Natwerk Designs

Bread isn't rising... honey to blame?

Several weeks ago, I started making sandwich bread for our family. It is the American White Sandwich Bread from America's test kitchen. It uses the rapid rise yeast packets and calls for honey. My first loaf was small and dense, but the next dozen or so loaves were fine (more kneading). Last weekend, I made some artisan bread for my husband's friends, and as I was running out of honey from my first jar, I finished off that first jar and I opened a new jar of honey. The artisan bread didn't rise much, but as it was my first attempt at that, I shrugged it off. I was making new sandwich bread today, using only honey from the new jar, and the bread didn't rise at all! I always check the water temp before adding it, and I hand kneaded for 15 minutes. The recipe was exactly the same as always. It is warm (72F) and humid in here. Usually by about 90 minutes, this dough is bulging out of its bowl, but this time it didn't grow a bit. Can a new jar of honey be doing this? Or am I missing something else? If I switch to sugar to make sure that is not the problem, how much will that effect the taste of the bread? Same brand and type of honey. Just a bigger jar.

Public Comments

1. Not sure, maybe you added more honey than the normal amount.
2. u but honey after u toast or bake it
3. 72 degrees isn't very warm for raising bread. I would blame the yeast before anything else as there is nothing in honey that I know of that would inhibit bread raising.
4. Sounds like an issue with your yeast. Did it expire? Was the water too cold, or too hot?
5. Honey has antibacterial properties, so I suspect that it interferes with the leavening action of the yeast. Another baker (Jeffry) confirms that this may be the problem here - http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,164,150170-243196,00.html
6. Is it a different type of honey? Sugar should not change the taste of bread that much. You may notice it but it will answer your question. All other ingredients and temp of house hasn't changed much. No new drafts where it is rising? In response to other poster, yeast doesn't go bad that quickly. I realized last week I was using yeast that had expired over 2 years ago and my dough rose.
7. 95F is the best temperature to ferment a yeast dough. Try slightly raise the water temperature and put it at a hotter place. like above a warm oven. I dont think honey will make any difference in rising dough.
8. It is not the honey that is to blame. Yeast loves any kind of sugar. Blame your yeast if anything, it may be dead. Also, you may want to "bloom" your yeast in warmer water, about 110 F. and you may want to let the dough rise in warmer temps too.
9. I make bread with honey all the time and have never had a problem with the dough rising (through many brands and types of honey). Either something has gotten into your yeast to kill it, or there is something added to the honey that killed the yeast. Try another loaf with a different jar (even different brand) of honey and see how it comes out. Subbing sugar for the honey would work, too (it won't change the taste of the bread noticeably).
10. Yeast probably the problem.
11. Sugar feeds yeast. Salt retards yeast. It is best to use not more than 1 tsp. of salt. The salt might be the reason.