"Flat shape"

Profile picture for user iwchris

Hi all

I am quite new to bread making and I am quite pleased with the results that I am getting so far except one problem, I am just using easy yeast at the moment, water and flour, plus oil, my problem is that although I am only given it one hour to rise, then one more hour on a baking tray, it spreads out far too much almost overflowing the tray, so the finished loaf although it looks good is far too thin in depth, I have tried using less water but it still did the same, so love to hear any thoughts on this.

Thanks

Chris

Toast

Recipe, method and timings please. 

Spreading out is either too hydrated or not enough gluten formation.

Either way your loaf looks very nice to me.

The type of flour you used can matter. As a basic example, all APs don't necessarily have the same percentage of gluten. Neither do all BFs.

Shaping can make a difference too. A well-shaped loaf won't spread as much. 

Haven't looked at the recipe yet, but if you are doing your final proof on a baking tray, there is no support to keep it from spreading.

Edit: looking at the recipe, you can see their picture is flat as well.

You didn't give us much information of your own experience while following the recipe. I know what the recipe says but not what happened when you made it.

1. Did you knead until silky smooth? (The dough should bounce straight back up when poked if the gluten formation is done well)

2. Did the dough come together nicely and did you have any trouble handling it? It's not such a wet dough but it does have butter added in. What type of flour did you use? Strong bread flour?

3. The advice on shaping is somewhat confusing. Shaping is difficult to describe at the best of times. Did you shape it well? Did it hold its shape well? Perhaps find a video on shaping a cobb loaf. The recipe does not specify a loaf pan but no reason why you can't use one. However you should be able to do a free standing loaf if done properly. Having said that, the loaf in recipe picture doesn't have great height either.

4. Did you time the stages properly and did the dough behave as described?

Some things to think about.

Thanks for help.

I did copy the recipe exactly accept that I use the equivalent weight in olive oil to replace the butter otherwise I have stuck to it exactly.

I do use an electric mixer with a dough hook and the initial mix which is made with strong white flour was mixed for approximately 5 minutes before I tip it onto a work surface and knead  it for another five minutes, it does come out of the food mixer bowl fairly clean so it is not really a wet mix., it does bounce back ok, and does keep its shape at this point, it's after the second rest time it has spread, I think I will cut the water a bit next time.

I must say that despite the fact that it is quite a flat loaf the taste texture and the crust is beautiful.

All sounds ok.

Butter is around 80% fat and olive oil I think is 100% fat, or close to. So you could reduce the oil by 20% (by weight). Butter will add in moisture (the other 20%) but you could just miss this out instead of adding it back in.

I think following what you've done before but just reducing the oil by 20% should make it more manageable and hold its shape.