bread flour

strawberryfields

having just cleaned my house so that nearly everything sparkles i have finally unboxed the slow cooker-yay, and have brought the bread maker in from the garage, so i can cook soup in the slow cooker and the bread for it in the bread maker, but looking at my bread flour it said use by a year ago-they have been in lock and lock containers would you advise using or just throw out and buy new? it looks fine and not normally one to worry about use by and sell by dates etc but with it being quite so out of date-i didn't realise that i had stopped using the bread maker so long ago, might have to get around to grinding the wheat in the garage!!:o

ariba10

We would try it .

What have you got to lose?

deebee

I think it might be 'past it' - but welcome to the slow cooker/breadmaker club, I love making home made bread and lovely casseroles and soups in the slow cooker

strawberryfields

ahh conflicting views!! what to do? if i try it and not nice i won;t have bread with my soup tomorrow, but then if it is fine don;t want to spend more money on flour when i have some-darn it!! any other opinions? will see what you all say in the morning and decide then. also can i just do the dough in the bread maker and cook the bread in the oven? if so for how long? hate the hole in the middle of the bread from the-i want to say hook thing!!-so technical i know-my mother would be ashaned of me

Queenie

Take the senses test! Sight (weevils?) smell? (trust me, you'll know the smell if it's rancid!) and common sense You could bake it and if it doesn't rise and turns out like a brick, you could still use it up in a bread and butter pudding or even a bread pudding! If those aren't to your liking, you could still use it for toast and/or breadcrumbs

Yes you can make the dough in the BM and then bake the loaf in the oven (although, to be perfectly honest, why bother? If it's in the BM anyway, may as well let it finish) The hole isn't a huge problem; you could take the paddle out after the 2nd mixing and you wouldn't end up with a hole in your loaf

You have nothing to lose by trying! At best, you get a loaf; at worst, you get some bird feed

Zed42

Go for it .. do it now, set it on the timer thing .... that way if it turns out badly, you will know first thing in the morning ... if it turns out well .. you *may* have some left for lunchtime ....

D&DD

I'd use it it may have lost a bit of its strength thats all. Just add a bit more yeast to your recipe, as long as it hasn't got 'visitors' it'll be fine

strawberryfields

ok what are weevils? sounding really think here!! ok going to use it, if its not good will see if the rats like it (they are pet rats btw), will add a bit more yeast-how long does dried yeast keep for??? believe it of not i am actually quite good at cooking but bread seems beyond me for some reason, ty queenie never thought of taking the paddle (technical word!!) out good idea, and true zed 42 if its nice not sure how much will be left until lunchtime i love hot bread-one of the reasons i put the bread maker in garage to start with as i was eating way too much bread, just resent paying so much for bread hence getting it out again, will let you know in the morning how its works, thanks for the advice

strawberryfields

ok now cannot spell thick which is not helping me to sound not thick!! i need sleep, but breadmaker on timer will see how it is in the morning and if i have managed to use the timer correctly as i have never used it before, flour doesn't look as if anything in it, off to do my first farm shop tomorrow-thanks to all of you on here

D&DD

Weevils are usually easy to see :eek: little black things making the flour move around..if you are worried just stick it through a seive first
I've used many 'ancient' baking ingredients..there's always something that escapes to the dark recesses of the cupboard..for at least a couple of years :rotfl: Hope your loaf turns out well

Angelraesunshine

the 1st bread i made in my BM was made with flour 2 years over the bbe date lol was lovely