Few things in the kitchen are more disappointing than a baking project that doesn’t work out. After all, you spent all that time measuring ingredients and kneading dough, only to have the finished product turn out dry or dense.
That was the case for one Oregonian/OregonLive reader recently, who tried out a popular bread recipe, only to be let down.
“I am a very experienced cook and have made difficult French recipes with success,” the reader wrote. “I made the bread according to the recipe, but the bread struggled to rise both times and did not rise as much as the recipe suggested. When I took it from the oven it was beautifully browned although rather flat. But when I cut into it, the ‘crispy’ crust was almost 1/2-inch think and almost impossible to chew, and the inside was doughy, basically a very large hockey puck.”
The reader suspected that there was a misprint, and that the recipe might have called for more yeast than was listed. While that wasn’t the case, there are other things that could have gone wrong, resulting in the bready hockey puck. Here are 8 common mistakes that can ruin homemade bread, culled from America’s Test Kitchen’s immensely useful cookbook “Bread Illustrated” and Rose Levy Beranbaum’s landmark “The Baking Bible.”
- Outdated or improperly stored yeast: Yeast is a living organism that makes breads rise and creates flavor. But yeast loses its oomph as it gets older, or if it’s improperly stored. Check the expiration date on packets, and store yeast in the refrigerator or the freezer to slow down its deterioration.
- Using the wrong yeast: When you go to the supermarket, you’ll typically see three types of yeast: active dry yeast, instant yeast, and rapid rise yeast. They have different amounts of active yeast cells, so they can’t be used interchangeably. Also, active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid with some sugar before incorporating into doughs, which is why most modern bread recipes call for instant or rapid rise yeast.
- Using water that’s too warm: Yeast can be killed by using water that’s too hot. Some recipes call for cool or lukewarm water, which is pretty easy to gauge by touch. But when a recipe calls for water that’s between 110 and 120 degrees, it’s a good idea to use a food thermometer to make sure you aren’t going to zap yeast with too high a heat.
- Not weighing dry ingredients: Most experienced bakers weigh out dry ingredients to make sure they have exactly the right amount of flour, sugar, salt and yeast. You can find inexpensive scales at many grocery stores, or more-elaborate scales at kitchen supply stores. But if you want to use measuring cups for dry ingredients, it’s important to spoon them (especially flour) from the bag or cannister into a measuring cup, using a knife to level off any excess. Avoid using measuring cups as a scoop, which can result in as much as 1/3 more of the ingredients going into the mixing bowl. According to The Oregonian/OregonLive’s former test kitchen director Linda Faus, this is the No. 1 reason people end up with dense baked goods that are dry and chalky.
- Overkneading: Unless you’re making a “no-knead” recipe, most recipes require kneading to help doughs develop their gluten, which is essential for structure. But you can go overboard. According to America’s Test Kitchen, overkneading makes doughs too warm and turns them from tan to dull white. This can prevent doughs from rising properly and will leave baked loaves with an unpleasant taste.
- Not using an oiled bowl: You need to let doughs rise in a bowl that’s lightly coated with a neutral oil, such as corn or canola. This prevents the dough from sticking and tearing when it’s removed, which can ruin its gluten structure. Don’t forget to oil the plastic wrap that’s used to cover the bowl to keep it from drying out and forming a tough skin.
- Improper proofing: The time that doughs need to rise can vary widely, ranging from a couple of hours to several days. Many recipes call for multiple rises. Most recipes call for initial proofing at room temperature for a couple of hours. But that can be inexact: Room temperature in the winter might be 65 degrees, while it could be significantly higher in the summer. Also, some recipes call for proofing dough in a warm place, like on top of the refrigerator. But be careful, America’s Test Kitchen cautions: If it’s too warm, the yeast can overact, creating an overly tangy flavor.
- Baking at the wrong temperature: Yeast springs into action the minute it goes into the oven, and the higher temperatures helps the water in dough vaporize quickly, helping the loaf expand and rise. But how much do you trust your oven? It’s not uncommon for home ovens to be off by 25 degrees or more. If your oven runs cool, that can mean bread that never achieves its full rise. The solution: Get an inexpensive oven thermometer (you can find them for less than $10 at most grocery stores), so you know your oven’s true temperature.
-- Grant Butler
503-221-8566; @grantbutler
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Why didn’t my bread rise? 8 common baking mistakes that can cause homemade loaves to fall flat - oregonlive.com
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