I need help with bread!

[jodi]

I got tired of using my breadmaker since the bread, although tasty, dried out too fast and was always too dense. I decided to try to make bread from scratch - and failed miserably! Please help me understand what I did wrong.
I followed the directions for a loaf of honey wheat bread. It called for mixing some of the flour, salt, and yeast, then combining with warm water/oil/honey mixture. Then the rest of the flour is added and the dough is kneaded. After that, I put the dough into a greased bowl and let it rise...for about 2 hours. It just didn't rise. Finally, although the kitchen was warm, I thought maybe it wasn't warm enough, so I put the bread in front of our gas fireplace (this always works for my dinner rolls). It didn't rise. Not being one to waste anything, I kneaded it again and made a loaf of bread with it...back to the fireplace. This time it rose ever so slightly. I baked it anyway since I had the oven on for something else. It rose a little bit more in the over, but was still dense and hard (but it tasted good!).

Any help on what I did wrong? I might have possibly had the liquid too hot when I added it...would this cause it not to rise? Or is it better to add the yeast to warm water separately, like I have seen in other recipes. Any thoughts appreciated.

[rduell]

If the liquid is too hot it will kill the yeast. Also, check to make sure that the yeast was still good. It should have an expiration date on it.

When I make bread from scratch I quite often turn the oven on to a high temperature for a few minutes (just to warm it good), then turn it off and let the bread rise in there. Our old house is so drafty and cold that bread will not rise in the kitchen if it's not in the oven.

I also don't really pay attention to the time the recipe says to let it rise. If it hasn't risen to my satisfaction in that time then I let it rise longer.

[ChimbleySweep]

I usually let the yeast hang out with the water for a bit before I put my other ingredients in, but that's just me.

[jodi]

That must have been it - I heated the liquids on the stove (pre recipe directions) and let it get too hot. The yeast was really very old (several years - I bought a large package in bulk), but I have been using it all along with no problems - even baked rolls for TG with it. I will try mixing the yeast with the water first next time. Thanks for the tips!

[PrincessPerky]

Too hot liquid kills yeast, kills mine all the time.

I put the bread, or rolls int he microwave to rise..specially if I just cooked something in it.

[boefixepa]

For rising I will put a 13 X 9 pan of boiling hot water on the bottom shelf of the oven and heat the oven on the warm setting. once it peeps that it's reheated I turn it off. When the bread is ready to rise I place it in the oven to rise. I always get good results when I do this. If there is a second rising in the pan I will 'reheat' the oven to warm -- which I think is like 150 degrees. With the hot water it makes it humid, great environment for yeast to do it's thing. If your yeast is old, but still proofs (bubbles when left in warm water with sugar) but you are not getting the rising you want out of it. Try adding more than the directions dictate. It may slightly change the taste of the bread, but that way you will get the lighter bread. You might also try using a bread enhancer, like vital wheat glueten to lighten up the bread. Keep trying and experimenting. Things like this are an art form and you learn by trial and error, don't give up.

[PrincessPerky]

Ahha! I discovered my problem with bread, I am a terrible artist!

[jodi]

I made muffins yesterday, so as soon as they are gone, I will try the bread again. Thanks!