BROWN BREAD THAT DOESNT CRUMBLE

foodaholic

Anytime I cook brown bread it ends up crumbling all over the place, what am I doing wrong. I start by putting it in at 200 C for 20mins till it rises and then I reduce heat to 170 C for 1 hr thats from the Avoca Cookbook.

Help

Dizzyblonde

Is your mixture too dry?
I find that wrapping it in a clean teatowel while it's cooling stops it being too crusty too.

foodaholic

first i thought it was because it was too moist. I do wrap it in a towel. Im thinking it might be from cooking at a too high a temp. what temp do u cook yours on

noby

I cook mine pretty high, which leaves the crust nice and crispy, but still moist inside. Dropping to 170 and total cooking time of 80minutes seems excessive.

Dizzyblonde

It needs to be cooked at a high temperature - you might try leaving it high and shortening the cooking time to around 45 minutes?

foodaholic

tried that but is uncooked in the middle. I agree total cooking time of 1hr 20 seems excessive, but thats what the avoca recipe says.

P. Breathnach

I suspect that the mixture is too dry, and that cooking time is also too long.

I put my bread into a very hot oven (240) but turn down immediately to 170. It's ready in 50-55 minutes.

noby

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I put my bread into a very hot oven (240) but turn down immediately to 170. It's ready in 50-55 minutes.

That sounds more like it. Or else leave it at 190-200c for about 50-60 minutes.

What's the recipe you're using?

rubadub

Many cookers thermostats are wrong/out of calibration, not sure if there is an easy way to check this. I know in furnaces you put little blocks in which melt or wilt at a given temp

foodaholic

im using the avoca brown bread recipe:

200g white flour
300g course brown flour
3 tbs of bran
2 heaped tsp baking powder
1 level tsp salt
1 dessertspoon of treacle
600-900 milk


mix all dry than wet, it warns not to get the mixture too sloppy
put in at 200 c for 20 mins then reduce till 170 for 1hr

Magic Monkey

If your oven is fan-assisted, you'll have to reduce the temperature. Are you pre-heating it too? Baking it on the lowest shelf of the oven? Also, check that your baking powder if still potent by adding a teaspoon to some hot water to see if it fizzes.

Because it's a batter dough you're not kneading it, and so not forming much gluten, i.e. no structure. Make sure to give it a good mix, and remember it's easier to make it wetter, as you can simply add some extra flour to achieve the correct consistency. The feel of the dough is the best indicator of proper consistency.