Hi All,
Long time reader, first time writer:) My question is, when I try to make cinnamon rolls, I get such an alcoholy yeasty taste. It was happening with my white bread also. I switched from using regular milk, to bakers special dried milk, and I sseem to no longer have that taste in my white bread. The recipe I’m using is for the cinnamon rolls is almost exactly like the white bread recipe in Roses bread bible. I’ve had this problem on and off. I check the temp of the bread and its the right temp. It will just smell so strong coming out of the oven, and its not a complex lovely yeasted bread taste, its overpowering and mixed with alcohol. Thanks for any input. And I love the Heavenly Cake Book, one of my faves is the coconut seduction cake…yummy

shirin - 15 May 2010 10:58 PM

I get such an alcoholy yeasty taste.

Sounds like it’s over-risen, either due to too much yeast or too long of a fermentation.  How long does it take for the dough to double in volume during primary fermentation?  At what temperature?

around 1 1/2 hours and I thought it was supposed to rise in a warm place…so I’ve been letting it rise in my llaundry room….sometimes the bread seems doubled at an hour but I thought id leave it longer to make sure….Thanks so much for taking the time to reply….

shirin - 19 May 2010 11:28 AM

I thought id leave it longer to make sure

Probably safer to err on the side of underrisen than overrisen…a larger ovenspring will compensate.  It’s easy to get too focused on the clock and not pay attention to when the dough is ready.  Don’t forget that you can do the fingertip insertion test.  (I’ve had many, many overproofed loaves.)

Wow, Thanks so much..with my inexperience, I had believed it was better to err on the side of over rising. Thanks so much for replying..I’ve only started baking white loaves of bread, and rolls. But, it’s just amazing to have homemade bread, and how it actually affects your family in such a positive way. I’m addicted!!! I’m going to give it another try…..will let you know how it goes!!! I’m going to try Rose’s recipe for brioche, a little more advanced for me, but I’m feeling adventurous…....Shirin

shirin - 19 May 2010 05:47 PM

Wow, Thanks so much..with my inexperience, I had believed it was better to err on the side of over rising. Thanks so much for replying..I’ve only started baking white loaves of bread, and rolls. But, it’s just amazing to have homemade bread, and how it actually affects your family in such a positive way. I’m addicted!!! I’m going to give it another try…..will let you know how it goes!!! I’m going to try Rose’s recipe for brioche, a little more advanced for me, but I’m feeling adventurous…....Shirin

I’m new at this too, but I’ve been at it off and on for a couple of years.  So much to learn!  I’m doing mostly sourdough right now; and since I rarely eat sandwiches, I don’t make sandwich loaves. Instead, I’m doing the “hearth baking” thing with free-standing loaves.  The bread stales so fast that I’ve taken to making smaller loaves and throwing most of them in the freezer.  I’ve gotten a lot better with my dough, but my shaping is still poor.

If you’re going to make brioche, the best recipe is the one for cinnamon rolls.  Yum.

shirin - 19 May 2010 11:28 AM

around 1 1/2 hours and I thought it was supposed to rise in a warm place…so I’ve been letting it rise in my llaundry room….sometimes the bread seems doubled at an hour but I thought id leave it longer to make sure….

Another thought- bread rises well in an 85F environment, but if the area where it’s rising is warmer than that, you risk having the yeast produce unpleasant, off flavors.  Cooler than that is fine but takes longer to rise.

Good luck with the brioche, it’s probably my all-time favorite yeasted bread!  Keep the dough relatively moist and sticky for the lightest texture, and remember to deflate it frequently to keep the rising to 2x.

Thanks so much Julie and Charles!!
    I think I started with white loaves because I was apprehensive (scared) of making bread….lol I would love to get to where I can make a sourdough loaf! I can’t wait to make Rose’s Brioche dough recipe!!