A failed experiment
It was time yesterday (or rather the night before) to start experimenting with the bread recipe.
The recommendations from baker Jane were: more sugar, a lot more yeast and more water. Okay, I’ll give it a go.
Instead of half a teaspoon of sugar, I added a teaspoon. Instead of half a teaspoon of yeast, I added four teaspoons. (A compromise, before going with the full tablespoon she thought might ultimately be required.) Instead of two cups of water, I added three cups. Well, why not? Be bold. Unfortunately this last step is where (I’m assuming) it all went to shit.
The dough was moist. Hmm. Checked before I went to bed and it seemed to be rising. Okay. (I thought.)
Several sleeping hours later, it hadn’t risen any further than when I went to bed. Hmm. Gave it a stir and left it for an hour. (Proving, don’t you know.) Went back to look. Nope, no improvement.
Well, the oven was heated and the bread pan greased, so in it went. Gave it an extra five minutes, which turned out to be little more than wishful thinking. When I pulled it out, this is what I had.
The photo really doesn’t do justice to quite how flat this loaf is. Flatbread, no, but, by regular standards, a very flat loaf. Squeezing it did not lessen my concern.
Well, let’s let it cool down a bit and see.
I wouldn’t call the inside moist or even damp, I’d call it downright mushy. This “bread”, as I discovered when I tried it, isn’t even fit for toast.
It’s possible if it was abandoned outside the raccoons might like it, but I ha’e ma doots.
Okay, a full extra cup of water was a big mistake. I have now wasted four cups of very expensive flour on a completely failed experiment. It was better the first time and that was far from good. At least the first time toast was an option.
Damn you, Robin Hood. Bring back your multigrain flour!
Anne M. Holmes 
Oh damn!! Didn’t I say start with an extra 1/4 cup of water? But you’ll get there, you will.
Fingers crossed.
Damn! You’ll get there, you will. Two things though, I did say start with an extra 1/4 cup of water I’m pretty sure, and also, not that it’s the problem here, but a tablespoon = 3 teaspoons. Also everyone fucks up. I got impatient with my sourdough last weekend and am eating basically a brick this week.
I don’t remember seeing the quarter cup extra water instruction, but the four teaspoons is on me muddling in my head the six times the original recipe requirement of half a teaspoon.
You call it a failed experiment. You should try baking gluten free bread. If it remotely looks like bread, you eat it–because what can you expect? If it remotely tastes like bread, the first slice can be quite enjoyable. After that, you realize it isn’t really ‘bread’ and it’s probably not worth eating, or even attempting, again. (Pardon my celiac moan.)
Fair enough. 😦