Bread problems!!!

JAMIEDODGER

i have a panasonic breadmaker. the last four loaves have been a disaster. i havent done anything from my usual recipe, i have tried using fresh flour, yeast but still they are turning out like lumps of concrete.

i would like to try and make bread by hand. does anyone have a really basic recipe for normal white bread? i only have the hovis 7g sachets of yeast but it says you can use these in handbaking. or do i need to buy some different yeast?

also, with a basic white recipe, can i make rolls with it instead?

please help, i am at my wits end and do not want to have to BUY a loaf:eek:

thanks all:D

Jamie

Pink.

Hi Jamiedoger,

These older threads have some recipes for making bread by hand.

making bread by hand

The recipes that made me pack away my breadmaker


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taurusgb

Jamiedodger - is it the colder temperatures that are to blame do you think? My bread doesn't seem quite up to normal standard recently (I also have a much loved Panasonic) but thinking back I had the same problems last year and I've come to the conclusion that the room temperature fluctuations are the culprit.

MrsB_2

Have you moved your b/m at all? Or has the temperature in the kitchen changed recently?? As far as I understand room temperature can affect the rising process. Just a thought

How about trying making it using the dough cycle followed by the bake only option as somebody mentioned recently that that worked for them.

susank

Have you tried lukewarm water in the machine when you load it up? It works on the principle of heating up before it starts I think.

JAMIEDODGER

thanks for your replies!

it might be the colder weather, i hadnt thought of that!

will try lukewarm water tomorrow and see if that helps at all..

greengrass

Hi
We made bread in our bread maker for the first time Sunday, we got a ready made mix from lidl. Makes 2 loaves and all you have to do is add water to the flour mix, no yeast required, turned out lovely.

ravylesley

Have to agree with the others that bread making even in a machine is affected by the temperature of the room and the water.I would definitely try using lukewarm water it has always worked for me in cold weather

livalot

Hi JAMIEDODGER
I am so glad you have started this thread.:T I have been using my Panasonic bm for over 5 years and never had a disaster. Last week it has produced several sunken lumps of bread :mad: despite using the same old recipe that I always use. The only thing that is different is the flour (its the Tesco bread flour) but since everyone on here uses it all the time, it must be something else I am doing. Will def try adding lukewarm water as suggested, changing the location of the bm and perhaps reducing the amount of water I am using. I have to try as I have 4 bags of Tesco flour to use up!

Livalot

thriftychick

I've had the same problem aswell. I think its the flour, I use either Asda or Tesco bread flour, normally 400g white and 100g wholemeal/granary. If I do a 50:50 wholemeal to white then the bread is normal. It's like the white flour has no strength to it recently. I've been using the same brand of flour for 5 years with no problems before.

JenniO

can i just say that I do my loaves all 50:50 but I used to buy the strong wholemeal flour which is a bit pricey, so one day I just bought normal wholemeal (either at Asda or Tesco and it was 55p - about half the price of strong wholemeal) and I can't tell the difference in the BM! :j I always add lukewarm to warm water in the BM as well all year long.