Lavenders_Blue Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 I bought a Panasonic bread maker at Christmas and have been making lovely loves in it since... Until today. I've just taken out a loaf that resembles a house brick. It looks like it's risen right up and then collapsed, as it is sunk in the middle. The last loaf I made rose up beautifully, but had some large air holes in it. I am guessing that this is connected with a change of yeast, as I was previously using supermarket's own quick yeast, but the last two loaves (the holey one and the sunken one) have been made with Doves quick yeast. Is this yeast supercharged?! Is it worth experimenting with using a little less yeast than the recipe states, or does anyone have any other ideas? The troubleshooting guide in my bread maker manual suggests I might be using too much water, but I am always very careful with measuring out the liquid, and this has only happened since the change of yeast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Have you changed flou?r - we had a problem using a cheaper breadflour. Went over to the Extra Strong stuff and it improved no end. We have a new Panasonic too and make 70% wholemeal generally. Strangely the new model doesn't have Vit C in the recipe which the old one did for recipes over 50% wholemeal. Doesn't seem to make any difference. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Thanks Sue, I also made a 70% whole meal yesterday and both the white and whole meal flours were both opened and used on previous loaves, so I don't think it would be that... But it's worth trying a different flour if it continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Can you get some more of the original type yeast and try that, perhaps there is something wrong with the new yeast. Is it in date? I have started to make bread by hand with the help of my kitchen aid, the texture of that bread is very different to the bread I made in my bread maker, that was always much more solid. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saronne Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Hi, I've got a Panasonic and had exactly the same thing happen; lovely loaves, then collapsed ones. In my case, it seemed to be the flour that was the problem. As soon as I changed brand, the loaves were lovely again. The recipes I used were exactly the same - as was the yeast. Incidentally, I had bought several bags of a well known brand (Allinson's) strong bread flour that was on special offer. Normally it has worked well, but I wonder whether it was plain flour bagged up incorrectly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Thanks all. Yes, the yeast is in date. I'll try new flour next time (nearly at the end of a bag anyway) and if that doesn't work I'll try the yeast I was using before to see if that makes a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie&Moose Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Lavender's_Blue - I also use Dove's quick yeast in our Panasonic but I find I need a little more of it than I do with Sainsbury's own quick yeast (which works perfectly at the amounts stated in the recipe book that comes with the breadmaker). If the loaf is sunken in the middle with crispy raised edges it does sound like either the mixture was too wet (some wholemeal flours appear to need less liquid than others) or there wasn't enough yeast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 It's your flour - this happened a few years ago - the last UK wheat harvest was very low in gluten, so try a bag of the Canadian strong bread flour; it irks me to buy foreign flour, but I cut it with local wholemeal flour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Okay... So - new flour, a bit less water and a bit more yeast. I'll give it a go and report back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucknette Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Hi It's the flour failing due to poor harvest. If you add two teaspoons of lemon juice to the mix it will make the gluten work harder and it will stop it failing. Your loaves will return to normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucknette Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Sorry, I should have added that you won't taste the lemon in the finished loaf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 You can get a vitamin C flour improver from Lakeland that would work too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted June 28, 2013 Author Share Posted June 28, 2013 I bought Canadian flour and new yeast (Allinson's) yesterday, so fingers crossed! I'll let you know how I get on when I next bake - probably after the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 I can report back and let you all know it was the yeast that was duff I bought new yeast (Allinson's) and Canadian flour. I made a loaf using both and it turned out perfectly. I made another loaf today and didn't read the recipe properly (no change there then) and ended up using 100% granary flour instead of cutting it with the white Canadian flour as I planned. No worries though as it turned out fine The Dove's yeast is now going in the bin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 glad you got it sorted. Do you buy yeast in a packet or sachets? I don't need to make much bread, so the packet goes off before I can use it. sachets work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 I bought it in sachets originally, but in a packet for the Doves yeast. Allinsons is in a tin, but I've put it in the fridge as per the instructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 I opened an Allinsons tin yesterday and made two lovely light loaves with that and Canadian flour, I have got out of the bread making habit recently because our local co-op often has their own baked bread reduced when we come home from work in the evening to 30p or less and when I compare the costs of ingredients and electricity I can't justify it most of the time. Having said that recently their oven packed up and they got a new one and their bread has been a bit stodgy since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
