Maybe I should then go back to allowing the first rise to be 1-1/2 hours, as that is what I did before.

The flavor of the bread is what I want - the same as what I got before, but it is too soft and fluffy, and it overflows the pan, as you noticed.

My last loaf of rye bread, which I baked in my Pullman pan, had the same problem. I revised the recipe so that the dough would have time for the flour to hydrate (and I took them time off of the first rise), and then when I put it in the Pullman pan to rise before baking, it rose way above the pan, and I was unable to put the lid on. So I baked it without a lid, and it was still dense enough, although less dense than if it had been baked with the lid. However, it did not have the squared corner shape that I wanted, but that was minor. For the rye bread, this was less of a problem, but for the whole wheat bread it was a problem.

Who is The Fresh Loaf?

Dough does not raise by the clock. Too many variables to worry about time.

You dough appears a bit under proofed to me...I see a bit of dense stuff in the bottom.
The reason it is spilling over the tops of the pans is the pans are too small for the recipe.
Gluten development happens without kneading, time will do the trick...and a bit of a stretch now and then.

I found this Glossary of Bread Baking Terms to help me understand the processes.

I've never before used the term "proofing" to describe when the dough is rising, although I've heard it on British shows and found it quite odd or unfamiliar. I've always just allowed dough to rise (not raise) instead of to proof. I've also found using clocks to be very efficient, since the temperatures at which I allow my dough to rise to be very consistent, at least if I am doing it at room temperature, which is always between 71° and 74° in my house. I sometimes store pizza dough in the refrigerator overnight, but that's a different story - and a different recipe.

I've baked this recipe in the exact same pan before and it did not spill over, and so I do not blame the pan. I do want the bread to be a bit denser. At one time, I added ascorbic acid to the recipe, but I do not think this is necessary.

I am wondering if the brand of whole wheat flour is a factor. Recently I have been grinding wheat berries to make whole wheat bread, and this does give me a denser loaf, but I did that only when I could not find whole wheat flour in the grocery store, and that is no longer a problem. I still have some wheat berries, and so maybe I should mix wheat flour that I mill myself with factory whole wheat. The last whole wheat flour that I bought is Gold Medal brand, and that might be inferior.

I will say that I have had better results lately with pizzas than with bread, and I have reduced the rising times for those as well from what I used to make.

Absolutely different flour can affect the rise time, as can things like the temperature of the flour, the kind and temperature of the water, the moisture in the air, the temperature of the yeast, etc.

What we're telling you about the time is that while it might be a fine guide for you to plan your baking around, look at the bread, and if it's not adequarely risen give it longer. If it's over risen, punch it down hard and give it less time before you check.

I get what Linda was saying about the crumb at the bottom, but I think it's squished, rather than underrisen given what else you've said about how you made it and the resulting texture. 100% whole wheat doesn't always tolerate heavy manhandling and can sink under its own weight. This can be another indication that the different kind of flour didn't like your process. The characteristics of the grind or milling can have a big effect, and fineness of the flour doesn't really tell you how sharp the bran is. Gold Medal is quality flour. The problem is it's different.

The words from my youth were that you “proof” the yeast, i.e. prove its ability to rise (back when we all used fresh cake yeast, when granulated was less reliable). This was done before making the dough so as not to waste time, effort and ingredients if the yeast was bad. Your bread rises. You have a first, second or shaped rise. Nowadays, there is much better control for both cake yeast and dry granulated yeast, so bakers rarely proof the yeast before mixing the dough. Instead, it's proofed as it rises, and the terms kind of mashed together. Bakeries have “proofing boxes”, which are slightly warm. They can wheel racks in to rise, rather than the home baker's putting the dough bowl on top of an running appliance, pot of warm water, warming drawer or whatever.

So many variables to control and it is almost impossible to create the same environment each time.

When food is produced in a commercial setting there is a controlled situation for time, temp, humidity and any other factor. That is not what we get in our homes.

I made a distinction between warm weather bread and cold weather bread. They rise differently and bake differently. I just let it be whatever it is.

We dont air condition much because we dont care for it. So much of my summer breads come out a bit fluffy.

I think that between a really summertime warmed room and a cooler one in the winter, that the winter rise prouduces a better grained bread, generally.

I do a lot of flat breads in the summer warmth. Flat breads are much more forgiving of hot weather rising. And, they bake more quickly.

The only way for our home baked breads to be consistent is if they are given a consistent environment to do their thing. My house is different from season to season.

Lars, your bread does look nice, though.

listen to linda c

I think it looks yummy - I love soft, light bread 🙂

And I always grab a few extra produce bags at the grocery store because they're just the right size for extra large bread loaves.