Undoubtedly, the most frequent question I get involves baking yeast breads. Some people can't get theirs to rise; for others the loaf bakes up beautifully, yet falls after it cools. What went wrong? Here are some tips for bread-baking success:
[1] The chief reason for fallen bread is underbaking. The loaf may look done---nicely browned and well-risen--- but still not be thoroughly baked inside. A thoroughly baked loaf registers 205 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf. Bake the bread for the specified amount of time and then test for doneness at the end. If the loaf seems to be browning too quickly, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes and test again. If you find that your bread seems to brown too much or too quickly every time you bake, add the foil after the first 15 or 20 minutes of baking. That will allow baking without overbrowning.
[2] Another reason for failure is letting the bread rise too high before baking. It should be level with the top of the pan¬---no higher---because it will continue to rise in the oven. If it rises too high, the structure of the loaf can't support that much height and it might fall. And, don't let the dough dry out on top or it won' t at all because the hard crust literally keeps it weighted down.
[3] Many of us bake in the glass or shiny-aluminum pans we used before going gluten-free, but the gray (not black) nonstick pans work better. These pans brown the bread crust more thoroughly and evenly and this gives the loaf a structure upon which to rise. (Think of it as the elevator shaft in a high-rise building; the elevator couldn't ascend without that framework.) I prefer shortening to cooking spray and the loaf will rise better if you lightly dust the pan with white rice flour after greasing it.
[4] Use the right ingredients in the right amounts. While Rachel Ray can get away with “eyeballing” ingredients, baking bread requires more careful, concise measuring. The correct way to measure dry ingredients is by whisking the flour a few times to aerate it and then lightly spooning it into a measuring cup before leveling it off with a knife. Don't use the measuring cup as a scoop; you'll get up to 20% more flour that way. Don't use the glass, spouted measuring cups (which are for liquids) to measure dry ingredients like flour or sugar.
[5] Another possible factor is your oven. All ovens differ; some burn hotter while others burn colder. Check yours with an oven thermometer to make sure it's baking at the correct temperature. If it's baking at too low a temperature, your bread won't bake as quickly as it would at the correct temperature and you might be tempted to remove it from the oven before it's really done. Conversely, if it's too hot your bread is going to brown much more quickly and look done on the outside, when it's still not done on the inside.
[6] Make sure your oven rack is in the right position; too high and it might burn on top. Too low, and the bottom crust will brown much more quickly than it should.
[7] Contrary to what most people think, altitude is rarely a factor in fallen bread. I have baked bread all over the nation, as have my testers and my customers, and the only real difference is that bread takes longer to rise at sea level. That's because there is more atmospheric pressure, which literally presses down on the dough. In contrast, higher altitudes have less atmospheric pressure and thus less downward pressure on the dough so it rises faster.
[8] Most of my books have a section on baking yeast breads. It's a good idea to read the beginning chapters of any cookbook to glean additional tips from the author.
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