AboutElyse Grau Expertise I can answer any questions about baking. The only thing I'm not too good at is baking pies, nor do I know much about high altitude baking.
Experience I have been baking for over 30 years. One of my hobbies is creating recipes, most of those for baked goods. I made my own wedding cake. Currently I prefer to bake healthier things. I use a lot of whole wheat and other whole grain flours, and prefer to use less sugar or sugar substitutes in my baking. I do a lot with fruit.
Question I have started baking bread for the family and am grinding some of my own flour. I am using 1/3 fresh ground hard white wheat and 2/3 unbleached flour and use honey instead of sugar and melted butter in place of shortening. I keep the room warm, 75 to 80 degrees. I use honey to get the yeast going. The dough seems to never get far raising because the outside seems to get tough even though I cover it well. The loaves never get but an inch above the top of the side of the loaf pan. I used to use red wheat instead of white wheat but got roughly the same results. That's why I switched to hard White Wheat. For a 6 loaf batch it calls for 2 packets of yeast. I am thinking of trying to use three packets. Is this ok? I don't need the bread to rise high like when I am using plain white flour, but I want it higher than it is getting.I have a great tasting recipe that includes 1 Cup of Honey, but the bread never gets high enough. What suggestions do you have?
Please e-mail the answer as I may not be able to find this site again
Thanks
chris
Answer Chris:
I hope you found this site again,because your email address is not included in the question.
Also, you could check your yeast. If it is old or has been stored at too high a temperature it is possible that it is no longer viable. dissolve a teaspoon in 1/4 c of warm water with 1/4 tsp of sugar and wait 5-10 minutes. If it does not appear to be creamy and have some bubbles around the edge it is probably no good.
