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Do I or Dont I? Breadmakers.......


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Posted
It has gone so big that it is pushing the lid open. Will post a photo when it is out

 

It might not bake properly. Test it... you may have to knock it out and finish it in the oven

Posted
"Fresher" yeast will cause bread to rise more than the stuff at the bottom of the tin. So much so, that the bread can collapse (when it runs out of sugar?) You might just have to tweak sugar/yeast ratios.
Posted

Graham: 1, Hovis, Kingsmeal: 0

 

Used my new breadmaker last night and despite putting only half the required water in to start with, turned out brilliant and so very very tasty.

 

I reckon costs about 30p per loaf in materials, probably about 20p max in 'lecy. But you know what tastes bloody brilliant!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
Just been to the local mill and have purchased a big 6kg bag of Wholemeal flour. Yes, there is a mill about 2 miles up the road from me. I have put enough ingredients for a loaf with the new flour in now and we shall see it in about 3hr 40
Posted

Bread machines are great, I have one, but honestly I wouldn't use it to bake as the loaf comes out very dense. Also, little tip, add all the liquid ingredients first otherwise you don't get a good mix.

 

Personally I use mine to just prove and knead but to get a good rise I always need a second proving. It's good to set up and let it prove and knead while you do your own thing though.

  • 2 months later...
Posted

So been using mine a while now. Tried different recipes. I accept that it does go 'off' quicker than shop bought as doesn't have preservatives in. However I find that it is hot and miss getting it to fully rise, or ending up with a massive hole in the top half!!! Taste is great (although it does need butter not oil otherwise find it very corse). It also breaks up very easy.

 

Any tips? Or better yet exact recipes for soft yet strong (white) bread?

Posted

For a soft white bread, if you bake in the oven, add a full tray of ice cubes or very cold water to the bottom of the oven and put it in when you start the bread. It steams up eventually and makes the crust soft as it develops. You do not want to put warm or hot water in as it will steam up too soon and make the bread soggy.

 

In a bread machine, not a clue!

Posted
Have you tried spelt flour - its supposed to be gentler on the stomach - makes a lovely loaf too

 

I made some of my own (a local farmer grows spelt near me). Picked up a 10kg bag of spelt grains for £20. Crushed it first to see if there was any oil worth having (there isn't, it burns at too low a temperature). I ground up the remaining and got around 7kg of good flour out of it (the rest of the weight were the husks, which I ground up to add crunch in my loaves).

 

It is gentler on my stomach, but it still has a reasonable gluten content. I shall be using this flour for thickening sauces (as it is better than cornflour and adds a very good taste), and using it half and half with my hemp flour for my loaves.

Posted

Good thing I try to deal directly with the source rather than the shops where possible. Demand has gone up but he isn't seeing the increase that the shops are putting on. I paid more per KG than he sells to shops, but I don't mind, as I still got it cheaper than if I were to go to the shops.

 

Will also speak to him about rapeseed as well when that gets harvested so I can make my own oil as well! :)

Posted
So been using mine a while now. Tried different recipes. I accept that it does go 'off' quicker than shop bought as doesn't have preservatives in. However I find that it is hot and miss getting it to fully rise, or ending up with a massive hole in the top half!!! Taste is great (although it does need butter not oil otherwise find it very corse). It also breaks up very easy.

 

Any tips? Or better yet exact recipes for soft yet strong (white) bread?

 

1 tsp fast acting yeast

600g Strong Bread Flour

1tblsp Milk Powder

1tsb Salt

1tblsp Sugar

25g butter

400ml Water

 

My breadmaker disagrees with @AMLightfoot and says to put the ingredients in in the order listed. That may be more important if the machine is programmed to delay the start, since you don't really want the yeast activating and breeding 5 hours before it starts to mix.

 

I generally get the machine to make the dough, decant into loaf tins and let it rise for an hour before putting them in the oven for 30 mins @ ~200c (fan oven).

Posted
1 tsp fast acting yeast

600g Strong Bread Flour

1tblsp Milk Powder

1tsb Salt

1tblsp Sugar

25g butter

400ml Water

 

My breadmaker disagrees with @AMLightfoot and says to put the ingredients in in the order listed. That may be more important if the machine is programmed to delay the start, since you don't really want the yeast activating and breeding 5 hours before it starts to mix.

 

I generally get the machine to make the dough, decant into loaf tins and let it rise for an hour before putting them in the oven for 30 mins @ ~200c (fan oven).

 

See mine says the same thing but lists the ingredients liquids first. Perhaps it varies by machine. Honestly I just use mine for the messy mixing and first kneading process. Once it's proved once I usually take it out and give it a bit more bashing to improve the gluten strand formation then let it second prove.

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