I have always made my own bread and usually make rolls or hamburger buns because my bread won't stay together when cut thin. I have tried every receipe in the books and still can't figure out what is wrong. My neighbor suggested a pullman pan but they are about 40.00 in the King Arthur cataloge!!I can't afford this. Any suggestions would be welcomed. My rolls and other breads turn out really good and I can't seem to put my finger on anything! Thanks and God Bless

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), November 05, 2001

Answers

Are you using a good, sharp bread knife?? I found that after I received a really good bread knife as a gift that I could slice any bread nice and thin.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 05, 2001.

Yes, I have a really great set of knives, including a bread knife.The bread seems moist, but won't hold together when cut.I have to cut it really thick inorder to make a sandwich.

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), November 05, 2001.

Everyone likes fresh bread, but I have found that is it is a few days old it slices much nicer. If it is freah, we end up just tearing it a part!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), November 05, 2001.

Try making the dough the night before and refrigerating it before the second rising...fresh bread IS more difficult to slice..are you using a serrated bread knife? Mine is huge and works very well, even on bread baked a half hour before...I know when I make moist bread, like yogurt bread, it crumbles alot...Will be glad to post some recipes for sturdier bread if you would like?

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), November 05, 2001.

Fresh bread is hard to slice when it is hot, especially to slice it thin. I always use an electric knife and found that works best for me.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), November 05, 2001.

try adding one egg to your recipe. Good Luck!

-- jd (jd@sots.com), November 05, 2001.

I have had better success by not kneading so much flour into the dough. I used to knead until the dough was no longer sticky, but now I leave it almost too sticky. We haven't had trouble with what Tom jokingly called "crumby" bread since.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), November 05, 2001.

Michaele -- Are you using a breadmaker? I had the same problem with mine. I just started putting it on the dough cycle and then shaping the loaves and baking them in the oven. No more problem. I think the bread maker let it rise too long. Another thing you might try is using an electric knife. Cuts hot fresh bread like butter!

After a little while I figured out that the amount of work I was putting in far outweighed what I'd been putting in making it from scratch in the first place, so I went back to my big handmade recipe that makes eight loaves at a time. Seemed like either way, for one loaf or eight, I was putting in an afternoon of work, or waiting!

-- Tracy (trimmer31@hotmail.com), November 05, 2001.

Tracy, I am up to four loaves at a time; I can't imagine kneading the dough for 8 loaves all at once!

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), November 06, 2001.