The Back of the Kitchen Cupboard

[Saul Goodman]

Sounds to me like you've over-proved it, yeast is definitely not dead if it rose a lot on first prove. It should still have some oomph in it for after you've knocked it back and initial bit of cooking where it will rise some more, that is what is missing.

Maybe I'm missing something but the photo of the bread looks exactly like the yeast was dead. Is there a picture of the proved dough?

 

[Epona]

Maybe I'm missing something but the photo of the bread looks exactly like the yeast was dead. Is there a picture of the proved dough?

In the post you quoted a couple of minutes ago, the poster says "it expanded a lot"

 

[Saul Goodman]

In the post you quoted a couple of minutes ago, the poster says "it expanded a lot"

Hmmm... one person's definition of 'a lot' might not be the same as mine. I'd like to see a photo of 'a lot'.
My definition of 'a lot' (in this instance) would be 4x volume.

 

[Epona]

Hmmm... one person's definition of 'a lot' might not be the same as mine. I'd like to see a photo of 'a lot'.
My definition of 'a lot' (in this instance) would be 4x volume.

LOL 2x volume is when you should stop proving it and knock it back

 

[Saul Goodman]

LOL 2x volume is when you should stop proving it and knock it back

I was responding to the "A lot" comment. 2X isn't a lot. it's normal.

 

[Epona]

There is a very easy way to tell whether your yeast is ok - start off by putting it into a small amount of lukewarm water with a little sugar in it and leave it for 5 minutes - if it goes frothy it's alive, with dried yeast the date on it is just a guide and a lot depends on how you store it.

 

[Saul Goodman]

There is a very easy way to tell whether your yeast is ok - start off by putting it into a small amount of lukewarm water with a little sugar in it and leave it for 5 minutes - if it goes frothy it's alive, with dried yeast the date on it is just a guide and a lot depends on how you store it.

We're gonna have to argue over this, aren't we. Go on, I'll let you ask how long it was in the cupboard...

 

[Epona]

Hmmm... one person's definition of 'a lot' might not be the same as mine. I'd like to see a photo of 'a lot'.
My definition of 'a lot' (in this instance) would be 4x volume.

You're missing the point. You said the yeast was dead. The other poster said it expanded a lot when he was proving it. Whether it was 2x or 4x, that somewhat proves that the yeast wasn't dead...

 

[Saul Goodman]

You're missing the point. You said the yeast was dead. The other poster said it expanded a lot when he was proving it. Whether it was 2x or 4x, that somewhat proves that the yeast wasn't dead...

Without going back.... I think I said something along the lines of "I'd hazard a guess the yeast is dead (doesn't mean every bit is dead)". I couldn't possibly know for certain but, in my experience, it's ALWAYS the most likely reason for bread not rising.
Did you see a picture of the proved dough? I didn't.

 

[equationgirl]

Without going back.... I think I said something along the lines of "I'd hazard a guess the yeast is dead (doesn't mean every bit is dead)". I couldn't possibly know for certain but, in my experience, it's ALWAYS the most likely reason for bread not rising.
Did you see a picture of the proved dough? I didn't.

I think you should accept you're in the wrong here and move on. Clearly the bread has risen some else it would have been a tin shaped flat puck of bread. Epona has identified the ssue and suggested a fix.

 

[Aladdin]

I've been on a no/low carb diet so all the pasta I stopped eating is luckily still in the cupboard, won't last that long though. No bread to make sandwiches for my daughter but amazingly I did have some flour and yeast that I bought absolutely yonks ago . . .but only maybe enough to make three small loaves, and with veg running out and nothing in the shops Mrs Suplex and I will be needing carby bread stuff soon just so that we are still eating.

Anyway here is my first cake tin shaped loaf. A little bit flatter than most people would want, but not quite as flat as the picture makes it look. How do I make it rise more and be lighter?View attachment 203336View attachment 203336

Have you a pound cake tin? It'll rise up instead of out. Maybe...

 

[Saul Goodman]

I think you should accept you're in the wrong here and move on. Clearly the bread has risen some else it would have been a tin shaped flat puck of bread. Epona has identified the ssue and suggested a fix.

Clearly you don't know your arse from your elbow when it comes to baking. But hey, we're used to you pretending you're the answer to everything, so crack on... Or jog on, whichever you prefer.

 

[Saul Goodman]

ATOMIC SUPLEX . What was the date on the yeast?

 

[equationgirl]

Clearly you don't know your arse from your elbow when it comes to baking. But hey, we're used to you pretending you're the answer to everything, so crack on... Or jog on, whichever you prefer.

Oh fuck off Saul. Since when is agreeing with another poster me knowing everything.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Oh fuck off Saul. Since when is agreeing with another poster me knowing everything.

You telling me to accept that I'm wrong, when the poster who made the bread already admitted that the yeast had had been in the cupboard for a long time. Why should I accept that I'm wrong when the most likely reason for the bread not rising is because the yeast was dead?
So no... You fuck off!

 

[equationgirl]

You telling me to accept that I'm wrong, when the poster who made the bread already admitted that the yeast had had been in the cupboard for a long time. Why should I accept that I'm wrong when the most likely reason for the bread not rising is because the yeast was dead?
So no... You fuck off!

Why are you being a dick?

 

[Saul Goodman]

Why are you being a dick?

Because sometimes it's better to fight fire with fire.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Hmmm... one person's definition of 'a lot' might not be the same as mine. I'd like to see a photo of 'a lot'.
My definition of 'a lot' (in this instance) would be 4x volume.

Deffo was x4 minimum.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Look. It definitely rose, as I mentioned in my post. Why do you need a picture? It then went down a bit, as I said. It's also not solid, it's still bread soft, it's just not as pumped up and light as it originally like it was going to be.
Over proving is something I was unaware of, I thought the longer the better. Sounds like this is why my past breads have been a bit lacking.
I did dig out smaller, taller tin that I'll use for the next loaf.

 

[iona]

ATOMIC SUPLEX did you knock it back etc or literally just leave it to prove then whack it in the oven when it had risen a good bit?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

ATOMIC SUPLEX did you knock it back etc or literally just leave it to prove then whack it in the oven when it had risen a good bit?

What do you mean knock it back?
I just left it covered and in a sunbeam for 3 or 4 hours, instructions said two. . . I wasn't watching it, just made it at lunch and popped it in the oven at dinner time.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

I have a cupboard in the kitchen which I don't go into as I never use it. However, a friend of mine who travels the world for work and stays at my flat occasionally seems to have left some stuff behind from her travels.



I have no idea what the package 2nd bottom from left is, for all I know it could be responsable for this pandemic.

 

[iona]

What do you mean knock it back?
I just left it covered and in a sunbeam for 3 or 4 hours, instructions said two. . . I wasn't watching it, just made it at lunch and popped it in the oven at dinner time.

Knocking the air out of it after the first prove, then shaping it or putting it in a tin for the second prove before it goes in the oven.

What instructions were you following?

 

[Chz]

Could also just be over-hydrated if it's expanding out rather than up. Wet dough makes a pretty tasty bread, but it collapses quite easily.

 

[Maggot]

I have a cupboard in the kitchen which I don't go into as I never use it. However, a friend of mine who travels the world for work and stays at my flat occasionally seems to have left some stuff behind from her travels.

View attachment 203376

I have no idea what the package 2nd bottom from left is, for all I know it could be responsable for this pandemic.

Curry leaves are great, just add them to, err, curry.

Is that paprika on top of the Za'tar? Adds a punch to any dish.

2nd from left is drugs.

 

[Tankus]

Local Aldi limiting everything in the shop to four per customer. There was virtually nowt left but thankfully there hadn't been a run on gin.

I have a jar of small lemons in brine

Over a year out of date but probs pretty well preserved. Suggestions?! Or just save them til the zombie apocalypse.

Gin.... is what screams out to me

 

[Epona]

What do you mean knock it back?
I just left it covered and in a sunbeam for 3 or 4 hours, instructions said two. . . I wasn't watching it, just made it at lunch and popped it in the oven at dinner time.

OK - you shouldn't let the first prove go past 2x size, the yeast still needs some energy in it for when it goes in the oven, if you let it get too big/go for too long it will stop rising. So let it get to 2x size when you prove it. Then knock the dough back - punch it a few times to knock the air out of it. Then shape it, put it in a greased tin of whatever shape, or form a loaf shape for a bloomer, or rolls or whatever. Then leave it for around 30-40 minutes to rise again in the loaf shape you just put it in. Then put it in the hot oven - it will continue to rise a bit while the crust forms

What it sounds like you have done is let it do ALL the rising it can possibly do before it was a loaf shape or went in the oven, so it stayed flatter after it had been handled/tinned/shaped etc.

 

[platinumsage]

Is 15-year old pasta a goer? Found some lasagne sheets in a tuperware box.

 

[mango5]

Unopened jar of preserved lemons, due date 2015. Clearly tagine is not a thing in this household and probably never will be.

 

[Badgers]

Back of the cupboard?

You people need to practice FIFO