Kathie said:

While cutting my loaf for toast this morning I found a big ole hole.  Grrr. I am assuming that I folded it during my final kneading, which I should not have.  Also, I found the center of the loaf to be doughy. I am wondering if I should bake it longer.  But should I lower the temp to 340 and bake 30 minutes or keep it at 350 and bake it 30 minutes. 

It is delicious, but is too doughy in the center to use as sandwich bread.

Kathie

Large holes in the loaves used to happen to me, too, until an Amish woman showed me a trick:  after you have shaped the loaf (but before it's risen, of course), stab it all over with a fork, going all the way through to the bottom.  That will allow any air that been trapped during shaping to escape.  I've done that ever since, and I have no more large holes like you describe.  You may end up with some fork-marks in the top of your loaf, but to me, its a small price to pay to eliminate those big holes in the middle.

Do you use a regular sized fork?  I have never heard of doing that to the dough after shaping into a loaf.  Interesting fact, I will try it next time.  I try to roll the loaf tightly, pressing each roll of the dough firmly.  The only time I have a big problem with holes is when I make cinnamon swirl bread.  I brush the rolled dough with egg before putting the cinnamon and sugar layer down.  But it is hard to roll the dough into a loaf shape with all that sugar/cinnamon layer on it.  The dough doesn't touch dough and stick.  Then when baked the layers separate and that drives me crazy. I can not make David's beloved peanut butter and honey sandwiches with separated swirl bread. 

Tomorrow I think I'll make a loaf of bread just so I can try that fork method!

Deb

This spring and summer, my bread took alot more flour than the recipe indicated because the weather was so damp. 

Something I have read in all my bread books and in online bread forums.  They all say that a longer rise gives the bread a better flavor.  I have baked one loaf and the other loaf put in a pan, the pan in a plastic bag in the fridge for a slow final rise over night.  The next day I take it out about 2 hours before I want to bake it.  That loaf will have a better taste than the one I bake immediately after the second rise in the loaf pan.

All of my pizza doughs I make the day before I want to bake a pizza.  The dough is so good, chewy with a crisp bottom crust and a fabulous flavor.

I read also that the difference between sticky and tacky is that when you press your hand down on the dough, pull your hand up if the dough is sticky it will stick to your hand.  It needs a dab more flour if the recipe calls for tacky dough.  Tacky means that when you press your hand down on your dough, pull your hand up the dough may feel sticky but it doesn't stick to your hand.  I had problems trying to figure out what was the difference between sticky and tacky when the books always talk about that.  Now I know! 

Deb