Poor Volume, Pale Crust and Flat Top
Norwak (1985) argues that this fault is caused by the dough being too wet or the dough being too dry. Other factors include that there is too little salt or yeast perhaps due to measurement error (has the recipe been read correctly?). Poor volume, pale crust and flat top can also occur when the flour is too soft or incorrect for breadmaking i.e. self raising flour has been used instead of strong white bread flour, wholemeal plain flour sieved or plain flour and very strong white bread flour together.
Norwak (1985) also states that poor volume, a pale crust and a flat top can occur when the proofing temperature is too high and / or proved for too long. Also when the dough has been insufficiently kneaded or underfermented, this is also an issue (Norwak, 1985). If the crust is cracked, then the dough was too tight or there was too much dough loaded into the loaf tin.
Holes and Uneven Texture, Heavy Close Texture
Bread made by hand that results in an uneven texture and holes when baked, usually has at its heart the mistake of the dough being left uncovered during the first rising. If a 'skin' is noticed on a dough when kneading the second time, it is highly likely that there will be an uneven texture and holes caused by the streaking when kneaded.
Also if the dough had been covered during the first rising but it was not sufficiently kneaded, then this can also cause holes and an uneven texture (Norwak, 1985). Mary Norwak also cites that other causes include too much liquid (water, milk) or too much salt or too long or too short a fermentation time. Too long a fermentation time or too much yeast can also give a sour tinge to the bread taste or taste outright over-yeasty.
Too much salt and insufficient kneading or fermentation time also causes the fault in bread made by hand of a heavy close texture (Norwak, 1985). Heavy dense textures to breads can also be due to the oven being inadequately heated to desired temperature before bread was put in oven, oven too cool during baking and therefore a tendency to bake for a longer time than the recipe recommended. Also if the dough was left to rise primarily in too hot a place then the yeast could have been killed and therefore becomes inactive.
Crumb of Bread has Poor Color or is Coarse
Paul Hollywood of Paul Hollywood's Artisan Bread Co. based in Aylesham Kent emphasises
the importance of crumb quality of a bread loaf made by hand as the Bread Expert on British Television series The Great British Bake Off. Coarse bread crumb and poor crumb color of the bread loaf is often a result of the dough being too tight, an under proofing or an over proofing or the flour being too soft. Mary Norwak also suggested that coarse crumb is caused by insufficient salt.
Why Bread Loaves can go Stale Quickly
Should a bread loaf made by hand fail to last for a couple of days and rapidly become stale and/or crumbly, then it is likely that there was an overfermentation, with the dough rising too early by being located in too warm a place, such as in front of a multi-fuel stove. Other factors explain a hand made loaf quickly going stale include too much yeast used in the breadmaking process or the flour used is too soft. Very strong white bread flour or strong white bread flour gives best results for making bread by hand.
Reference
Norwak, M. (1985) Breads and Breadmaking. London: Ward Lock Limited.
Susan Morris - Susan Morris, Scottish food and drink business manager, organic gardener, author and editor
