French Bread question

[A2tomita]

I have been using my bread machine for about 3 years and am very happy with it.
I just started making french bread for the first time. The loaves are coming
out OK but I have found they do not rise to form a rounded baguette type but
remain quite flattened. I am using a recipe from Bread Machine Bounty which
reads:

1.25 C water
3.75 C flour
.75 t salt
1 t yeast

Make dough in the machine then rest 10 min. Roll into rectangle, roll up then
seal. Brush with egg white before rise. Rise till nearly double and slit
diagonally 3 times. Bake 375 deg.about 35 min. with more egg white brushed on
half way through baking.

Any ideas why the loaf would remain pretty flat (only about 1.5 inches high)?

Thanks, Ann

[Dick Margulis]

Several possibilities (what else is new):

You don't say what sort of flour you are using. Perhaps it is not strong
enough.

Your method does not include rounding up and resting. This would help.
After the dough rises the first time, divide it into the number of
loaves you are making--preferably using a scale--and round up each
piece. Rounding up is a light kneading operation that stretches the
gluten into smooth concentric sheets in a ball. I've described the
technique at length before, and you can look it up in the www.deja.com
archive. Dust the boules with flour and throw a towel over them. Leave
them alone for ten minutes before proceeding.

Your description of making a loaf is suspect, too. After the dough is
rested, you should be able to shape it without resorting to a rolling
pin. What you want to do is this: grab the dough on one edge and slam it
down on the bench, using a big arm motion so that the far edge stretches
away from you. Now take the semi-flattened dough and stretch it by hand
until it is as wide as the baguette will be long and it is at least a
few inches front to back. Now, working from the back, roll a TIGHT
jelly-roll. Seal the edge by really whacking it with the heel of your
hand. Think about your the last time your mother-in-law commented on
your housekeeping while doing this, and you'll hit it hard enough. Next,
even out the shape by gently rolling it back a forth a couple of times.

Let the loaves rise enough before baking. I think you'll have more
success with a fast, warm, moist proofing environment. Alan Zelt thinks
you'll do better if you let them rise in the fridge overnight. Try both
methods and see what works better for you.

Those are the likeliest causes. Because you are mixing the dough in a
machine, underkneading is less likely.

HTH,

Dick

[Capt. Ed]

On 23 Feb 2000 03:44:48 GMT, a2to...@aol.com (A2tomita) wrote:

>I have been using my bread machine for about 3 years and am very happy with it.
>I just started making french bread for the first time. The loaves are coming
>out OK but I have found they do not rise to form a rounded baguette type but
>remain quite flattened. I am using a recipe from Bread Machine Bounty which
>reads:
>
>1.25 C water
>3.75 C flour
>.75 t salt
>1 t yeast
>
>Make dough in the machine then rest 10 min. Roll into rectangle, roll up then
>seal. Brush with egg white before rise. Rise till nearly double and slit
>diagonally 3 times. Bake 375 deg.about 35 min. with more egg white brushed on
>half way through baking.
>
>Any ideas why the loaf would remain pretty flat (only about 1.5 inches high)?
>
>Thanks, Ann

Ann,
Increase your yeast content to:
1 1/2 teaspoons Bread machine yeast (fast rise)
or
2 teaspoons of active dry yeast

When you make the dough in the machine, does this include a 60 minute
rise period? It should.

Hope this helps...
--
Capt. Ed Brown
Manager, Forest City Software
cap...@wwa.com
http://www.wwa.com/~capted

[cleo]

I have this recipe for Machine French Bread, maybe try it and see what
happens. I've yet to try it.

Water 3/4 cups 175ml
Bread flour 2 cups 450ml
Bread Machine Yeast 1 1/2 tsp 7ml
Salt 1 tsp 5ml

Place all ingredients in bread machine in order given. Run machine
through dough cycle. Remove dough. Roll into 10 inch (25cm) log.
Place on greased baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
Using a sharp knife, make 3 diagonal cuts in tops. Cover iwth tea
towel. Let stand in oven with light on and door closed for 45 minutes
to 1 hour until doubled in size. Brush tops and sides with a mixture of
1 egg white, beaten, with a fork with 1 tbsp (15ml) water. Bake in 400F
(205C) oven for about 15 to 18 minutes. Turn out to wire rack to cool.
makes 1 loaf.

(recipe from Company's Coming Bread cookbook by Jean Pare)
I've made several loafs of bread from this cookbook, and they've all
turned out terrific! I'm sure this will work for you.

A2tomita wrote:
>
> I have been using my bread machine for about 3 years and am very happy with it.
> I just started making french bread for the first time. The loaves are coming
> out OK but I have found they do not rise to form a rounded baguette type but
> remain quite flattened. I am using a recipe from Bread Machine Bounty which
> reads:
>
> 1.25 C water
> 3.75 C flour
> .75 t salt
> 1 t yeast
>
> Make dough in the machine then rest 10 min. Roll into rectangle, roll up then
> seal. Brush with egg white before rise. Rise till nearly double and slit
> diagonally 3 times. Bake 375 deg.about 35 min. with more egg white brushed on
> half way through baking.
>
> Any ideas why the loaf would remain pretty flat (only about 1.5 inches high)?
>
> Thanks, Ann

--
*********************************************
The only part I hate about dealing
with the public is being professional
*********************************************
please remove *NOSPAM* when replying to email
*********************************************

[fred...@my-deja.com]

I'd like to read your article, could you tell me the SUBJECT and
approximate date so I could search for it. Thanks.
Fred

In article <38B3C15F...@fiam.net>,

> A2tomita wrote:
> >
> > I have been using my bread machine for about 3 years and am very
happy with it.
> > I just started making french bread for the first time. The loaves
are coming
> > out OK but I have found they do not rise to form a rounded baguette
type but
> > remain quite flattened. I am using a recipe from Bread Machine
Bounty which
> > reads:
> >
> > 1.25 C water
> > 3.75 C flour
> > .75 t salt
> > 1 t yeast
> >
> > Make dough in the machine then rest 10 min. Roll into rectangle,
roll up then
> > seal. Brush with egg white before rise. Rise till nearly double and
slit
> > diagonally 3 times. Bake 375 deg.about 35 min. with more egg white
brushed on
> > half way through baking.
> >
> > Any ideas why the loaf would remain pretty flat (only about 1.5
inches high)?
> >
> > Thanks, Ann
>

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