Tough bread

[little_O]

What am I doing wrong?

My bread is a bit tough/chewy. It's just a basic white bread. Am I kneading too much? Not enough? Need more yeast?

[Jennifer13]

Try cutting back the amount of water. Are you using bread improver?

[ladybirdflies]

Have you tried bread improver? Be careful of what brand as they have hidden nasties in them, best brands are Demeter bread improver and no knead bread improver. What is you recipe that you are using at the moment?? You could be over kneading it... If it was too much water you would have holes in the middle. Are you using really hot water and honey to activate the yeast in the water before you add it to the flour??

[little_O]

I've never heard of bread improver. Is it something I can get at the supermarket?

The recipe I use starts of the yeast with 2 tsp caster sugar and 1/2 cup warm water. Let it froth.

Then you sift 2.5 cups flour, salt together. Add 30g butter and 1/2 cup warm milk. Add yeast mixture. Knead about 10min then rise. Knead again and roll out then roll like a Swiss roll and rise again then bake.

[Rouge]

I would say over kneading would be more the issue. I would try skipping the second knead. Just shape let it rise and bake.

[Cassius2]

I would so that maybe you are kneading too much. or it could also be that your yeast is no good anymore. how long do you let it rise for? I have a minimum of 2 hours for nice fluffy wuffy bread haha. Maybe some new yeast? or are you adding too much heat to the yeast with the warm milk? sometimes too much warmth can kill it.

my bread recipe is just flour, yeast and water and a pinch of salt...so yours might be too different for the things I am mentioning to be a problem? but yeah, i would make sure that you are not overkneading and that the yeast is still ok.

[ladybirdflies]

Look up Simply no Knead for their bread improver the improver in the supermarkets have nasties in them. I agree with the others scrap the second knead. After the first rise, I just knock it back and put it in the loaf tin and rise again.

[Jennifer13]

I get my improver from a health food store. Some organic brand.

[ladybirdflies]

is it demeter Jen?? In a brown paper bag type thing? THat is the one I get from our co-op. Its awesome.

[Cassius2]

I second knead but it is just a gentle one after I have punched it. like mebbe 30 seconds and then it sits in the bread tin for about 1/2 hour before being put in the oven.