Problem with panosonic breadmaker...

kippers

I wonder if anyone can help...I've had my breadmaker for approx 1 year (had a morphy richards for 10 years before this)and it's made lovely loaves up until the last four? I also use it regularly to mix the dough for rolls which i finish off in the oven.

I have done nothing different to normal, except i did buy a different make of yeast after the first two bad loaves, just in case it was that but it wasn't. My rolls are still rising and cooking lovely but the loaf that is in the b/m isn't as high as normal and the crust on top is now a pale colour, but brown around the sides. It also seems to have a split in the crust at the top-my manual says to reduce the water by 10-20mls to stop this-but this hasn't happened before and i'm on the same batch of ingredients so nothing i'm doing is different.

I seem to remember reading on here that a few people said that their panosonic b/m did this for a bit then corrected itself, but i can't seem to find that thread?

Any advice welcome. Thank you

beemuzed

Oh dear! have to say I've not yet encountered that problem at all. Take it you are using it in exactly the same spot in the kitchen - ie not in a draught or anything? You seem to have checked all the ingredients.. Hope somone comes along who can offer better advice. I'd be lost if mine started playing up so hope you can get it sorted.

Mrs_Chip

Our neighbour had a problem with his Panny, was turning out bricks. As he is 92 we went and checked he was following the right recipe, checked the yeast etc. We couldnt find anything wrong, so he took it back (only had it for 6 months or so), and after trying to repair it, Panasonic replaced it. Not quite the same as OP, but it may be that a vital component of the process has got a malfunction.

I would do a final loaf using your standard recipe and new yeast and see what happens - are you over the guarantee period?

tjak

I was having problems with sunken loaves all of a sudden, the manual advised reducing the water by 10-20ml, and that sorted the problem. Maybe it is a different batch of flour?

JulieM

The loaves in my panasonic haven't been rising quite as much for about the last month and I just put it down to the cooler weather, though can't remember what happened during last winter. Or, as the post above suggested, it could be a new batch of flour. I'm using a 50/50 combination of Lidl white and Allinson country grain, so if you happen to be using either of those, the chances are it is the flour that has changed. I might try increasing the amount of yeast slightly to see if that makes any difference.

kippers

Thanks for your replies. It's the same batch of flour as i empty all my bags together into a very large air tight container when i buy them. I'll try reducing the water on my next loaf to see if this works, however, i have my doubts as the rolls i cook in the oven using axactly the same recipe, rise and cook fine.
I'll check my guarantee too, i'm not sure exactly how long i've had it.

Thanks again

tjp70

I am not sure whether this will help but in this colder weather, I use slightly warmer water, not water straight from the tap, and that seems to make my bread rise better.

minniemaus1970

Hi kippers,
I have a panny too, I had to change the recipe from my last breadmaker, I find Allinson yeast makes it rise better than Mr T's own brand, you can also try putting in a little less salt and a little more sugar. yeast needs the sugar to feed on and activate it, the salt is there as an inhibitor so it doesn't bubble over ( forgot to put salt in once and had avery 'airy loaf'). Again you can try and put warm water in, and no peeking while its rising!!

I always put in water ,unsalted butter or oil and sugar first then put the flour on top followed by salt in one corner and yeast in the other ( you don't want them to activate to early). this works well on mine.

I use
500g (Carrs) Breadflour
300ml warm water
tblsp butter/ or 2 tablsps of oil
2tblsp sugar
2 tblsp milkpowder (gives a crunchy crust- optional)
1 flat tsp salt
1 heaped tsp Allison yeast
hope this helps
MM