Scoring Bread

You may be maxing (and then some) the upper limits of your flour's ability to maintain shape.

Flour protein strands can only stretch so far before becoming like a hot air balloon (my only analogy, sorry) that will most certainly deflate as you described.

Don't know what type bread you are attempting....we enjoy multi grain breads and I have found this http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-sir-lancelot-hi-gluten-flour-3-lb   meets my needs.

You may be trying for something else, if so educate yourself which flours have how much protein and what type of flour is good for that loaf.

Depending on the time of year, flour in the bag is not consistant all the time .It is milled at different times from  different crops or harvestings . This could be the answer to many of your problems.

   Keep in mind bread and cake baking is based on chemical formulas of soughts and the slightest deviation could change the outcome of the finished product.

You may be overproofing your dough at times.  Also, I achieved a better "ear" by reducing the amount of water used in the dough by one or two TBS - to the point where the surface of the finished dough felt 'dry' to the touch as opposed to 'sticky'.

A misunderstanding that many budding bread bakers make is that when the recipe specifies to proof the dough to twice the size, what they mean is TWICE THE VOLUME and NOT TWICE THE RADIUS/DIAMETER.  (Emphasis added, I'm not shouting).  At twice the volume, the final radius/diameter of the dough ball is 1.2 times its original radius/diameter. 

With a pre-ferment used in my bread, proofing as specified above requires only about twenty minutes and no more than thirty.

I find that, depending on the flour and probably other factors, the dough can safely grow to more than double-in-volume and sometimes is ready at less than double-in-volume. 

I find the best test is to poke the dough gently - if it resists your touch and springs back instantly, it's not ready.  If gives way a little and leaves a fingerprint that just stays the same, that's usually about right (give or take a little - it can depress under the finger but very slowly return to its original shape and that will usually work too).  But if it collapses under your finger and even a little more than you actually pressed it, it's used up all its growing power and will end up flattish as a loaf.  In this case add a little flour, knead it in a second or two till it's come back to its original springy feel, and then let it rise again. This time it should take less time. 

Everyone has their favorite method, but i found this one to be good for all flours and it tests the actual growing potential of the yeast instead of a measurement that may not be right for the particular flour and other conditions

Siduri nailed it on the head, when I read the post my first thaught was overproofed in which case the things you described happen, it could also be your yeast as well. The visual and touch tests are the best, the proofing time is a estimated amount of when it may be done, I usually check on my proofing every 15 mins or so because depending on components quality and the general environment times will vary.
 

Posted by chefedb 

This is a logical impossibility of the lowest order, making no sense whatsoever.  How can you get consistent results from inconsistent products by following formulas without deviation?  The inconsistent products either make a difference or they don't.

Furthermore, it's bad advice for the home bread baker. 

When it comes to small yields, precisely measured quantities and times are hugely overrated.  Touch, observation, and formation technique are far more important.  If you a recipe for two loaves made from 26 oz of AP flour and 1 tbs yeast will be vastly different than one made from 6 cups of AP and 1-1/2 tbs of yeast, given appropriate kneading and rise time, you don't know much about baking bread.  As long as your ratios fall in the "appropriate" range, other things matter a great deal more. 

BDL

kokopuffs, siduri and Tonya are all saying the same thing, pretty much.  To the extent that my agreement means anything, it sounds like your letting the dough go flabby by overproofing.  So...  +1.

BDL 

Yup it does, that's why EVERYONE can't bake!