What am I doing wrong?

Peppa_Pig_5

I have just started using a breadmaker, however, the bread seems quite hard to me. I have used a basic mixture. 310ml tepid water, 2 tbsp veg oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp dried milk powder, 600g strong white flour, 1 sachet dried active yeast.

I didn't have veg oil, so used olive oil, could this account for it being hard. When I say hard I mean a bit stale, as though I had cooked it the day before. It just doesn't seem how I expected it to be. I have made a loaf before and cooked it in the oven, it tasted much better.

Any suggestions.
Peppa
x

johnnytee

Can't think why your bread has gone hard. The olive oil shouldn't have made any difference. When I used to make my own bread the only problems I ever encounted was when I was a bit slapdash with the measurements. You have to be spot on. So when it says 310ml of tepid water it has to be exact.
JT

moggins

Which breadmaker do you have, they do vary drastically as to how exact you have to be with measurements. If I don't adhere to the instructions for my Morphy Richards then I end up with a brick.

Peppa_Pig_5

Thanks for the replies. I have a cookworks breadmaker.

Peppa
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moggins

Also different flours have different absorbtion rates, try again but add a little more water. I've never used olive oil in bread so I'm not too sure of what effect that would have.