Holy blooming moly!
Baking Disasters
- Thread starter Mewmew
- Start date
Here you go:Oh my! You should have taken a photo.
And that's after doing quite a bit of cosmetic work on it to fix it up.
A couple of days back, another Victoria sponge, a complete disaster of biblical proportions, no mistake in the baking, no opening the door before its time, middle collapsed inwards. Too embarrassed to take a photo, cut it into bits and tossed it out for the birds. I'm fairly sure they'll get gut rot, the poor blighters... 
A couple of days back, another Victoria sponge, a complete disaster of biblical proportions, no mistake in the baking, no opening the door before its time, middle collapsed inwards. Too embarrassed to take a photo, cut it into bits and tossed it out for the birds. I'm fairly sure they'll get gut rot, the poor blighters...
That's really annoying when you don't know what went wrong - and you've made several perfectly well before...
epicuric
Legendary Member
All that needs is a generous pouring of cream over the top! Sorted.
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yesterday was a baking disaster for me.
I was making a double batch of crumpets for hubby. the aim was that he would have some in the freezer after he had eaten a few. A batch usually only makes 9-10 crumpets you see.
So with a double batch of everything and a new recipe (new to me) using some more of my fresh yeast, I was just at the point where the 1st proofing had happened, I had added the bicarb of soda in a little more water and had the griddle warmed up, the crumpet rings hot and the mixture had had its second proofing and was ready to cook, when the phone rang. It was a new number, one I didn't know but it wasn't blocked and my security software hadn't flagged up any issues with it. So I answered it. It was someone about the chooks I was after (I recently lost the last of my blue egg layers and on a very obscure noticeboard that only seriously dedicated chook people use, I had left an advert). He had a single chook - might be a blue egg layer, but more likely an olive egg layer who was terrified of his (now ex) rooster after an introduction had gone wrong. So he was looking for a new home for her because despite the rooster no longer being around, she was refusing to live in the chook house or associate with the flock she now associated with the rooster that had attacked her... was I interested?
anyhow 45 minutes later and we had made arrangements for myself and my hubby to drive 200km away this Saturday to pick her up. I can only sit in one place in the house for phone conversations because of reception issues, so couldn't see what was happening to my batter.
Now what about that crumpet batter? It had risen something magical, and was rapidly expanding and making for a getaway. I caught it before it had left the worksurface and found the floor, but right from the word go I could see that it was way too gloopy and also way too fluffy. There was too much gluten in the mixture. What if I make it a triple batch? Its only 12oz of flour as a test? So I added 12oz of flour and some more water to get it to the required thickness. I gave it 5 minutes to start bubbling again which it was very happy to do and then I tried making some crumpets.
Humm total disaster. They were rising quite happily, but there were no holes on the top. They looked like English muffins, until you cut them open and then they had the crumpet holes, and were like leather. They were also not cooked through properly either. I tried again, this time dropping the temperature and thinning the batter a tad more. Still no joy. This time they collapsed. Then I tried them much thicker - filling the crumpet rings completely and leaving them to cook on a much lower temp for a much longer period of time. I teased them out of the crumpet rings before turning them over and continuing to let them cook whilst I used the rings again, and again and again.
After 12 things had been made it was clear that whatever was going on wasn't good. After the first batch (as in first 2 crumpets), the holes had gone and there wasn't anything resembling a crumpet. the batter was producing what looked like a dough, but there was a crumpety taste but it lacked something. I quit. the batter was light and foamy by now, and again trying to leave the bowl. The remaining batter was thinned with water and poured down the sink - let the septic tank enjoy the yeast!
The 12 things were left on the counter too cool and have been chopped up into small pieces. Hopefully the compost heap can digest them because I certainly can't and I'm not feeding them to the chooks. They don't need that much 'bready caky leathery partially cooked dough'!
I was making a double batch of crumpets for hubby. the aim was that he would have some in the freezer after he had eaten a few. A batch usually only makes 9-10 crumpets you see.
So with a double batch of everything and a new recipe (new to me) using some more of my fresh yeast, I was just at the point where the 1st proofing had happened, I had added the bicarb of soda in a little more water and had the griddle warmed up, the crumpet rings hot and the mixture had had its second proofing and was ready to cook, when the phone rang. It was a new number, one I didn't know but it wasn't blocked and my security software hadn't flagged up any issues with it. So I answered it. It was someone about the chooks I was after (I recently lost the last of my blue egg layers and on a very obscure noticeboard that only seriously dedicated chook people use, I had left an advert). He had a single chook - might be a blue egg layer, but more likely an olive egg layer who was terrified of his (now ex) rooster after an introduction had gone wrong. So he was looking for a new home for her because despite the rooster no longer being around, she was refusing to live in the chook house or associate with the flock she now associated with the rooster that had attacked her... was I interested?
anyhow 45 minutes later and we had made arrangements for myself and my hubby to drive 200km away this Saturday to pick her up. I can only sit in one place in the house for phone conversations because of reception issues, so couldn't see what was happening to my batter.
Now what about that crumpet batter? It had risen something magical, and was rapidly expanding and making for a getaway. I caught it before it had left the worksurface and found the floor, but right from the word go I could see that it was way too gloopy and also way too fluffy. There was too much gluten in the mixture. What if I make it a triple batch? Its only 12oz of flour as a test? So I added 12oz of flour and some more water to get it to the required thickness. I gave it 5 minutes to start bubbling again which it was very happy to do and then I tried making some crumpets.
Humm total disaster. They were rising quite happily, but there were no holes on the top. They looked like English muffins, until you cut them open and then they had the crumpet holes, and were like leather. They were also not cooked through properly either. I tried again, this time dropping the temperature and thinning the batter a tad more. Still no joy. This time they collapsed. Then I tried them much thicker - filling the crumpet rings completely and leaving them to cook on a much lower temp for a much longer period of time. I teased them out of the crumpet rings before turning them over and continuing to let them cook whilst I used the rings again, and again and again.
After 12 things had been made it was clear that whatever was going on wasn't good. After the first batch (as in first 2 crumpets), the holes had gone and there wasn't anything resembling a crumpet. the batter was producing what looked like a dough, but there was a crumpety taste but it lacked something. I quit. the batter was light and foamy by now, and again trying to leave the bowl. The remaining batter was thinned with water and poured down the sink - let the septic tank enjoy the yeast!
The 12 things were left on the counter too cool and have been chopped up into small pieces. Hopefully the compost heap can digest them because I certainly can't and I'm not feeding them to the chooks. They don't need that much 'bready caky leathery partially cooked dough'!
A couple of days back, another Victoria sponge, a complete disaster of biblical proportions, no mistake in the baking, no opening the door before its time, middle collapsed inwards. Too embarrassed to take a photo, cut it into bits and tossed it out for the birds. I'm fairly sure they'll get gut rot, the poor blighters...
I know what went wrong - I need a new cooker, my one's shot to heck. *sigh*
Oh dear! I need a new cooker too, as it happens.
I wondered what would happen if I had a go at a pre-mixed packet version, see how it would turn out. In this order:
- 7 tbls of water and two eggs added, plus a dash of flavouring - check.
Mixed concoction - check.
Poured what looked like batter (ew) into tin - check.
Baked for about 30 minutes - check.
Came out looking plump and golden - check.
Left it to cool for about 15 minutes - check.
Found it had collapsed in the middle, with gooey substance (double ew) at the bottom - check.
What in the name of the seven realms of rolling pins happened there, considering I never even interfered with it...!?!
I wondered what would happen if I had a go at a pre-mixed packet version, see how it would turn out. In this order:
- 7 tbls of water and two eggs added, plus a dash of flavouring - check.
Mixed concoction - check.
Poured what looked like batter (ew) into tin - check.
Baked for about 30 minutes - check.
Came out looking plump and golden - check.
Left it to cool for about 15 minutes - check.
Found it had collapsed in the middle, with gooey substance (double ew) at the bottom - check.
What in the name of the seven realms of rolling pins happened there, considering I never even interfered with it...!?!
It really does sound as if your oven is not heating up properly, given that you have had a similar thing happening twice. Here is a way to test if your oven is heating correctly.
I wondered what would happen if I had a go at a pre-mixed packet version, see how it would turn out. In this order:
- 7 tbls of water and two eggs added, plus a dash of flavouring - check.
Mixed concoction - check.
Poured what looked like batter (ew) into tin - check.
Baked for about 30 minutes - check.
Came out looking plump and golden - check.
Left it to cool for about 15 minutes - check.
Found it had collapsed in the middle, with gooey substance (double ew) at the bottom - check.
What in the name of the seven realms of rolling pins happened there, considering I never even interfered with it...!?!
Oh, my... seems interesting. Never thought of that. Thanks.
Mewmew - collapsed center and still gooey, that's a classic sign of not being baked through, and since you're using a boxed mix and following their directions, I'm sure you left it in for the right amount of time and used the right sized tin, that's really pointing to your oven being out of whack. Believe me, I've been through the same thing.
Hey Tasty, I think your cake looks yummy! Would love a slice to go with my morning coffee
