A bread problem

[Deleted]

As a matter of fact, Kathy, I DO have honey! I didn't think of that! Even after all the bee-barf references! LOL! What a dunce I can be.

I think I'll go do that right now. I got to thinking, I used my raw milk with the yeast yesterday, and I'd be willing to bet that the bacteria in the milk subdued the yeast, and that's why I didn't get a reaction. I guess if I'd used dead storebought milk, or killed my raw milk, it might have done something. I'll go try the honey and see what happens. Thanks!

~Lannie

[nan]

OOOOOOH Thanks Kathy! That recipe looks reeeeeeeally good! I wonder if you can substitute spelt for quinoa? I have spelt...but not quinoa...at least I don't think that I have any left?? I'll have to go check it out later...now back to that sewing with DD before she loses interest.....I hear her upstairs playing on her puter! LOL! See ya'll later!

[nan]

Oh Lannie....generally I have found that yeast LOVES warm milk...but the honey may give it an additional boost! Hope so anyway! That is a LOT of yeast to go bad! Grrrrrr.....

[Deleted]

Warm raw milk? Or warm storebought? Did you do it with your milk when you had your cow?

Anyway, I gave it some honey and warm water, and it's at least mostly alive. It foamed! So I went ahead and incorporated it into my regular bread recipe and it's in a warmed oven now, hopefully rising. I debated with myself whether to put the dough straight into the bread pans and bake it on the first rise, but in the end, I went ahead and divided it and put it in bowls for the first rise. And just so no stone was left unturned, I put a bowl of hot water in there with them, on the rack just below. Usually there's plenty of humidity in there from the gas, but if the yeast is iffy, I guess it needs all the help it can get.

I'll let you know this afternoon whether this worked or not. Keep your fingers crossed!

~Lannie

[Kathy]

Maybe you bought southern yeast and it's just not happy in your cold northern climate.

I'm glad the honey gave it a boost, hopefully you'll have a good rise and delicious bread for supper.

[nan]

That is a relief!!!! I've used milk from both the store and the milk cow. Back when I made so much bread for the farmer's market we had a milk cow. You would think that raw would be better....because it wouldn't be so sterile....but that honey sure did the trick!!!!! Maybe your yeast was just extra ccccold and hungry!!!! LOL! Whatever the reason.....I'm glad that it is working for you now!

[Deleted]

Well... hmmm.... it SORTA worked. I got a decent rise in the bowls, but after I put it in the bread pans (and back into the warmed oven), it sort of pooped out on me. Maybe this yeast is from China, and it's defective.

At least it poofed out enough this time to touch the sides of the loaf pans, but it didn't crest the top by much. When it started to look like it was going to sag over the sides, I stuck it in the oven and baked it. It's cooling now.

I'm sure it will be just fine, and at least it rose a little, so I guess I'll just continue using the honey, at least until this batch of yeast is used up. In the meantime, maybe I'll start a sourdough. I just haven't done that yet because I have NO counter space, and when I've got milk to strain and bottle, cheese in a pot (or a press), yogurt making, or trying to fix dinner, it gets pretty crowded in my kitchen. I'll figure something out.

I'm just so confused because I've been making bread the same way for YEARS, and it always comes out perfect. I can't figure out what the problem is now. I'll admit, some days it's cold in the house, but usually by afternoon, unless the wind is blowing really hard and sucking all the heat off the house, it's warm enough in the kitchen. If it's warm enough in here for me to take a shower, it should be warm enough to make bread! LOL!

~Lannie

[nan]

Nah...it isn't anything that you are doing wrong...you just have a batch of bad yeast. It probably "poofed" up a bit because of the little yeasties that were barely alive around the honey...but it wasn't alive enough to do its thing! I bet that when you go to town and get more yeast it will be "business as usual!". Try the sourdough! It makes REEEEEally tasty bread! You can put it to double next to the wood stove....or close to it...and you only need a quart jar or half gallon jar if you want to go big time! Then you store it in the fridge till you want to double it again! "Try it....you'll like it!"