Recipe: Causes and Fixes for Bread Baked in Bread Machine Collapsing

CAUSES AND FIXES FOR BREAD BAKED IN BREAD MACHINE COLLAPSING

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FIX FOR BREAD COLLAPSING IN THE CENTER
Board: All Baking and Breadmaking at Recipelink.com
From: Susan from Round Rock, TX 1-28-2005; MSG ID: 0215906

If your bread rises then collapses add some gluten, or add a tablespoon or two of liquid. Water hardness or softness can also effect how the bread rises. It's the liquid to flour ratio that determines how high the bread will rise. Add or subtract the amount of liquid you use until you find the ratio that's just right.

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SUNKEN ABM LOAVES....CAUSES
Board: Guest: Sarah Phillips at Recipelink.com
From: Sarah Phillips 3-29-1999; MSG ID: 28255

Betty Crocker's Best of Baking, 350 Favorite Recipes, has a 2 page section on bread machine recipe failures. Reasons a loaf sinks on the top are because of too much yeast, too much sugar, too little salt, too much liquid, too many ingredients, opening machine too much during baking, hot and humid weather, leaving baked loaf in machine.

The solutions: decrease yeast by 1/4 tsp, decrease sugar by 1 tsp, increase salt by 1/4 tsp, decrease liquid by 1 TBSP, use correct size pan, do not open machine, bake during the coolest part of the day, remove loaf and pan immediately after the baking cycle has stopped.

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RE: BREAD SINKS IN MIDDLE!
Board: All Baking and Breadmaking at Recipelink.com
From: Margaret 1-26-2002; MSG ID: 0211124

These are some causes of a sunken bread machine loaf:
- Too much yeast.
- Too much liquid is present. Add extra flour, one tablespoon at a time or reduce the liquid.
- Liquids used may have been too hot. Liquids should be 70-80 degrees F.
- High humidity or warm weather may cause dough to rise too fast, then collapse. If this happens, reduce yeast by 1/4 teaspoon or use cooler liquids.
- Recipe may be too large for pan size.
Source: Cindy Falk of the Kansas Wheat Commission Test Kitchen

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RE: BREAD COLLAPSING
Board: All Baking and Breadmaking at Recipelink.com
From: Linda TN 10-24-2000; MSG ID: 028476

Bread often collapses when there is too much yeast action too soon. Try cutting back on your yeast or adding a touch more salt to control the yeast better. Or, try the rapid cycle --- the bread might finish before it gets to the collapsing point. I hope that helps.

BTW, did you change the KIND of yeast you are using? You don't need to use as much instant yeast as active dry, if you did.

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RE: BREAD COLLAPSING
Board: All Baking and Breadmaking at Recipelink.com
From: Mark In Florida 10-25-2000; MSG ID: 028478

We did another batch yesterday and used 1/2 oz. less water than the recipe called for and it didn't collapse like it had done the day before.

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SUNKEN TOP OR "MUSHROOM"
Board: All Baking and Breadmaking at Recipelink.com
From: Nana Nancy (CA) 1-7-1999; MSG ID: 023109

If you're getting a sunken top or "mushroom", you have too much moisture in your dough. I checked my two favorite bread machine cook books. The consensus is to reduce your liquid by 1 Tbsp. or add 2 Tbsp. of flour.

If the bread rises well, but then collapses during baking, it is either rising too fast in hot weather (very unlikely now!) in which case you should cut the yeast by about 1/4 tsp. Also check to see that the size of the recipe is correct for the size of your machine. In other words, don't use a 1 1/2 pound recipe in a 1 pound machine!

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Hi Dust,

Here are some previously shared tips for you to try. I hope it's a help.

Happy Baking!

Betsy