Making bread that does not fall apart while making a sandwich

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I have been making bread for over 8 years with a bread maker. I have tried different receipes but the bread falls apart in pieces after the second day. My family wants store bought bread but we can not really afford the quality bread that we want. I live at a high altitude, 7,000 feet. The basic receipe I use is 2 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/2 c whole wheat, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk , 2 tbl oil, 2 1/2 tbl sugar , 1 1/2 teas yeast, 1 teas salt. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Cathy in Santa Fe, NM

-- Catherine Dunn (cldunn@cleanweb.net), November 06, 2001

Answers

see if the nearest larger town as a bread store outlet,,like a wonderbread outlet, or bonniebread,(im sure there are others),, thats where I buy my bread for work, mostly sandwiches,, get teh better wheat breads for 2 for 1 dollar,, all depends on the week,, but a heck of alot cheaper than the grocery store. Or,, for your recipe try adding alittle more oil or milk, ,somthing that will keep it together, moister longer

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), November 06, 2001.

I had the same problem with my breadmaker bread and ended up giving the breadmaker away. It made large loaves, which I think was the problem. You could use the mixing and kneading cycles of the breadmaker and then transfer the dough to a conventional breadpan for the rising and baking. The best bread I make is in 2 very old pans I bought for a quarter each at a rummage sale. They make a thinner, longer loaf of bread and I don't have that problem anymore. You could also try using an extra egg and substituting honey for sugar. Good Luck!

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), November 06, 2001.

I also do not like the bread machine loaf but have been using the dough cycle and then finishing in the oven with a regular bread pan. The machine does the work and I am having very good luck with this. The recipe I am using is all whole wheat. I grind the wheat in my little Family Grain Mill and having to only grind 3 cups of flour doesn't take long. Good luck. Nancy

-- Nancy (nannyb@huntel.net), November 06, 2001.

Catherine: I also was going to give up on the breadmaker, until my father gave me his recipe. I live at 6500 feet in Colorado, and this does work here. He also puts the ingredients in his breadmaker in this order, not what the machine instructions say: 2 c. bread flour, 1&1/2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 cup applesauce (if thick, add 1/3 c. + 1 Tablespoon water. If runny applesauce, just add 1/3 c. water,) 4 Tablespoons oil, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon yeast. I add 1/3 cup wheat gluten after the first flour, as I like a lighter bread, but he doesn't. I'm sure you could add an egg if you wish, without changing the bread much. Set your crust preference, and you're done. I really prefer the sourdough bread a wonderful friend on this forum sent me the starter for, but once in a while, when I don't have time, I do the bread machine bit. Good luck! Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), November 06, 2001.

Substituting all-purpose for bread flour will give you a finer grain. And yes, by all means, bake in standard bread pans for regular sized loaves that slice better.

-- Lynn (lynnannmb@hotmail.com), November 06, 2001.


I was always told that the milk in the recipe was what causes the bread to crumble.

-- RNMOM (tegan@ida.net), November 06, 2001.

This is the recipe I have been making for 40+ years. 1 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup milk 3 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons marg. or butter 1 package yeast 5-6 cups of flour (regular all purpose)

Put water, milk, marg.,sugar, salt into pan and heat to approx 110 degrees use a candy thermometer until you get the feel of how hot it should be. Put flour and yeast into bowl and mix until blended, pour in milk-water mixture and using dough hook allow it to knead for 10 mins. turn into greased bowl and cover until doubled in bulk about 1 1/2 hrs, punch down and using hand or rolling pin roll a rectangle, starting with short side roll up like a pinwheel folding the ends under place in greased glass baking pans and cover until it rises above pan rim. Bake at 350 for 35 mins when you remove bread from pans wipe top of loves with marg. and allow to cool on rack. you can freeze 1 loaf if you want. I have never had a failure with this recipe and believe me I have made thousands of loves from this recipe. Enjoy, Sally

-- (mallardhen67@hotmail.com), November 06, 2001.


When I realized that my homemade bread sandwiches were falling apart I changed the filling. A moist filling works better for me than a dry one, i.e., chicken salad instead of chicken slices. I also prefer sprouts to lettuce for the greenery. My favorite filling is a split pea/lentil recipe I got out of Laurel's Kitchen. If I want something like a cheese sandwich I make cheese biscuits instead. The natural foods co-op here makes the most fantastic veggie sandwich with grated carrots and onions and I don't know what else. When I get the recipe out of them I'll share it.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), November 06, 2001.

I use water and dry milk to reduce crumbling.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 06, 2001.

I make rolls for sandwiches. I use the bread maker, dough setting. Works great.

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), November 06, 2001.


My bread gets crumbly when I let it rise too long. Too much yeast can make it rise too fast, also creating the same problem. the reason the bread crumbles is because the cell walls are overstretched and not able to support the height of the bubble inside. Also, overbaking tends to make the bread dried out, and susceptible to crumbling.

I would use half as much sugar as your recipe calls for, as that can make the yeast work too hard. You may also find that adding a little water to the dough, so that it is a softer dough, will make it hang together better. Baking it for 35 minutes at 310 is correct in my oven. Experiment with yours till you find what works best. I also do not add egg, as it makes the bread more crumbly every time for me.

I make a large batch every week, and this is my recipe: 2 quarts water,(temperature you would enjoy a bath in.) 1/4 cup yeast, 1/4 cup salt, 1/2 cup honey or sugar. Mix all together, and add 3/4 cup oil or lard. Add about 5 cups of whole wheat flour and mix very well with a large strong spoon. Then add about half of a 5-lb bag of bread flour, and knead till all is absorbed. Add bread flour 1 cup at a time, kneading each in before adding more. Add only enough flour to make the dough not sticky. I do not find a very stiff dough works well. The kneading process takes about ten or more minutes.

This batch will just fill one shelf of my oven nicely. I put the bread on a towel on the counter just til it stops steaming, and pop them into bags immediately, before they dry out. Freeze till needed. My bread is rather famous among my friends and relatives.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), November 06, 2001.


Catherine, I think your problem may be that you should add gluten to your recipe. I use about 3 piled high teaspoons for every loaf. I usually don't bake mine in the machine, I do it in our wood cookstove (how is that for a strange mix of technology and traditional!). We bake all of our own bread too. Don't give up you will find a perfect loaf that works for you. Here is our basic recipe:

3 cups flour (I combine different kinds) 1 1/3 cups WARM water (can mix with milk) 1 tsp bulk yeast 1 egg 1/2 tsp salt 2-3 tsp sugar dash oil (sometime)

Actually if you can add sprouted wheat berries that will also improve it a lot! Good luck. Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), November 07, 2001.


Daffodilady< I think the over rising thing may be my problem. My bread tastes great but its crumbly so slicing for toast or sandwiches is a trial. I will take your suggestion!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), November 07, 2001.

I have a great bread recipe that never crumbles, even days later. I have also tampered around with the basic recipe to use all sorts of whole grains in all sorts of combinations. I don't own a bread machine, but this is a refrigerator dough recipe that lasts 5-7 days as dough, and the baked bread will last a week without molding (if nobody eats it first) The difference with this dough is the addition of mashed potatoes ( in my house, typically leftover or I cook a large batch for supper, intending to make the dough. I even freeze 1 cup portions to thaw and use anytime I want to make this dough) Plus the bread is delicious and the crust stays nice and soft and it makes great doughnuts, hamburger buns, hoagie rolls, and pizza crusts. Here is the recipe: 1 cup luke-warm mashed potatoes (leftover, fresh cooked, even instant will work fine) 1 T dry yeast, 2/3 c sugar (may sub honey) 2/3 c shortening ( or lard or oil will work) 1 1/2 t salt, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups very warm water, and 6-7 cups flour. (I use Robin Hood, or Gold Medal Better for Bread, but I also have substituted up to half whole wheat, or rye (use about 1/3 c molasses and 1/3 c sugar and add caraway seeds for great rye bread) plus you may add any and all cooked, soaked, or leftover grains for a portion of the flour as well. Anyway, in a large bowl combine potatoes, yeast, sweetener, salt, eggs, shortening and salt, combine til smooth, add about 4 cups flour , beat til smooth, and continue adding flours and/or grains to equal about 7 cups total. Turn out and knead until smooth and elastic, adding a little more flour if necesssary, but this is a soft dough--keep it that way. Place in a large greased bowl , cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. I put it covered on a back porch through most of our winter and it keeps fine for a week, if it lasts that long. To use, knead briefly and make out into loaves, rolls, etc and let raise about an hour. Bake at 350 about 25 minutes for loaves, 20 minutes for rolls. I do not let pizza crust raise at all. It will make wonderful doughnuts if rolled out and cut and then allowed to raise til double before frying. The whole grain breads are so moist and soft that even my hubby will eat them without complaining. This recipe is from a 1978 Betty Crocker cookbook, and listed as "Potatoe Refrigerator Dough or Refrigerator Potatoe Dough" I forget, I have the recipe memorized. It sure comes in handy. Enjoy!

-- Denyelle Stroup (dedestroup@hotmail.com), November 08, 2001.

Catherine, it used to happen to me all the time, but now that I tend to knead longer crumbly bread is not such a problem. If you knead by hand, 10-15 minutes, the gluten protein supposedly wakes up and will hold the bread together. I also have better results with milk as part or all of the liquid, so I think the protein angle must be right.........

-- Gayle Robison (kestrel91316@aol.com), November 08, 2001.


Catherine, When I lived in Germany, my landlady tought me to bake bread. I believe the ingredient you're missing is vital wheat gluten...our flour here is over processed. Usually about 1 tablespoon per loaf works well. Regards, CJ

-- CJ (cjtinkle@getgoin.net), November 11, 2001.

Hi! I think this will help, add 1T. vital wheat gluten and 1 1/2 tsp. of lecithin granules to your standard recipe. The wheat gluten adds strength and the lecithin helps in texture and moisture retention. Hope this helps!!!! Rachel

-- Rachel (nelsoncaudill@operamail.com), April 05, 2002.

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