I can finally call this bread

I spent the last 3-4 days with unsuccessful attempts to make bread. Wanted to stick with it rather than quit for a month like the last go round so decided on a totally new recipe. The main difference with this one was they said a packet of yeast rather than 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon like others. Still I had to almost double the amount of flower which I should have done with the others. Is it the temperature or humidity that make all bread recipes not work here ??

I'll spare you all the flat, wet piles of dough that didn't work and will only post the foto below that looks very much like Artisan no-knead bread I was trying for. Attractive but hard as a brick like my previous two.

The new recipe called for milk, I used yogurt ..... and shortening, I used olive oil. Also sugar and butter to butter the pans. A little fancier than Artisan bread that just uses flour, salt, yeast and water but I had to try something new. Anyway after adding about twice the called for amount of flower I could finally handle it and let it rise in a bowl. Then punch it down and knead it for 5 minutes. Divide it in two and put it in two buttered pans and let rise again. Pop into preheated oven at 375 for about 40 minutes. Not exactly Artisan/French bread style but still very good and I have one success to my name.

Attractive bricks

First rise

Left to rise in buttered pans

They have risen

Just out of the oven

Both I and neighbors were impressed

Real good with my home made humus

Lets make some bread

I've been working on this for a couple days and the first try was embarrassing, the second was a lesson and the third was decent but needs a lot of improvement. Talking while making attempts would have been like a certain woman in Melaque telling everyone she was quitting smoking and then she couldn't quit. Better just work on quitting and talk about it later. So I made some bread and quit smoking ;)

So the first one didn't rise and I have no idea. The second was way too wet and didn't rise much but it did make a couple of bricks. The third try was a lot drier, rose a lot and resembled a loaf of bread. What I found was parchment paper is heat resistant but not moisture resistant. The paper tears easily when damp and it stuck to the bottom of the loafs. So I'm thinking it's almost a moisture guide for the dough. Maybe an oiled pan but the paper makes it easy to transfer to the oven. Also think my old oven's temperature does not match the dial. A little hotter next time.

It's hard finding the right utensils and materials to work with in Melaque. I'm sure Manzanillo would offer more choices but I'll make do for now. I bought some plastic wrap and it was thinner than thin and totally stuck to itself. I had to throw it out and use a plastic bag. Can't find a good rubber/plastic spatula. No heavy all metal cookware. Pyrex like glass ware are all the wrong shape and size. My local small store had that bread knife and I think she sold it to me for 20 pesos because she'd had it for years and couldn't get rid of it.

Time to take a break for a couple days, maybe look for a few more things in Cihuatlan and try for a drier dough soon. Also need to find some yeast or levadura. I didn't bring a lot down from Seattle. Does corn meal exist here .... we'll see.

My bricks

Just mixed

Rise after 2 hours

Very edible with olive oil and balsamic vinegar