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I prepared yeast-based bread with both hand and bread machine. The dough looks perfect, but when I try to bake it whether in bread machine or oven, it starts to collapse upon heating.
The dough preparation was based on common bread recipes, e.g. 300ml water, 450g all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, salt. The process was conducted by bread machine within 90min (programmed for dough preparation).
What is wrong? And how to avoid collapse of yeast-raised dough in the course of baking?
There are three major things that will cause collapsed yeast raised breads:
Underdeveloped gluten (possibly from insufficient kneading), which doesn't create enough of the gluten network to hold the gas from the yeast, especially during oven spring. This may be exacerbated by using low-protein flours, which do not generate as much gluten as high-protein flours (called strong flours in Europe). This tends not to manifest as a collapse, so much, as a failure to rise.
Considerable overkneading, to the point where the gluten network begins to break down, and cannot hold the gas (this is quite unlikely, unless machine kneaded)
Over-proofing (allowing to rise or ferment too long), which creates more gas than the gluten cells can hold, leading to their rupture and collapse when the heat of the oven causes expansion and oven spring. This leads to collapse of the loaf.
Without more information, it is difficult to tell which of these you are experiencing.
If you are at a high altitude try reducing the yeast by ¼ teaspoon at a time until you find the right amount and replacing 1/4 cup whole flour for part of the all purpose.
