Making Bread

I love the easy powdered yeast. I usually use a bit more than is recommended. Flawless bread everytime that way.

Don’t give up Sparkling. My first few efforts were like bricks but now I’m a dab hand according to MrA
I use powdered yeast too, tend to put more rather than less liquid in the mix so dough is quite sticky, & plenty of time for the second proving.

When I lived in a very cold house I used to fill a hot water bottle and put it in the oven - and then the bread to rise. It worked very well.

Sparkling... please don't give up!!
Have a look at the Real Bread Campaign website... loads of information ..the easy overnight white bread is great.... and easy!! Don't get bogged down in the technicalities.
Just relax and don't beat yourself up if you have setbacks... loads of recipes online to use up bread - and hide the evidence of less than perfection...
Have fun..

I can't believe it. After your comments and suggestions I gave my bread making one more go. I used half wholemeal and half white bread flour, reduced the sugar to 1 tablespoon and upped the water, just finger warm, it came together beautifully, I could actually stretch the dough, I covered the bowl it's an oiled shower cap and put it into the airing cupboard, barely warm, until it doubled. It is lovely. So thank you everyone for nudging me on. I hope it's not a one off wonder but will give it another go when I've eaten this batch.?

Excellent Sparkling, enjoy your bread ?

I got the old bread maker out of the back of the cupboard during lockdown and made a lot of bread . I hadn’t used it for about 10 years. Guess what ? Now we are not in lockdown here it’s gone back to the back of the cupboard. Sheer laziness I know.

Take 750gm brown bread flour and warm for 1 minute in microwave.
Add 14gm dry yeast on one side of bowl 15 gm yeast the opposite side of bowl.
Now add 30 gm olive oil and 2 mug fulls of warm water. Use a spatula and turn until you have a dough. You may need more or less water but the dough should be quite wet.
Now do 3 more turns at 10 minute intervals.
Leave covered for 1 hour until nearly double in size.
Now divide into 2 and shape, place in loaf tins cover and leave for apps 45 minutes.
Bake in a very hot oven 22 minutes.
This is my failsafe bread recipe from a bread making course I attended.
To make white bread well you really need to make a sponge and leave overnight.