Have you ever made a loaf of bread that has a valley in the middle? That’s the sign of a loaf of bread that rose and then fell. I had a loaf like this back in July.
While I can’t find any scientific research to back me up, I think this was a problem caused by the record-setting heatwave our area was experiencing.
Other, more common, causes of The Big Valley are:
- Too much liquid
- Too little salt
- Too little flour
- Too much yeast
The good news is that this problem doesn’t usually affect the flavor of the bread. So if I like the way the bread tastes, I’ll try making it again. This tests to see if I measured correctly. If that was the problem then the second loaf will turn out fine.
If the second loaf comes out with a dip in the middle, I adjust the above ingredients or find a slightly different recipe. How long will I keep it up? I think the final version of this potato bread recipe was my sixth try.
