Bread Bakers Only Please..?!


Question: Bread Bakers Only Please!.!.!?
Ok!.!.my first time last night making yeast bread!. I thought I did everything right, so I thought!. What happened was when I put the rolls into the oven, they came out like biscuits and NOT fuffy rolls!.

Can anyone please give me some real insite on what in the world I did wrong!?

(I didn't have a thermometer, but I put the butter in the microwave for exactly 1 minute, then let it cool for about 5)

When I let is sit, it did rise!. Then I formed into balls!.

also, my dough was gooey so when I rolled it into balls I added flour to my hands!. Was this a mistake!?

Oops, and I also did not have a hand mixer, not sure if this was the problem either!. I used a large fork and then a large spatula!.

Did I just mess everything up or what!? Thanks ahead for any advice as my husband and I really want some home made rolls like grandma makes!!Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
There could be many different reasons why they did not come out fluffy!.

If the yeast is old , yeast added to liquid that is too hot or too cold, overhandling, too much flour, not enough time to rise!. All of these could cause the problem!.

My suggestion is buy a thermometer to get the temperature correct, make sure you have fresh yeast, and only mix the dough so that it stays together then turn it out on a lightly floured to knead!.

A mixer is not essential!. I make mine without!. I think it is easier!. Just make sure you add only as much flour as needed to keep it all together then knead in as much of the remaining flour until your dough is soft but not sticky!.

Good luck to youWww@FoodAQ@Com

Ive made a lot of bread!. And this recipe is the best I've found!. It sounds like you didnt have enough flour and that you didnt knead it enough!. I always let mine rise 3-4 times and knead in between!. The more rise-knead steps, the fluffier it will be!. The dough shouldnt be sticky but it should hold together and form well!. Add flour or water until it feels right!. Try this recipe and shape it into buns instead of loaves!. After shaping let it rise again (after the previous 2-3 times) before baking!. Hope this helps!. To tell if they are done baking, they should sound hollow if you tap them with your fingers (don't burn yourself)

Edit- forget the mixer and the fork!. Use your hands (they will get sticky, but its worth it) the mixer and the fork will burst the air bubbles that make the bread fluffy!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Don't sift when measuring flour for bread!. The dough will be somewhat gooey on the outside when you first begin to work it!. You'll end up with the sticky dough between your fingers even!. Remember to remove any jewelry and put it in a safe place before working the bread dough!. Just add flour to your hands and continue kneading it!. Flour your hands as needed!. I used to knead it in a big mixing bowl to control the mess, keeping it in the bowl (and on my hands) mostly!.

Kneading dough: Just think -- you can take out all your aggressions on the ball of dough!. Imagine it's your worst enemy!. You can punch and knead it and that makes the dough better!. I think in about 15 minutes of kneading (continue to put flour on your hands as you work it to prevent it from sticking)!. the dough will look smooth and bouncy -- like a baby's butt (as someone else once aptly described it)!.

Allow dough to rise: Oil your big bowl, place your dough ball in it, cover with plastic wrap, and lower the bowl into a pan of warm water and place it in a place away from drafts!. An oven is good!. After it doubles in size, punch the dough down!. Then cover bowl again with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight!. It will rise slowly in the refrigerator!. That makes a sweeter and better bread!. I use this technique for pizza dough, too because refrigeration and a slow rise makes the pizza dough easier to work!.

Next day, you can take your dough out of the refrigerator and it should have doubled in size again!. Punch it down and form your rolls and place in a baking sheet!. They will begin to rise again!. Turn on your oven and when heated enough, bake according to instructions!. The rolls will rise again!.!. That's how I've done it!.

Just keep practicing!. It's a skill and you will learn (almost intuitively) what the dough should look and feel like and when to go into the next step!. Adding too much flour when you notice it is sticky and hard to work can make a tough bread -- so you will need to learn by experience how your dough should look!.

When my children were young (lots of aggression) I used to bake bread successfully!. Then after many years of working and not making bread, I tried it again using the same recipe!. Would you know, I failed!. I had to learn all over again!. Then I got an automatic bread machine and no more fun!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

bread flour has what is known as gluten,gluten is what gives the bread bounce in the oven and and that soft touch when you squeeze,but it needs help:so back to the begining,mixer or no mixer your dough needs to be devolped to build the gluten this is done BY KNEEDING the dough properly the dough should be KNEEDED for awhlie when in abowl llncoperate every thing togetherby kneeding it ,if sticky add more flour,when you have a ball of dough it might look a little rough put it aside for a few minutes then go back and kneed it again let it rest afew min and repeat it again this might take 20 to 30 min if done by hand every time yiou do this processyour dough will be getting smoother and smoother,when done it should be as smooth as a baby hinny ,cover keep in warm place at least1 hr cut to desire size,let rise in warm spot covered 15 to 20 min then shape into what ever shape yyou would like place in greased pan ypur cookie sheet ,what ever iy is your making let rest in warm covered area at leastthre quarters to an hour or until double in size bake remember all your ingredents should be room tempWww@FoodAQ@Com

I use a recipe for bread rolls every saturday, and it is tricky to get it perfect every time!. A spatula and hands is okay to mix with, that's what i use!. When mine flops, it doesn't have enough flour, it was too hot when it rises the first time, or i didn't knead it enough!.
If your recipe has you mix the yeast with sugars or whatever and add flour, add flour mixing it in with your spatula and then your hands until it isn't sticky!. When you knead the dough ball, it should not stick to your hands!. press it with your knuckles on a floured wax paper, fold it over, and press it, turn it a half turn, press it, fold it over, press it, and so on!. eventually maybe in 10 or 15 minutes of this at the most, it will take on a changed appearance and become elastic and try to keep its shape in a ball after you press it!. shape it into a ball, following the dough's lead!.
when you reach this stage it is time to rise!. it is better to let it rise at room temperature than on a warm stove or on the oven door, the dough temp won't stay consistent, and it effects the finished bread!. i let mine rise about two hours, until it is double in size from the ball!.
i never use melted butter for my dough!. it causes me failure every time!. instead, use butter that is cold and will melt while baking, or spread it from a stick which has set out overnight and softened to room temp (this way, if you rise at room temp, they will be the same)!.
it is beneficial to work your dough into the shapes you will bake and pan them as quickly as possible!. try not to stretch the dough in the process!. if you want, you could try shortening the second rise (which is where you are after they are panned) and only let them rise about 10 minutes!. bake the bread as your recipe directs and it should work better!.
my recipe calls for extra kneading and resting, but every time i have tried to incorporate the steps, the baked dough is tough and dry as sawdust!. good luck!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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