If the loaf has a flat top then you may have used flour which is too weak. Always use strong bread making flour. Other potential reasons for this problem could be that too little salt was used, the dough was too wet or that the dough was poorly shaped.

In the U.S., the term “French bread” refers to a loaf of a certain shape, i.e., a long and thin stick. But outside the United States, “French bread” can refer to all different types of loaf, including, but not limited to the standard baguette.

The baguette (and French bread in general) is a staple food, and the baguette is a veritable symbol of France. A loaf the same length as a baguette but thicker (about 8-10 centimetres diameter) is known as a ‘pain’ and a thin version of the baguette is known as a ‘ficelle’.

190-200F

There is a wide range of temperatures that bread is typically baked at, but most types of bread fall between 325-500° F (162-260° C). Additionally, baking temperatures depend on the type of ingredients used as well as the weight of the total ingredients used.

Dense or heavy bread can be the result of not kneading the dough long enough. Mixing the salt and yeast together or Losing patience in the middle of molding your bread and there is not enough tension in your finished loaf before baking.

Carbon dioxide is responsible for all the bubbles that make holes in bread, making it lighter and fluffier. Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.

Dense or heavy bread can be the result of not kneading the dough mix properly –out of many reasons out there. Some of the other potential reasons could be mixing the yeast & salt together or losing your patience while baking or even not creating enough tension in the finished loaf before baking the bread.

Air circulating around the loaf allows the steam built up inside the bread to evaporate. If the bread is kept in its baking pan, it will become soggy and look and taste doughy. If the bread has not finished baking by the maximum time indicated in the recipe, the oven thermostat may be off.

While sugar and other sweeteners provide “food” for yeast, too much sugar can damage yeast, drawing liquid from the yeast and hampering its growth. Too much sugar also slows down gluten development. Add extra yeast to the recipe or find a similar recipe with less sugar. Sweet yeast doughs will take longer to rise.

Water at 81° to 100°F is the optimum temperature range for the fermentation process. Water at 95°F is the fermentation temperature that yields the best result. Water at 140°F or higher is the kill zone for yeast.

Too Much Flour The big lesson here: too much of any ingredient can mess with your bread’s rise—even flour. Too much flour can make your dough stiff and dry. So be mindful of your measurements and how much flour your dough picks up in the kneading process. You want the dough to be slightly sticky and elastic.

There are three different methods for mixing the ingredients for yeast breads: The Straight Dough Method, The Modified Straight Dough Method, and The Sponge Method. The straight dough method is the easiest of all of the bread mixing methods.

In general, the process steps for making straight dough are as follows:

1. Digital scale.
2. Dough, resting and rising in bulk fermentation.
3. Some amount of time later.
4. Dough in the make up process.
5. Proofing.
6. Ready to bake or score.

Unlike folding, beating means to stir rapidly to blend ingredients into a smooth mixture while also adding a bit of air to the mixture. Beating can be done by hand with a whisk or using a stand mixer with either the paddle or whisk attachment (or an electric handheld mixer) on medium to high speed.

The essential difference between beating and whisking is that beating is intended to mix the ingredients thoroughly, while whisking is intended to incorporate air into whatever is being whisked.

Creaming refers to the beating of fat and sugar together (the fat being butter in the case of cakes). Using an electric whisk, the method helps incorporate a lot of air in the cake mixture which aids the rising of the cake, and produces a great texture in the final baked good.

Well beaten eggs are beaten with a whisk, egg beater, blender, or electric mixer until they are frothy, light, and even in color. This usually takes a few minutes. The texture will begin to change to more thick and foamy.