The Yeast is PERFECT, But the Results are Poor!

[WonderousWand]

After over a year of perfect bread baking, this month has seen loaf after loaf rise to only half its usual stature. Please see attached photos for yeast used, and resulting sorry looking loaf.

I normally buy this yeast at Tops in Chiang Mai. And, normally, no problems.

I did not freeze the yeast, and did not expose it to any temperatures over about 32 degrees, as usual, so I wonder what is happening here.

Nothing has changed except I just bought new yeast about a month ago in these little bottles with the brand PERFECT on the bottles.

In the past, it has been my bread that is always perfect.
But this bread now is terrible, although the flavor is really good, of course.

By the way, I have tried to pre-activate the yeast by first using warm water and sugar and soaking it until it foams for about 10 minutes before adding it to the flour, etc.

I use a bread making machine, because my hands get tired when they knead.

I am about to return the yeast to TOPS.

But could there be another explanation?

Edited June 17, 2016 by WonderousWand

[Oxx]

From the look of it, the dough has been left to rise for too long. The yeast has eaten all the available sugar, so the loaf hasn't browned properly. Overproofing would also explain the misshapen top.

[Crossy]

If it tastes ok what's the problem?

All the fantastic bread I had in Italy looked like that

[NickJ]

So it is the first time you have used the Perfect Yeast brand in the bottle?...I use the small green satchets from Aust. also pay a bit more for imported flour.

[WonderousWand]

If it tastes ok what's the problem?

All the fantastic bread I had in Italy looked like that

The flavor is fine, but the texture is terrible. It definitely is not right, and I have tried several remedies, including switching to a new batch of flour, but consistently the bread turns out about half the height it should be.

I suspect the problem is either with the yeast, or with the bread maker.

However, since the problem seemed to occur after buying new yeast, then that is the next thing I will change.

I just need to make sure I find different yeast, or yeast by the same brand but different lot.

I thought someone here might know what the problem could be just by looking at the good loaf vs the bad loaf.

The good loaf is pictured in the sunlight on the balcony, obviously.

Something very suddenly went wrong, and the bad results are now very consistent.

[WonderousWand]

From the look of it, the dough has been left to rise for too long. The yeast has eaten all the available sugar, so the loaf hasn't browned properly. Overproofing would also explain the misshapen top.

Thanks very much.

So what should I do?

Obtain new yeast?

Or, maybe try to fiddle with the controls and see if I can get a different cooking time setting?

The thing is that it was baking perfectly, and would only very rarely produce a loaf which had not risen properly.

Now, every single loaf is as you see it in the blue bowl.

The normal loaf is one I baked a few months ago, shown in the sunlight on the balcony.

When it works, it is superb bread.

And it used to work 95 percent of the time.

Also, you are right that much of the bread is sort of too moist and under-cooked, and doughy.

Really terrible texture.

Edited June 17, 2016 by WonderousWand

[tolsti]

How long have you had your bread maker?... Maybe the regular voltage fluctuations have affected its performance.

[WonderousWand]

So it is the first time you have used the Perfect Yeast brand in the bottle?...I use the small green satchets from Aust. also pay a bit more for imported flour.

1. I have been using the PERFECT yeast for 1 year.

2. I am using the White Swann Bread Flour in the green and white packaging. 1 Kilogram packs.

The flour is fantastic, and sells for 35 Bt around town. The bread was so good up til now that I would not have changed the flour. Everyone who tries it loves it.

I am not using eggs.

I just use oil, salt, sugar, yeast, and flour, and of course water.

[WonderousWand]

How long have you had your bread maker?... Maybe the regular voltage fluctuations have affected its performance.

I have been using the bread maker for about 9 months in Chiang Mai. I forget when I began using it, maybe 10 months. However, it has been pretty much flawless up until 3 weeks ago, or so.

[Oxx]

Whoops. That's a normal loaf? I'd assumed it was defective. Sorry. It really doesn't look very good to me - very pallid with a thin, uneven crust.

I doubt that the yeast is the problem. Clearly it's done its work looking at the bubbly texture of the bread. However, how does the bubble size compare with what you usually get? Are the bubbles larger than usual?

Incidentally, you mention using a bread making machine because you don't like kneading. You can produce really excellent bread using a non-knead method. Below is a link to my "go to" bread recipe - I use it at least weekly, substituting part of the white flour with rye or wholewheat. Incidentally, I find it works best with strong (bread) flour, rather than the regular flour the recipe suggests. Halving the quantity makes one decent sized loaf.

http://kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-crusty-white-bread-recipe

[MissAndry]

Add more sugar.

It won't affect the taste, the yeast will eat it.

[WonderousWand]

Whoops. That's a normal loaf? I'd assumed it was defective. Sorry. It really doesn't look very good to me - very pallid with a thin, uneven crust.

I doubt that the yeast is the problem. Clearly it's done its work looking at the bubbly texture of the bread. However, how does the bubble size compare with what you usually get? Are the bubbles larger than usual?

Incidentally, you mention using a bread making machine because you don't like kneading. You can produce really excellent bread using a non-knead method. Below is a link to my "go to" bread recipe - I use it at least weekly, substituting part of the white flour with rye or wholewheat. Incidentally, I find it works best with strong (bread) flour, rather than the regular flour the recipe suggests. Halving the quantity makes one decent sized loaf.

http://kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-crusty-white-bread-recipe

YES definitely, the gas bubbles in the bad loaf are much larger!

Also, I am not too concerned about the misshapen appearance.

And the crust color can be easily adjusted. That is not the problem.

The problem is it does not rise adequately, and the inside remains too doughy, and not fully cooked.

Edited June 17, 2016 by WonderousWand

[WonderousWand]

Add more sugar.

It won't affect the taste, the yeast will eat it.

OK. I will try that.

Also, if the yeast is slightly poor in quality, what about just doubling the amount of yeast used?

[Oxx]

YES definitely, the gas bubbles in the bad loaf are much larger!

Large bubbles can be caused (a) by adding too much yeast, ( leaving the bread to rise in somewhere that's too warm.

[WonderousWand]

OK.. Well, I just added 50 percent more yeast, and 50 percent more sugar.

Started the machine 30 minutes ago.

The loaf should complete baking in another 3 hours.

Then we will see if the sugar might be the solution.

[hugocnx]

The loaf looks over risen, but is probably not as the whole structure is wrong. You have doubts about the yeast (might be a bad batch), but you have no doubts about the bread maker.

It is possible that it skips a step in the programming. Looks like you have a one time rise only. This causes big air pockets and at the top bigger bubbles can be formed due to less resistance which will collapse the top when baking.

[WonderousWand]

This just out.

I am not sure what solved the problem.

I had new flour.

I increased the yeast by an extra 50 percent.

I increased sugar by 50 percent, as suggested in the comments.

Very relieved because there is nothing wrong with the machine.

I used 0.6 kilograms of flour.

Good results.

Thanks.

[WonderousWand]

The loaf looks over risen, but is probably not as the whole structure is wrong. You have doubts about the yeast (might be a bad batch), but you have no doubts about the bread maker.

It is possible that it skips a step in the programming. Looks like you have a one time rise only. This causes big air pockets and at the top bigger bubbles can be formed due to less resistance which will collapse the top when baking.

I think that you could still be right about this.

I wonder if sometimes the machine might have a problem with skipping a step.

Because, I get the half risen loaf effect about 5 percent of the time in the past.

Recently, the problem occurred on every loaf.

This is the first success in about 10 loaves.

[hugocnx]

Good for you. Funny though you now have to use double yeast to get the same results as befor. Picture shows you still have a problem with the breads top or is that normal with bread machines?

[WonderousWand]

Good for you. Funny though you now have to use double yeast to get the same results as befor. Picture shows you still have a problem with the breads top or is that normal with bread machines?

No this is not normal. I added 10 percent too much flour.

The bread expanded to touch the cover inside the machine.

When I opened the lid, the top of the loaf stuck to it and off came the top.

This is not a problem.

I am not a stickler for aesthetics in bread making.

If it has the correct texture and flavor, then it is a perfect loaf for me.

[chickenslegs]

I bake my own bread, but don't use a machine. For a while I used the "Perfect" yeast in small bottles but got inconsistent results (and occasional nasty tastes). I think that some of the bottles sit on the supermarket shelves for too long. Also, once opened, the yeast quickly loses its potency.

I now use "Pakmaya" brand yeast in 125g or 250g vacuum packs from Makro (there are similar vacuum packed brands) and I get good, consistent, results. I wrap the opened packs of yeast in cling film and keep them in the fridge - no discernible deterioration after several weeks in the fridge.

[WonderousWand]

This is as it should be.

No huge gas bubbles!

[hugocnx]

Really not bad. Fluffy it looks.

[WonderousWand]

Really not bad. Fluffy it looks.

Thank you.

It really is about the best bread I have tasted.

I obviously take no credit.

Good machine.

Good Swann bread flour.

I don't add eggs.

Just salt, sugar, oil, water, yeast, flour.

The flour is very cheap at 35 Bt per kilogram. And, in my view, it would be difficult to improve upon the flour.

Edited June 17, 2016 by WonderousWand

[tandor]

OK.. Well, I just added 50 percent more yeast, and 50 percent more sugar.

Started the machine 30 minutes ago.

The loaf should complete baking in another 3 hours.

Then we will see if the sugar might be the solution.

..stand well back when you open the lid...I have images of a loaf ballooning out of your machine filling the room...haha...send me a slice...good luck!

[piusmann]

Go to Makro - buy 500grams packet of yeast and keep it in the fridge - will last upto a year no problem. (if you not finish it before) and take a bit more yeast than the recipe says

[Farang99]

I brought a bread maker with me from UK a8 years ago. It worked fine there, but has never worked properly here. I always assumed it was because the ambient temperatures were too high for a machine designed for temperate Europe.

[cracker1]

From the look of it, the dough has been left to rise for too long. The yeast has eaten all the available sugar, so the loaf hasn't browned properly. Overproofing would also explain the misshapen top.

Thanks very much.

So what should I do?

Obtain new yeast?

Or, maybe try to fiddle with the controls and see if I can get a different cooking time setting?

The thing is that it was baking perfectly, and would only very rarely produce a loaf which had not risen properly.

Now, every single loaf is as you see it in the blue bowl.

The normal loaf is one I baked a few months ago, shown in the sunlight on the balcony.

When it works, it is superb bread.

And it used to work 95 percent of the time.

Also, you are right that much of the bread is sort of too moist and under-cooked, and doughy.

Really terrible texture.

As you say " much of the bread is sort of too moist and under-cooked" it sounds like the bread maker may not be producing the correct temperature ?

[WonderousWand]

Good for you. Funny though you now have to use double yeast to get the same results as befor. Picture shows you still have a problem with the breads top or is that normal with bread machines?

I did not use double yeast.

I used 50 percent more.

Also, I do not think it was a yeast problem.

It is either not enough sugar, or related to the old flour I was using, or as someone has already mentioned, some sort of glitch in the programming of the machine, which did not give the bread adequate time to rise.

I guess next loaf I will use normal amount of yeast, and 50 percent more sugar, 3 tablespoons per 0.6kg of flour, and see what happens.

I will also try the yeast at Makro that someone here mentioned. Thanks for that info, because I, too, like the foil packets of yeast.

[KittenKong]

Go to Makro - buy 500grams packet of yeast and keep it in the fridge - will last upto a year no problem. (if you not finish it before) and take a bit more yeast than the recipe says

Yes, I buy that stuff also. Lasts forever in the fridge in an air-tight plastic container. Never had a problem with it.