where am I?
Help... my loaf goes flat.
Answer
Dear Lynda
My first thought is to ask if you are knocking the tin as you place it in the oven. Once the dough has had its final proving, take great care to move it to the oven without knocking it at all as this can cause deflation.
A second consideration is that you might be proving the dough in too warm a place. Certainly a warm Aga kitchen is ideal, but don`t have the tins set directly on the hot top plate or lids. Try in a draft free spot on a worktop to the side of the Aga.
It might be that you are over proving the dough, so try placing in the oven a bit before it is at its largest size, so the very final bulking happens in the first few minutes in the oven before the heat kills the yeast. I like to throw in a tablespoon of water onto the floor of the oven just as I shut the door to give the loaf a steamy environment for the initial part of the cooking.
The term usually used to describe the correct texture of bread dough is "silky". If yours is slightly sticky work in more flour as you knead next time, too loose a mixture can also be a cause of problems.
Finally a word about yeast. Whilst you are perfecting your method I would suggest using sachets of dried all-in-one yeast which give consistent results. The sachet includes an amount of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) which encourages healthy yeast action and a good rise. If you use ordinary dried yeast or fresh yeast bought from a baker you can add some ascorbic acid (half a teaspoon) available from good chemists. If your recipe doesn`t include any fat at all I would recommend a tablespoon of oil added to the mixture as it improves the keeping properties enormously. Not that fresh home made bread lasts that long in most households.....
Good luck!
Best wishes
Richard Maggs
THE AGA COOKERY DOCTOR
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Dear Richard, I am having problems with my bread. My Aga is a two-oven electric, which I love dearly. Every Wednesday (baking day) I experience the same problem with my loaf. I have a lovely, well risen loaf ready to go into the oven. As soon as I put it in the oven, it goes as flat as the proverbial pancake. Help, what am I doing wrong ? I await your reply. Lynda Allen-Griffin