Panasonic Breadmakers Tips and Quick Questions Thread

Swan_2

freeganneist wrote: »

I finally bought my first breadmaker! I bought a Panasonic 257 from Curry's, via Quidco, so it will have cost me about £87 incl p&p once I get the cashback. I did send away for the bread book, but I'm not sure if I'll get one.

I'm two weeks in, and eating the best bread I've had for years

I've got a quick question. I've stocked up on Wright's white bread mixes, (thanks to the people who posted about the recent Waitrose offer combined with the Wright's 30p coupon). I'd like to add poppy seeds to it, but since I'm supposed to use the rapid bake cycle for bread mixes, when do I add the seeds? I don't think I can use the seed dispenser on the rapid bake cycle, so I'm guessing that I'd need to add them at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients?

glad you're enjoying your bread

yes, you can add poppy seeds at the start, they tend to fall out of the seed dispenser anyway

freeganneist

Thanks. Will give it a go this evening

7_week_wonder

mrswack wrote: »

...has anyone tried the malted loaf? If so, where did you get the malt extract from? Sains and tesco didn't have it this morning??

Thanks in advance!

I hope you're enjoying your new breadmaker. I haven't tried a malt loaf but I did make a recipe the other week that required malt extract. I had great fun at the supermarket where I ended up with the store manager (pure chance I managed to accost him - he was the first person I found) running round the store:
Mgr: Malt extract - that's marmite isn't it
Me: Err no, that's yeast extract
Mgr: Oh yes - it's bovril isn't it
Me: Noooo - that's beef extract
Mgr: Hmmmm, not sure we stock it

Eventually he admitted defeat and I ended up getting a jar from my local health food shop.

Hope you can track some down.

Swan_2

7_week_wonder wrote: »

I hope you're enjoying your new breadmaker. I haven't tried a malt loaf but I did make a recipe the other week that required malt extract. I had great fun at the supermarket where I ended up with the store manager (pure chance I managed to accost him - he was the first person I found) running round the store:
Mgr: Malt extract - that's marmite isn't it
Me: Err no, that's yeast extract
Mgr: Oh yes - it's bovril isn't it
Me: Noooo - that's beef extract
Mgr: Hmmmm, not sure we stock it

Eventually he admitted defeat and I ended up getting a jar from my local health food shop.

Hope you can track some down.

great story, I can just imagine that conversation

I don't think I've ever seen malt extract in a supermarket, which is a pity because I'm sure more people would try it if it was easier to buy


it's a lovely addition to bread, even in a standard wholemeal/brown loaf in place of honey or sugar, it gives it a great flavour

mrswack

Pizza dough was amazing from the machine, couldn't believe how easy it was. Anyone have an tips/tricks for he pizza dough, cooking or toppings?

Has anyone had success with Chelsea buns yet? What did you do for icing?

Excuse all the questions...too many carbs in my system obviously!

Swan_2

mrswack wrote: »

Pizza dough was amazing from the machine, couldn't believe how easy it was. Anyone have an tips/tricks for he pizza dough, cooking or toppings?

Has anyone had success with Chelsea buns yet? What did you do for icing?

Excuse all the questions...too many carbs in my system obviously!

hi mrswack

to make the pizza dough easier to shape & 'spring back' less, refrigerate it for at least 24 hours before using

it really makes a difference, but I usually forget to make the dough far enough in advance

cooking-mama

Ok,dunno what ive done wrong---(if anything,)I put in a spiced fruit loaf(4hrs),selected bake raisin,and the screen displayed 45mins(this was the countdown until time to add the mixed fruit,anyway,fruit added and screen shows 0.....waited and waited,still showing 0 ...so i pressed start,as according to the manual if i do this it will show the time left to completion,BUT,it went back to 4hrs,and XL...fruit loaf is only M..it wont let me change it and theres another wee icon stating "rest".....ive no idea how long this is gonna take,or even if its gonna bake properly.NOW,im missing a viewing window:rotfl:

Swan_2

cooking-mama wrote: »

Ok,dunno what ive done wrong---(if anything,)I put in a spiced fruit loaf(4hrs),selected bake raisin,and the screen displayed 45mins(this was the countdown until time to add the mixed fruit,anyway,fruit added and screen shows 0.....waited and waited,still showing 0 ...so i pressed start,as according to the manual if i do this it will show the time left to completion,BUT,it went back to 4hrs,and XL...fruit loaf is only M..it wont let me change it and theres another wee icon stating "rest".....ive no idea how long this is gonna take,or even if its gonna bake properly.NOW,im missing a viewing window:rotfl:

oh that's really weird, I don't know what to suggest

I think you can reset the machine & start again, but I can never remember how to do it, I'll have a look at the manual, I think it'll be the same although mine's a 255


EDIT ... if you hold the Start/Stop button down for 1-2 seconds the display should go blank & the light on the button will go off, press Select to reactivate & re-programme

if you start again the worst that should happen would be the fruit will get a bit mashed up, & you'll have to wait longer for the loaf ... or maybe set it to a shorter cycle?


you can have a look, as long as the machine's not in it's rising cycle, but put the lid down very gently. I'd look, but I'm nosey about what my bread's doing

I knew you'd miss the extra features on the Kenwood you'd have been able to see what was going on, & you'd know what part of the cycle it was at from the display panel & you could have made your own programme up to complete the baking

cooking-mama

Thanks Swan,il let you know how it turns out...in 3hrs and 6mins....its been in there since around 11.30am:rotfl:

Swan_2

cooking-mama wrote: »

Thanks Swan,il let you know how it turns out...in 3hrs and 6mins....its been in there since around 11.30am:rotfl:

oh well, fruit bread's nice for tea-time


we've all had odd things happen, did you hear about my monster egg enriched bread?

I forgot to add salt & it went mad, it tried to get out of the BM, it was the Kenwood so I could see it through the window getting bigger & bigger & bigger, like the Blob in that cinema scene :eek:

it ended up stuck to the inside of the lid, overflowing the sides of the tin & turned out like a giant deformed mushroom :rotfl: