Calling all breadmaker pro's!

squeaky

If you post bread recipes could you please do it in the Breadmaking hints tips and Recipes thread because that way they'll get indexed so people will be able to find them more easily.

TYAIA

paul_h

squeaky wrote:

If you post bread recipes could you please do it in the Breadmaking hints tips and Recipes thread because that way they'll get indexed so people will be able to find them more easily.

TYAIA

I'll post it over there too, so you don't have to move it.

Ticklemouse

When I make a basic loaf, I use 1/2 white flour and 1/2 wholemeal and cook on a white program (my kids wouldn't eat a completely wholemeal loaf) I add a crushed vit C tablet and the bread is lovely and light and rises well. I buy the Tesco value vit C tabs specifically for breadmaking. I think they are 60 mg tablets and I find that enough.

For a 1 1/2 lb loaf I add 1 1/2 tsp sugar (as per my instruction booklet) and have reduced the salt to 1/4 tsp as felt 1 1/2 tsp salt was way too much. I use the Allinsons dried yeast in the orange tin, which is meant to be for handbaking but Ihave had no problems whatsoever with it.

HTH

paul_h

Ticklemouse wrote:

For a 1 1/2 lb loaf I add 1 1/2 tsp sugar (as per my instruction booklet) and have reduced the salt to 1/4 tsp as felt 1 1/2 tsp salt was way too much.

The MR recipes are the same - 2 tsp salt in a 2lb loaf is too much - I put a lilttle more than you in, but it's all down to personal taste and you have to experiment a bit.

Adding more salt will also affect the action of the yeast - the more salt you add, the less it will rise.

ellas9602

Thanks everyone.
I think the key is experimenting. Im going to try some of your suggestions tonight but I'll be back for more advice if I have any disasters. Think I'll read through the bread thread too.

I too was on the verge of getting rid of the breadmaker too because the bread ws just so awful so I'll be so pleased if I can produce edible bread :j

paul_h

Here's another tip, although we like the Hovis flour and try to buy it when it's on offer in Morrison's, we also use the bread flour from Lidl and found it works great - and if I remember right (don't quote me) it's only 59p

ellas9602

paul_h wrote:

The one we use most for white bread is this one, adapted to the Morphy Richards measures...

1 1/2 cups Lukewarm water (mix cold and boiled)
4 cups bread flour
2 tsp milk powder
4 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 sachet dried yeast

Put the wet ingredients in the bottom and the dry on the top, then set it of on basic program. If it rises too much and hits the top, reduce the sugar a bit...

I cannot stress the fresh yeast point enough, though - this caused us major headaches at one point, we were on the verge of thowing the machine out - turned out the yeast was kaput because we were keeping the yeast in cupboard near the toaster... :rolleyes:

Would you reccomend keeping the yeast in the fridge then?

paul_h

ellas9602 wrote:

I too was on the verge of getting rid of the breadmaker too because the bread ws just so awful so I'll be so pleased if I can produce edible bread :j

99% of the problems we've had in the past have been with rising - and if it doesn't rise it will taste horrible.

I'm sure if you persevere you be able to make bread that is better than edible! You won't be able to make bread like the foamy mass produced sliced stuff, but you should be able to make fresh tasty bread and know exactly what's in it.

paul_h

ellas9602 wrote:

Would you reccomend keeping the yeat in the fridge then?

We just keep the sachets in a cool cupboard now, but I can't see keeping it in a fridge doing any harm - the sachets are sealed up.

If you use the yeast that comes in the tub, I'm not sure if the opened tub might be affected by moisture in the fridge?

1sttimer_2

I have a Brevil fan assisted Breadmaster and the recipe book that came with it gives decent results. My DD2 bought me a Bread Machine Book and the recipes are great but I have to adjust the ingredients to suit the quantities for my machine and they are fantastic - with loads of different breads.

I bought some Vitamin C powder at a health food shop for when I do wholemeal and it works fine (1/2 a scoop) but I didn't know Tesco did tablets. I shall look for them as the powder was quite expensive.


Edit - I was a bit slow in typing this - I use the supermarket's own breadmaker yeast sachets. I didn't know you could use fresh or any other variety, Tesco used to give out fresh yeast at the bakery if you asked for it. Don't know if they still do that tho. May try this - do you mix as normal? My machine says that the salt should not go anywhere near the yeast as they would react and the bread wouldn't rise. So should the salt go in after the flour?

I will have to try the breadmaking index, I've not really checked out this site properly so will have to try to look at it a bit better.