Bread Baking Question

[jasonD2]

Hello- I purchased a bread mix from Namaste foods. has anyone used this mix before? my bread came out alright, but its didnt rise very high to the point where the slices are large enough for sandwiches. i let the yeats rise for 1 hr then just baked it. any suggestions how to make the bread fuller? thanks

[Franceen]

I have not used Namaste bread mix, but I've used lots of others and I've had that problem as well as "over-rising"!

As it turns out there are many many factors that determine how the bread will rise: temperature, humidity, altitude, temperature of mix that yeast is in, amount of sugar to make yeast rise, time, stars alignment (LOL), and more.

When you mix the yeast in with water and sugar or the liquid for the mix as a whole, it has to be warm, not too hot (kills the yeast), not too cold (doesn't activate the yeast) - I've been told it should be 110 degrees. Also the yeast needs a warmish, sort of humid place to rise. I put the loaf in the microwave (off) with a cup of hot water and covered with a dishtowel. Also sometimes it takes longer than an hour! I've had it take almost 2 hours.

And I also finally switched to the "Fast Rising" Fleishmans yeast and add about two teaspoons of sugar to the warm water to "pre-activate the yeast" while mixing the ingredients and adding last (for the liquid in the mix I make it 110 deg).

The first time I tried the Fast Rising yeast with Bette Haggman's 4-flour recipe it overflowed over everything! But I had used too much mix and accidentally put in an extra tsp of yeast!

You can also add "dough enhancer" (available on the web) or 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar - which helps too.

So you have to keep trying stuff until you get it right. And even then it won't always be consistent because of the environmentals that you can't control!

Good luck and keep trying, it's worth it.