Oh! 'er Porker, that ain't what we want!
Your dough certainly expanded, but not in the right direction - bit like me really!
I assume that you are using
this recipe, not the bread roll one?
Ingredients:
600g Strong Bread Flour
400ml Luke warm Water
1� teasp Salt
2 tblspns Cooking Oil
1 sachet Fast Action Dried Yeast
I know it's no consolation for you, but I have made this with all sorts of flour, from cheap supermarket to ones from a
local watermill, and they've all been OK - so here's a few things that could have happened:
1. Too much liquid added (even 1tbsp too much can make a difference) experience will enable you to tell by feel - until then weigh the water 400ml = 400g.
2. Not enough kneading. You need to kneed for longer than people think to develop the gluten in the flour. I do 10 minutes in the kenwood. By hand it may take up to 15-20 minutes of hard work.
3. Not knocked back well. When you knock the bread back make sure you kneed it well - you need to work the dough to give it a 'kick up the back-side' so it starts work again.
4. I slash the dough before the second rise - use a very sharp knife and make slashes in one cut, otherwise they will be untidy. Make a (controlled) slash rather than cutting down into the loaf. You can do it after, if you do, a razor blade is best for the job.
5. Don't try to leave the dough to rise longer than is necessary, the air bubbles continue to expand until they burst and the dough collapses.
The other points made on this, and the other thread, are all valid. Two packs of yeast make the process quicker, as does bread improver. Although quality is my goal, cost is important to me - I don't use either - the dough will do its thing, given time. Also, when covering the dough, be careful, if using a plastic bag on the second rise, that when you take it off it doesn't damage the risen dough. Try to inflate the bag when putting the dough in - making a sort of tent. Personally, I just chuck a clean tea-towel over it.
I would be interested to know your views on whether
these instructions need more photos to illustrate any particular procedure (applies to anyone, not just Porker).
Good luck
Phil