Mungler Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Recently I have been getting very poor results from my electronic bread maker. Now, I know it's not the bread maker - that's a Panasonic and is working tickety boo. So, it a combination of ingredients and what I am doing / not doing. I suspect that I may have a duff batch of yeast. The problem I am having is that every loaf comes out flat - it looks like a cake that's risen and then collapsed. Are there any bakers on here that can give me the science on this? In the fast baking recipes I always thought that the early addition of salt would kill off the yeast, but the on-line research seems to suggest that yeast reproduction maybe slightly retarded by a heaped teaspoon of salt but not totally killed off? So, does anyone have any fool proof electronic baking recipes? I want a simple loaf that's risen nicely and doesn't look like something you would use to put in a shop window. No bits in it - simple loaf. No cheese, no nuts and absolutely no raisins. Also I haven't got time for any messing about with hand needing so no suggestions that I need to be doing this by hand - I’ve been down that road and it’s messy and time intensive despite what anyone says. I’m into the sling it into the bread maker and either hit the “make dough” button (2 hours) or the “make dough and bake it” button (4 hours). Following on, I’m looking for any tips involving a bread maker. Cheers all, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 If all your baking is run of the mill bread! Bin the electronic one, stop stressing and BUY a loaf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dashman1 Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Mungler leave off the bread for a while, your going to get plenty soon, and that other stuff, them round squidgy ball type things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 I just buy the premixed packets and chuck them in, I tried messing around with the base ingredients from scratch, but couldn't get it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainBeaky Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 From memory: 1.5 tsp yeast 300g wholemeal bread flour 300g white bread flour 2 tsp sugar 25g butter 1.5 tsp salt 430ml tepid water Set to large loaf, medium crust, menu no 4 (5 hours). This assumes you have the same Panasonic machine as me Good basic recipe. Ignore the hecklers - there's nothing like coming down to fresh bread first thing. The salt is to control the gluten build up, not kill the yeast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bb Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 270ml water 1 teaspoon salt 1 desertspoon sugar 1 teaspoon olive oil 410g strong flour pinch vitamin C powder 7g dried yeast This makes a 700g (1.5lb) loaf in 3 hours. Use fresh ingredients, most important, my first attempts failed to rise until I threw out all the old ingredients that I had found in the cupboard. Waitrose "Leckford Estate" white flour, Wessex Mills' "Wessex Cobber" & "Six Seed" flours all tried & tested to the same recipe. SWMBO & I have been feeling much more healthy since dropping manufactured bread with all its "additives" and baking our own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 If your loaves used to be good and you are following the same recipe then it is likely that your yeast is dead or well on the way. I had a similar problem and although the dates on the yeast sachets were all still fine I think it was just a duff batch. A good strong bread flour makes a difference too. When you add the salt and yeast to the dry mix make sure you put them on different sides of the tin. Also I found in my machine that the order you add the ingredients can affect how the loaf comes comes out, some machines like the wet ingredients first, others the dry ones first. I add in the dry ingredients to the machine first, give them a mix up by hand then add the water and it seems to work OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 7-8g Allinsons dried yeast(comes in a green tub) 400g Allinsons bread flour white or 1/2 of white and wholemeal. 10g sugar 1tablespoon any cooking oil 1teaspoon salt 300ml slightly warm water. Put into bread pan in the order listed. Put it on Panasonic rapid setting which on mine is 2hrs,on large loaf, medium crust. That's it. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m3vert Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Either your yeast is gubbed or the salt is effecting the yeast. Go buy more yeast ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Salt can kill Yeast but also helps develop gluten (the stuff that makes it chewy) I make by hand so can't say for def this will work in a bread maker but I always do 300g strong bread flour 200g plain flour 11g dried yeast (the stuff in the supermarket ) 10g salt 10g honey and 1/2 pint of water 1 tablespoon oil (either olive or rapeseed) It's not an exact science as different brands of flours will absorb different amounts of water but I have been using the above recipie for years without any failures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Either your yeast is gubbed or the salt is effecting the yeast. Go buy more yeast ;-) I agree with this. We found this so keep ours in the fridge now and I always put slightly more in than the recipe says. A bit more water can also help but if you overdo it you will big holes in your bread, and therefore marmalade on your slippers I am sure Baker Boy can give better advice, but that would be my 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 men baking! get a grip . KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Put it in a cupboard with all the other pointless gadgets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 (edited) Put it in a cupboard with all the other pointless gadgets!Phillistine. Can't beat the crust of a fresh baked loaf of bread,some butter melted on it while the bread is still warm and some of that 75% fruit jam from Lidl. I agree with this. We found this so keep ours in the fridge now and I always put slightly more in than the recipe says. A bit more water can also help but if you overdo it you will big holes in your bread, and therefore marmalade on your slippers I am sure Baker Boy can give better advice, but that would be my 2 cents If you used a plate you wouldn't get jam on your slippers. Edited October 28, 2014 by loriusgarrulus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 (edited) Phillistine. Can't beat the crust of a fresh baked loaf of bread,some butter melted on it while the bread is still warm and some of that 75% fruit jam from Lidl. Oh I quite agree, we have some tremendous bakers around here and I use them! http://www.hambletonbakery.co.uk/ Edited October 28, 2014 by TIGHTCHOKE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Phillistine. Can't beat the crust of a fresh baked loaf of bread,some butter melted on it while the bread is still warm and some of that 75% fruit jam from Lidl. I have a great bread-maker it came free with the marriage certificate, and do people actually admit to shopping at Lidl? KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 And Aldi too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 I put the water in first, a third of it boiling water, the other two thirds cold water. Flour on top of the wet ingredients and yeast last. Works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 And Aldi too. Aldi rocks! (I may need to get out more) To mungler, as most have said it's likely to be duff yeast or too much salt, or both. I've found yeast sachets to be more consistent than the tubs but any yeast can die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Aldi sell yeast satchets. They work fine and their bread flour is fine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Keep the yeast well away from the Salt. Salt will kill Yeast The salt is added to the mix to control the speed/activity at which the yeast works and for the flavour, it does nothing to the Gluten. Gluten is found in the flour, the stronger the flour, the higher the gluten content the bolder the finished product. Gluten can is developed by the mixing and moulding processes. Sugar is a yeast food and will help speed up the activity of yeast, but an excess will kill the yeast. So, if you are using the same recipe and the same process it could be that the yeast is "dead" purchase new yeast and start again. Often things go wrong because of complacency, not weighing the ingredients correctly checking the water temperature etc.etc. So Mungler it is back to the beginning take your time get it right and let me know happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 men baking! get a grip . KW It is mainly men that are the bakers, you find very few women bakers in the trade. Bread baking even nowadays is a heavy and hard occupation, and yes you do require a strong grip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Oh I quite agree, we have some tremendous bakers around here and I use them! http://www.hambletonbakery.co.uk/ Hambleton Bakery is a really good Bakery, I believe it won or came second in Britain's best Bakery a year or two ago. The location of the Bakery in the middle of the Estate and wooded area adds to the charm. They have a very unusual Circular oven, used mainly in Spain, wood fired and when loading the oven the Baker has to rotate the Sole (floor) of the oven by turning something that looks like a steering wheel on a ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerboy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 (edited) I put the water in first, a third of it boiling water, the other two thirds cold water. Flour on top of the wet ingredients and yeast last. Works for me. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast or seriously retard the action. In general the water should be a little over hand warm in the winter, in the summer in can be iced, and the flour chilled. The most important part of a Bread recipe is ensuring everything is at the correct temperature. Edited October 28, 2014 by bakerboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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