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Plaited loaf help


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Old 07-06-2013, 20:13
spang
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I've been making bread since watching Paul Hollywood's Bread program a few months ago and using his ingredients have been quite successful, they all taste okay and have a good texture. I did a 5 strand plaited loaf a few weeks ago using his bloomer recipe and it was perfect looking, just what I wanted.

Since then however, when I do a plaited loaf, it looks okay when it goes in the oven, but then during cooking transforms into a normal looking loaf but with the plaited pattern on top, ie it loses the shape and ends up with a flat top. It tastes okay and has risen etc, but the plaits lose their definition and just morph into a solid loaf, like a bloomer with a pattern where the plaits joined.

I've found a website which said to put more flour on each plait but had the same results. Can anyone help? I presume it's a pre oven rising problem, either too long or too short a time but I cannot figure out which.

I am out for the rest of the evening so cannot reply/thank people so do not think me rude. It just annoys me that it worked once and didn't work the next time.
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Old 07-06-2013, 20:31
degsyhufc
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Are you making the dough too wet causing it to lose it's definition and shape during rising?
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Old 07-06-2013, 21:42
Leightonisme
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Are you knocking it back too much? Sometimes when the other half is making bread it happens and it loses it's shape. Or there is the possibility you are using too much yeast or leaving it too long before baking.
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Old 07-06-2013, 22:14
Specktater
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Another possibility, if everything else you're doing is exactly the same from the successful batch, is the temperature of your kitchen - I really find the ambient temps from winter to summer make a big difference to my bread making success - you could maybe try reducing the proofing time to take this into account?
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Old 08-06-2013, 16:02
summerwine
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Could it have been over-proved? Bread will rise even more once it is in the oven. If it looks great going into the oven and it was over-proved it won't be able to expand anymore and will fall back.
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Old 08-06-2013, 17:15
spang
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Thanks everyone for the help. I think you are all right about me leaving it too long before putting it in the oven. I'm not very good a judging when the bread is ready to go in, and I think what's happened is when I did the successful one it was cooler, and now it's warmer weather it's rising quicker and needs putting in the oven sooner.

So thanks for your help and I'll try that next time, and maybe slightly less water.
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