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at Sat, 17 Apr 2004 19:01:09 GMT in
>,
(Tony) wrote :

>> > That's a lot of butter. Since butter is a shortening, it could
>> > potentially make the dough crumbly by inhibiting gluten development
>> > when you knead.
>> >
>> > However, of more importance - how much water are you using?
>> > Hydration has
>> a
>> > major impact on crumbliness and without good information on that
>> > it's hard to tell whether it's contributing as a factor.
>> >
>> > Furthermore, what's your specific method? Sometimes differences in
>> > method will account for poor texture.
>> > --
>> > Alex Rast
>> >
>> > (remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)
>
>Thanks - the liquid is 2 cups (1 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water). My
>method is the quick-rise yeast way. I mix the dry ingredients (7 cups
>flour to start, 2 pkgs yeast, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 3/4 cup
>raisins), separate the 5 eggs and beat the yolks and whites separately
>(reserve 1 yolk for glazing), and heat the liquids (1 1/2 cup milk,
>1/2 cup water, 2 sticks butter, 2 tsp vanilla) to 125 degrees. Then
>mix all together, add remaing 2 cups flour gradually till dough is
>stiff, knead for about 15 minutes until the dough blisters and the
>raisins are falling out as you knead. Let rise once, punch down, make
>3 loaves, rise again, bake at 375 for 1/2 hour.
>
>Tony
>

Yes, I suspect you have too little water. With most of the liquid being
milk, and a lot of flour in addition (7 cups), there's not that much water,
even with 5 eggs. The milk, btw, will also contribute to a crumbly texture,
especially if you're using full-fat milk. If the dough feels pretty dry
once you've finished kneading, as I suspect it does, then a crumbly loaf is
probably going to be the net result. You can add some more water at the
outset, perhaps upping the water content to 1 cup, but you won't want to
make it so sticky that you can't knead. I'd then fine-tune the water amount
at the end of the kneading, kneading in enough to give it a slightly moist
feel but not so that it's genuinely sticky or runny - I know the
consistency I'd aim for but am struggling for adjectives to describe it.

Anyway, experiment with water amounts and see where that gets you.
--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)