My bread always falls in the middle. What do I do?

Hello, Julz -

Instead of looking for more recipes for your Crofton bread maker, or any other bread maker, I looked for information as to why the bread made with a bread maker would collapse on top.

The answers I found on this online baking formum:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/9725/bread-machine-loaf-collapse-when-baking-starts
may prove instructive.

To summarize, some of the causes and remedies for bread maker bread collapsing on top:
- You may reside at a high altitude and have not adjusted the recipe so that it does not over-proof [over-rise]. Cut down on the yeast, sugar, and salt.
- Even if you are not at a high altitude, try a recipe with reduced amounts of yeast, sugar, and salt (try reducing the amounts by 1/4 to 1/3)
- Use the dough mix cycle; Then turn the machine off and let the dough rise a little less than the recipe calls for; When you see the dough has risen turn the machine on to bake.
- If your bread maker allows,.reduce the amount of time between rise and bake

If you want additional bread maker recipes, you will find more here:
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/338/bread/bread-machine/

I did find a PDF document (Adobe Reader software - free) for a model of a Crofton Breadmaker, model MD 8505. In case you do not have a manual for your machine. The manual I found has information on how to make adjustments for altitude (page 22) and other adjustments to make (pages 23 - 24), including what may cause the loaf to fall while baking. This is the link to the manual:
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/338/bread/bread-machine/

Best wishes.

Next time follow the same recipe but remove 2 TBSP of liquid from your measuring cup before putting it in the pan

Your oven is probably getting hotter than the thermostat you set it for reads. The outside of the bread is probably getting done too quickly and by the time the center is, the crust is dried out. Try a lower setting and see if it works. And you may have to adjust the timing. Sounds like your oven needs a new element maybe.

use 2 tablespoons less liquid in a 2.0 lb. loaf, 1.5 less in a 1.5 lb. loaf and 1 tablespoon less with a 1.0 lb. loaf.....start there and let me know what happens

use 2 tablespoons less liquid in your next recipe and be sure you are using "bread flour" and not "all purpose" flour

Take machine back and exchange it

Btw, I’m available to help over the phone in case u need at https://www.6ya.com/expert/sean_54c3a3dc48a7773c

Falling in middle is usually due to innacurate measuring of liquids. Try again using the instruction manual's recipe and very carefully measuring. Be sure to adjust the liquid if you use honey or other liquid not called for in the recipe.
orleydog

I had this same problem. It has to do with the amount of water and the amount of yeast you are using. I decreased my amount of water to 1 cup ( of course it depends on your recipe) and I also was using rapid rise yeast which calls for a less amount (usually 1/2 tsp less than what the recipe calls for). I did experiment with the recipe until I got it just right. Good luck. Carrie

We have owned a Panasonic bread maker for ten years and gets used twice a week to make bread using "spelt " flour.About three years ago the bread maker was producing flat loaves,and was very heavy.We contacted bread making company called "Simply No Knead"and asked for there advise,as we were following the same recipe and method for around six years. They suggested that we add a little more water,and this would fix the problem.We tried this and the bread still failed to rise,so we rang them again .This time they said that we need a new bearing in the bread maker and that would fix it.We did this at a cost of $40 and still no good.This happened over a period of several months.We suggested to them that there must be something wrong with the flour,which they denied.After checking the labels on the packaging we noticed that they were using flour from another country [ I think it was Hungary ],because they had run out of suppies from Australian wheat produces.
The flour was far to old,and bread won't rise if the flour is to old. As soon as they started using Australian produced flour again the bread improved dramatically.

Hope this is helpful to you

I had similar problems until I tried the recipe listed on the King Arthur Flour web site. I discovered using less flour is always the better option and they say to cook on the white setting even tho it is a wheat flour recipe. I have had good luck with the King Arthur white wheat flour.