I tried to make bread, but my dough never raised?

Question

I followed the instructions on the yeast packet and place in a bowl over warm oven and three hours later it is still there dead and sticky?

Answer 1

A few things:
1.) Did you put in the sugar?
2.) Did you proof it first? (That's a good way to make sure it isn't dead).
3.) Was the yeast expired?
4.) Are there instructions for how to store the yeast prior to use that you maybe didn't follow (i.e. in the refrigerator)?
5.) Did you cover the dough after placing it in a bowl over a warm oven?

Answer 2

You may have used old yeast or you may have killed it by putting the yeast in too warm of a cup of water. Use a thermometer in the future & don't let the water get above 115 it will kill the yeast. Also add 1 teaspoon sugar to the water yeast mixture. If after 5 minutes you don't see any bubbling then your yeast is dead. I have always raised my bread dough by turning the oven on warm and leave it on for 2 or 3 minutes then turn it off. Now place the dough in the bowl and rather than cover the bowl with a moist towel, I drape the towel over the upper rack and put the bowl on the lower rack.
You can try just shaping your bread and put it back into the oven to rise (as stated above). After it has risen for an hour then bake it. I usually start my bread baking in a cold oven (this will cause the dough to rise just a little bit more).

Answer 3

Maybe the water you added to the yeast was either to warm or cool to properly activate the yeast. Have you tried putting a pan of hot water in a warm oven to help it rise? Don't give up, making bread is hard but well worth the effort. Good Luck

Answer 4

Your yeast was either out-dated or the liquid you used was too hot and killed the yeast-most likely reasons bread dough fails to rise. "proof" the yeast before continuing with the recipe. Proofing is simply slightly warming a small amount of the required liquid called for in the recipe and adding the packet(s) to the liquid. The yeast should start to bubble/foam and have a yeast smell. That means it is active/alive and your bread will rise.

Answer 5

Oven was probably too warm. Try a heating pad, set on low, with at least 3 layers of cloth towels between the bowl and the pad. Cover bowl with another towel. Make sure your yeast is fresh, too, and make sure the water you add is no warmer than 105-110 degrees. Any warmer and you will kill the yeast.

Answer 6

Did the water get too hot? Did the yeast get foamy when you added the water? And finally, was the oven very hot? Because some stoves get really hot on top from the oven. I think maybe you killed the yeast. My sister did that a couple of times.

Answer 7

The water for the yeast could have been to hot and
or not hot enough. The yeast was old or the sugar
did not activate the yeast. Too much flour, or too
little kneading. I have had this problem from time
to time it is so disappointing after all that work.
Just try again, you'll get it.

Answer 8

You have to make sure you have fresh yeast. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise in a warm area for a couple of hours. This should help a lot.

Answer 9

Try to buy new yeast and test if they are alive by putting the yeast in a warm water-sugar solution, if bubbles form they are alive and ready for use.

Answer 10

Your water was probably too hot and killed the yeast. Next time, use a thermometer to check and be sure the water you dissolve your yeast in is 105-115ºF, no more.

Try again!