Expert: Elyse Grau - 12/26/2008

Question
I've baked about 10 whole wheat sandwich breads but they always come out dry, wet on the inside but burned in the inside, or hard as a rock. Usually most of the time, i get wet on the inside and burned on the inside. I use: www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/RecipeDisplay?RID=1200498347067. This is how i make mines: add the lukewarm water, yeast(redstar ctive dry), then wait 10 minutes. Then put in 2 tablespoons corn oil, the salt, sugar, the wheat flour(kingauthor white wheat flour), then soy flour in place of the hi-maize natural fiber. [i excluded the drymilk]after i add in all those, i add in my own which is 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, & 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
For the directions, i put all those into my breadmachine and set it to dough cycle. When its done, i put it on some wheat flour on my table, & put some flour on my own hands, then roll it into a log. Then put in some corn oil on the bread pan, & coat both sides oth the bread with oil. Then let it rise for like 2hr through 3 hrs. But it never goes over the rim of the bread pan. yesterday i rised it for like 3 hrs but it didnt rise so i put it in the fridge because i was going to bed (nightime 11pm) then i took it out in the morning & holding it on top of the steam where i was steaming some veggies. i dont know if it rose a tiny bit or i was just seeing things. after about 5 minutes i got tired so i placed it on the table & let it sit there for like 3 hrs. but it didnt rise at all. so then i just baked it. for 330 degrees because i was thinking lower heat & longer minutes but it turned out i kept baking it for like 2 hrs. then the bottom became blackish & the inside was still wet ( looked like it wasnt baked at all .)
I think it's the yeast or i'm adding too much water. But, the bread does rise a bit after putting it into the breadpan. i dont use butter because i find it unhealthy so i use oil. i want to include honey too but it is already too wet to be added in.
I want to go for that fluffy, light, soft textured sandwich bread but i fail every time. I hope you know what I'm doing wrong.

Answer
Jessie:

You've got a lot going on in this question, but I'll see if I can help you. First of all, you had a lot of typos in your letter, so I'm guessing that in the first two lines you meant wet on the inside but burned on the OUTside? That makes sense.

Ok, first off, soy flour will make your dough heavier. I'm not sure what your reason for using it is, but if you're looking to up the protein, try using soy protein powder, which is not the same. I wouldn't use more than 1/2 c, and it should replace 1/2 c flour. I don't know anything about the hi-maize flour, but I would suggest that your flax seed should replace that (in the same amount or less).

Try using the dry milk powder, as it helps make the dough softer. So will honey, but it, like the flax seed will hold water, so you're right to think maybe you should cut down on the water a little.

When making bread you have to use your judgment on the amount of flour to add. You have to learn what the dough should feel like. So if when you are putting it on your table, if it feels very sticky, you probably need to add more flour. Also, I don't know anything about bread machines. I assume you are putting it in there to do the kneading. Whole wheat breads will be stickier and require more kneading than white breads in order to develop the gluten. So when you take it out of the machine, try pushing down on the ball and see if it springs right back. If not, it needs more kneading. Underdeveloped gluten in one reason for the bread to not rise properly and be heavy. So is over-kneading, but I doubt that that is your trouble.

As for the bread that was not rising in the pan, there is a good chance that the yeast was dead. Either it was no longer good when you added it, or the water you mixed it in was either too hot or too cold. After the ten minutes it should look creamy and maybe a little bubbly. If it looks the same as it did when you started, it's no good. Throw that batch away and try again, and if that one is no good either then it is your yeast. Make sure your water is between 105 and 115 degrees. What works for me is to use hot water from the tap, and by the time I get it from the sink to the counter, assuming I am using just 1/4 c, it is usually just the right temperature. (Usually the yeast is mixed in a small amount of water and then added to the remaining water before adding the rest of the ingredients).

Also, the dough may not rise over the rim - does the recipe say that it should? If so, are you using the size bread pan specified? As long as it doubles, or close, it's OK. Use your finger to test it. Poke it a little on the side. If is doesn't spring back quickly this time, it is finished rising. Also, don't reduce the oven temperature. The bread will get a little more rise when it goes into the oven, it it is hot enough. Let it cool completely before cutting, it will firm up as it does.

You will have a hard time getting the "light fluffy" texture of a store-bought bread at home. Most of those breads have dough texturizers and additives added to give you that texture. One thing you can do to get a better texture is in the forming of the loaf. Don't just roll it into a log. Pat it out into a rectangle, getting all the air bubbles out. Then fold in in thirds. Pat it out again and fold it again. Then do it a third time. When you do it the last time it should come out to be the length of your pan, if not stretch it out a bit to fit. Fold the ends under to make a smooth end.

Try these things, and let me know how the bread comes out.

Elyse