bread machine bread - bland ?

mattogier

I Just read this on the FSA website...

Food_Standards_Agency wrote:

Reducing the amount of salt we eat is a vital step towards combating coronary heart disease. Eating a lot of salt has been linked to high blood pressure, which in turn can lead to an increased risk of strokes, heart disease and kidney disease.
Previous studies have shown that nearly a quarter of the salt we eat comes from bread, with the average person eating three slices of bread a day.
The study revealed fresh white crusty bread still contained, on average, the highest levels of salt at 545 mg of sodium per 100 g of bread.

BrandNewDay

Well, there are OTHER ways to cut the salt out of our diets and it may well be that store-bought bread has more than homemade recipes advise.

I made corn bread recently that was bland and only later realized I'd left the salt out.

I'd say the OP has a choice between not worrying about a tspn of salt spread throughout an entire loaf, or getting used to the blander taste.

super41

I'd receommend using the amount of salt stated in the recipe. As previous poster has said it is dispersed through the whole loaf. You're more likely to get a lot of unnecessary salt from ready-made products. Using good quality flour is very important. We get loose organic flour from our local health food shop and its reasonably priced. We tend to use 1/2 white, 1/2 granary/wholemeal and it makes a delicious loaf. We have the Pansonic BM which always produces a good loaf as well.

Sazbo

I also think it's important to use strong bread flour

Gryfon

If you want to cut down the salt I'd suggest starting off using what they suggest then taking a smidgen out each time. However in a loaf feeding a family you won't overdose on salt.

Also you could add different things like herbs, onions, cheese etc...mmmmmm!

researcher

I use Asda smart price flour = you must try strong flour, plain flour is not for breadmaking. fresh yeast. = buy fast action dried yeast - and I only use half a teaspoon for 450g flour so it cost's next to nothing.
I use about half the salt they recommend and a few teaspoons of sugar = should be equal quantities of both, 1.5 teaspoons of each for 450g flour.
Would milk instead of water or some skimmed milk powder help? = no need - stick to water if you try above.

I hope its not the strong bread flour thats lacking as its too expensive to buy = it is this, but you can get this for a reasonable price if you shop around. Most supermarkets have a good inexpensive version.

JillD_2

Thanks to all for your replies.

I will try increasing the salt first and see if that improves things as I don't want to shell out for dried yeast or strong fliur as we area strict budget at the moment so I will try the chea[est option first.
The only reason I halved the salt wasw I seem to remeber several years ago when I first got the machine that the bread tasted salty but I may be thinking of something else. We don't add salt to anything else (except chippy chips, as a treat!) so from a health point of view I'm sure it will be fine.

Hazel, I am using fresh yeast as my Asda give it out for free, and also the own brand flour is cheaper. My loaves cost about 15p at the minute but obviously its a false economy if they don't get eaten or enjoyed.

If the salt thing doesn't work then I will experiment with other bread flours too.

thanks again for all your brill advice
Jill

Fivenations

Flour, yeast and salt all contribute to the flavour of bread. Asda does strong bread flour for 51p (White) or 55p (WM) a bag, only 24p more than their plain flour. I use Doves Farm Quick yeast 71.2p / 100g or about 3.5p per 5g. That;s and extra 8.5p to 11.5 p extra per loaf. Even less if you use half strong and half plain as I think some people do. If it gets eaten it will be worthwhile. My boys eats masses of wholemeal bread with soups and stew.

I make my own sourdough bread - needs no yeast - but the traditional way as I have not figured out how to make it in my Panasonic. It needs a long proving - longer than the machine gives. It costs more than normal bread as I use organic flour but the flavour and nutriotional value is higher but costs me the same as most pay for a bog standard loaf - value excluded.

JillD_2

I've added more salt and a little more sugar and yeastas well and that seems to have helped qwuite a lot.
I think I might try this for a few weeks and then once our tastebuds have settled down again, get some breadflour and see if that changes the flavour.

the one I did yesterday was brill, and I made connamon and raisin bread - YUMMMMMEEEEE