I have just got a bread machine and put in a mix and baked the bread. It was fine except for two problems. My loaf was only about 4 1/2 inches long. Is this normal?
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Last first: I don't think you can avoid the hole from the paddle. It just is.
First second: 4 1/2"??!! Never heard of such. Did it rise and even look like bread? It must have been a recipe way too small for the machine.
I had heard that before it starts baking, with some machines you can remove the paddle.
And, it DID rise, even past the top. It was a new mix, and it was for a 1 1/2 pound loaf. Then it went back down and started baking.
Now, you have heard of SUCH! HA HA
Nolasandy
I'm going to guess your bread maker is a 1 1/2 to 2 lb. loaf maker and your mix may have been for a 1 lb. loaf. Read what size loaf the box indicates and if it's for a 1 lb, I would use two mixes if your maker is large. The hole is inevitable .. at least it doesn't affect the taste .. lol!
I cannot believe that the bread even rose if it was only 4-1/2 inches tall. You know the best way I have found to use the breadmaker is to set it on the "dough" cycle.
I never use a mix. It's very easy to make it from a recipe either from your book or from recipes online plus you can add all kinds of things like 7 grain cereal, flax, etc to make it more healthy. I found out by accident that when the bread is done, leave it in the machine for maybe 10 minutes. It slips right off the paddle and doesn't leave a hole.
As far as the hole in the bottom of the loaf, I think it all depends on the brand of machine you own. Mine only had a small hole where the mixing paddle was. As for how far a boxed mix will rise depends of what ingredient was used to make it rise. The boxed mix is either made with baking powder (quick-rise) or regular yeast. I've always made my bread machine bread from scratch & it's just as easy as the boxed mix. (Look on the web for recipes)
* My trick to making a a fluffy bread-machine bread is to add a bit more yeast than is called for. For example, if the recipe calls for one teaspoon of yeast, I'll add an extra half a teaspoon of yeast. This way I know the bread will rise properly. Another thing you'll want to do is to add warm water to the bread mix (not cold), to warm up the yeast. And, be sure to always store your yeast in the fridge! If the mix has baking powder in it & not yeast, then you can add an extra half-teaspoon of balking powder to it just to make sure it will rise properly. This also goes for boxed mixes, if it has yeast in it add a bit more yeast & if it has baking soda or powder then ad a bit more of the as well... By "a bit" I mean about a half teaspoon & no more than 1 teaspoon extra.
Since this was a "mix"; either the "mix" was old or your kitchen is too cold.
This is also true when baking from scratch - old yeast does not rise as well and a cold kitchen does effect how fast and how high the bread rises. In winter I have to add a little extra yeast and in summer I use less or it will "lift the lid" on the bread maker.
About the place where the "hole" is. Either bake the bread in your regular oven or use that section of the loaf for something else - bread crumbs, croutons, stuffing, etc.
Did the mix include yeast? What the liquid too hot or too cold? I was given a bread machine 10 yrs ago as a gift. With the machine was a video. I watched it several times. It was a huge help to watch someone mix and bake bread in the same machine I had received.
It's possible that the amount used was only meant for a small loaf (check the recipe directions) or that the yeast was too old. Old yeast won't expand as much, and leaves you with a shortened, dense bread. Try it again and see what happens.
2 tips: 1T gluten flour to each cup of regular or whole wheat flour, or 2) use bread flour. I agree with the others about using fresh yeast.
I agree with the others, if you used a pre-packaged bread mix, the yeast probably went bad in it. I also add a pinch of extra yeast than the recipe calls for. And, since I always use a mixture of bread flour and whole wheat flour in my breadmachine loaves, I add 1-tablespoon of wheat gluten for every cup of whole wheat flour. And, for your question about loaves baked in machine having a hole in the bottom from the paddle.
Two answers, you can either remove the dough from the machine before the last rise starts and take out the paddle, then put the dough back into the bread machine pan to finish raising and baking in the machine. Or, take the dough out before the last rise (some machines have a "dough only" setting, place in greased bread loaf pan, let raise, and bake in regular oven. Fresh, home made bread is the best. Happy bread making.
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