Nothing worse than an infestation of meal moths

nice!

Have you always done four rises? Find a second one works but as mentioned before a longer rising period works better for us but than again do use whole wheat flour for most breads.

Don’t measure your ingredients. Weigh them (with a cheap scale from Amazon). It makes a big difference.


Here are some sample recipes for a bread machine, it has measures AND. Weights. Use that to modify your own bread recipe.

Breadmakers Recipes | Zojirushi.com

Have you tried King Arthur Flour?

Bread Making
 

Humidity, barometric pressure, and temperature all affect the process of bread making and baking in general. I suggest going online to learn about the proper conditions for making bread and try to adjust your home environment to these conditions. Or make appropriate adjustments in how you prepare the bread. There is a lot of information available on various sites.

Good luck

In addition to the previous suggestions, weigh your ingredients instead of measuring. This will make your results more consistent. Please let us know what you learn from your trial and error is.

I have had no problem with my bread dough rising here. I use Fleischman's Rapid Rise yeast and King Arthur Bread Flour. As another responder said, it's very important that the water be only warm, not hot, as hot water kills the yeast. I mix my bread dough with my electric Kitchen Aid mixer, using the whip attachment for combining the water, yeast, sugar, shortening (I use softened butter), salt, and half the flour. Then I use the kneading hook attachment to mix in the remaining flour and knead the dough for 3-4 minutes. I cover with a towel and place it in my oven, under the oven light to keep it warm. Works for me!

All great suggestions
 

Thank you all very much. We have at least collectively put a dent in the notion that Villagers don't cook!

Thats like trying to find a good bagel or pizza other than Brooklyn NY!!!

It's all about the water!

I thought I posted this already but I'll post it here in this thread. This is from my own cookbook:

Challah


2 pkg active dry yeast
1/2 c warm water (105-110°)
1/2 c sugar
8 c all purpose flour (7.5 for start, + pinch for yeast)
5 eggs
3 tbsp veggie oil
1.5 c lukewarm water + 1 tsp water


350° 25 minutes, 3 loaves

1. yeast, warm water, 1/2 tsp sugar, pinch flour in small bowl. Mix, set aside.
2. Big bowl: 7.5 c flour, rest of sugar, salt.
3. 4 eggs, veggie oil, water, mix in a bowl
4. Mix #3 with #2, #1 with #2. Knead til smooth/elastic, add more flour as needed.
5. Rise 1 hr/doubled Punch, Rise 30min/doubled
6. Cut into 9. Roll pieces to ropes, braid 3 loaves total. Use no-stick/lightly greased cookie sheet.
7. Mix 1 egg 1 tsp water, brush on loaves, rise 1/2 hour more, bake

I found that sifting the flour before I measure it makes a difference.