Why isn't my bread rising as much as usual?

I've been using a bread making machine for many years with no problems.

However, earlier this year my bread stopped rising as much as usual and despite experimenting with the quantities and brands of ingredients I can't seem to alleviate the problem.

The bread does rise but it usually ends up an inches or so BELOW the top of the tin - it USED to go about an inch ABOVE the top of the tin.

I only make white loaves.

I don't think it's temperature related either, and as I've tried varying the ingredients I'm at a loss.

Any ideas please anyone?

 

Hi there.
If you are/were making it the same way as you did when all was well, I can only imagine that there's something wrong with the machine.

 

Good point, I'm not sure what though. I mean it still bakes okay-ish, gets hot when it should, mixes well, etc. Not sure how to get accurate results if I was to test it though as I can't just pop in a normal thermometer.

 

I use Allinson's bread yeast (and flour but have tried others). I haven't tried another bread yeast though, what other bread machine suitable yeasts are there?

Have tried adding a little extra sugar but sadly to no avail.

 

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

I meant to say that I also tried adding MORE yeast but that didn't help either.

 

I've also tried reducing the yeast amount and the salt amount, the problem is that I've now tried so many variations that I can't remember exactly what I did or when. I wouldn't make a good scientist.

I will though try less salt again in a few days when I make another, and maybe the Hovis yeast too.

 

Am i right in saying that you're in Scandinavia?
If so when is your grain harvest?
My reason for asking is that the new crop wheat may not be the same quality as last year.

 

I'm in the UK.

Good idea though - do Tesco and Allinson's use Scandinavian flour?

 

You're getting mixed up with The Mad Hatter Jiffy.

It sound to me as if the element isn't working properly and not heating to it's full extent.

 

Your right Sheal Thanks for that, Sorry for getting you mix up with The mad Hatter

Wheat can comes from different countries depending on quality and price, the millers will use different variety wheats to make the flour and most flour will have Canadian flour in it because it's high protein wheat and with higher Selenium, at the moment do you see any bread or bread flour with the 100% british on it, Hovis did a few years back

Where i used to deliver wheat to they had to blend 5 varieties of wheat of different qualitys to meet one millers requirements (a ship load of 3 thousand tons) just to make one type of flour
The UK is all ready using 2015 wheat, have you noice the change in the texture of the bread

 

Very interesting, thank you. The bread seems to be a similar texture.

I think I'm going to try a different yeast and a different flour and see how it goes (one at a time though). Will report on my findings.

 

Interestingly, I was mentioning to a lady in the supermarket that my yorkshire puds don't rise like they used to and she agreed that hers were the same!!! Well let's face it, nothing is the same quality these days so we are bound to notice a difference. perhaps we are still trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear!!!!