Bread

[amateur]

56 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

...... it does appear that being super critical on weights and measures is not required ... I think a bit of trial and eror to find what suits our machine.....

That's a shame about your old machine. 

I would not agree that weights are not supercritical.

I have found that:

1.  The amount of water, dependent upon the bread flour (more for wholemeal, less for white) significantly affects the rise.

2.  The amount of salt similarly.

3.  The amount and type of sugar or treacle, molasses, malt extract or honey also gives different results.

It took me a while to get consistent results - even more so with my wife's gluten-free bread.

[ehb102]

Bread machine bread is okay, but it's nowhere near as good as old fashioned proved overnight bread. That's £4 a loaf now near me, so makes the effort much more worth putting in.

Which I absolutely totally will, one day.

[Walker570]

Well, the 'Failed' bread will get used for at least a bacon sandwich in the morning.   I agree amateir , I think it comes down to be a bit of experimentation and then stick with the formular. This loaf was almost fully risen and I believe it was only when the machine went to switch to full heat that the short accurred.   I quickly read the cooking temp and set the oven a bit too high which gave it a real crusty finish and a bit too quickly.

Can't wait now for the new machine to arrive.

[amateur]

I'm sure that your bacon sandwich will be delicious

[Walker570]

My bacon sandwich was superb and really pleased with the result even  with the breakdown. I have no doubt if that had not happened then the loaf would have been even better. The texture and taste of this loaf took me back to the 50s when I used to go down to the village bakery behind the Polesworth picture house (now blocks of flats and concrete) and collect our fresh baked loves. For a small kid it was fascinating to watch the baker reaching into the huge oven with a long paddle and pull out those beautiful loaves.  New machine arrives maybe tomorrow or early next week.  Can't wait.

[bruno22rf]

Failsafe recipe, 300ml cold water, 15ml olive oil, 1tsp salt, 1&1/2 tsp sugar, 1 level tsp flour improver,500g Aldi strong white bread flour. Water first, followed by the rest of the ingredients and start the machine on rapid bake, medium loaf, light crust. While the dough is mixing gently add the yeast, I use a silicone cake icing blade as well to push some of the mix off the sides of the pan. After around 40 minutes the mixing cycle ends (you can often hear the blade doing short "pulses") , wet your hands and gently remove the paddle then use your fist to push the dough roughly level. When the cycle has ended turn out the loaf onto a wire rack, it will be too soft to cut anything but the crust for several hours (I bake bread last thing at night for breakfast next day) the bread will not be very crusty, if you want a good crust wet your hand and wipe it over the loaf then pop it in the oven for a couple of minutes.

Ran a rapid (1hr55mins) wholemeal today and it came out perfect, recipe is 350g WM + 150g SW.

Edited March 19, 2022 by bruno22rf

[Walker570]

Well, Aldi bread maker was delivered and I have done two basic white bread mixes, which is what we want and all I can say is that it works perfectly. I do not need, press button this and press button that. It switches on straight away to the 3 hr bake and medium brown crust. Just press start.   Nice medium size loaves.  I do have about a cup full of white flour (Allinsons) left and also a bag of strong wholemeal so will use that cup with two cups of the wholemeal and see how that turns out.

£50 for the machine and pennies for the ingredients means that after 50 loaves the bread will cost very little. Electricity of course but loaves at £1..30.to £1..50 apieces from shops and not what we want. Got to be on a winner.

[amateur]

Well done!

Welcome to the club

[dodgyrog]

I have a nice bread making machine BUT the bread comes out very 'heavy' and solid!

I buy wholemeal bread now 'reduced to clear' from the supermarket for around 30 pence so not making bread until it gets on shortage.

[Walker570]

56 minutes ago, dodgyrog said:

I have a nice bread making machine BUT the bread comes out very 'heavy' and solid!

I buy wholemeal bread now 'reduced to clear' from the supermarket for around 30 pence so not making bread until it gets on shortage.

Well that is one reason we decided to get a bread maker, all the bread we could get was yuppy fluffy stuff with no body. Trying to slice nice clean slices was a nightmare.

This bread I have just made is spot on and slices top hole.

[amateur]

1 hour ago, dodgyrog said:

I have a nice bread making machine BUT the bread comes out very 'heavy' and solid!

I buy wholemeal bread now 'reduced to clear' from the supermarket for around 30 pence so not making bread until it gets on shortage.

Do you use a "strong" wholemeal flour - Canadian produces the best results.

A 3:1 ratio of wholemeal to strong white flour also improves the texture.

Finally, try adding slightly more water and less salt to the mix.

Don't do all these changes at once, or you may find the dough climbing out of the pan!

 

[Walker570]

I got Allinsons strong white bread flour from Morrisons. 3 Cups of that on top of 1 1/4 cups of milk, 1 spoon of salt to the side of the flour, two tablespoons of butter split into each corner. Make an dent in the centre of the four and put in 1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast.  Shut the lid and press start. Come back 3 hrs later for a perfect loaf.

I have a cup of that left and will add two cups of wholemeal with the same mix and see how that turns out.

Niether of the two loaves so far have been stodgy, in fact they are very firm in texture perfect for slicing.

[Walker570]

WEll it came out pretty well. Did not rise as much as the pure white and I have to wait till it cools before I can cut it but it feels and looks good.   I usually have two toasted muffins and three slices of bacon sandwiched for breakfast but if this half brown half white looks and tastes then I might be using the bread instead of the muffins.... sorry Aldi your profits about to drop I think.

[bruno22rf]

21 hours ago, Walker570 said:

I got Allinsons strong white bread flour from Morrisons. 3 Cups of that on top of 1 1/4 cups of milk, 1 spoon of salt to the side of the flour, two tablespoons of butter split into each corner. Make an dent in the centre of the four and put in 1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast.  Shut the lid and press start. Come back 3 hrs later for a perfect loaf.

I have a cup of that left and will add two cups of wholemeal with the same mix and see how that turns out.

Niether of the two loaves so far have been stodgy, in fact they are very firm in texture perfect for slicing.

Try the Aldi flour, it's a fraction of the price (60p/1.5kg!!) and every bit as good as anything else you can buy, try my previous recipe on rapid (1hr55mins) but also try using Olive Oil instead of butter to reduce salt. For wholemeal (60p/1.5kg Aldi) same cycle but 350 grams wholemeal 150 grams white, 350ml water and 25 grams of butter instead of Olive Oil, makes a stunning loaf. I always use a level teaspoon of flour improver in all my loaves.

[Walker570]

Many thanks bruno.  I had a couple of slices of my 'make do' wholemeal this morning toasted with four slices of smoked bacon and Stokes Bloody Mary sauce. Awesome.

 

I will try your mix next time.

[Jonty]

If you have time and the inclination, you can also use the machine to make the dough only so you can let it prove and bake in the oven.  We do this a lot with ours, especially for bread rolls and the like, let it do the donkey work and you do the fine tuning - we really enjoy it when we have the time.

[Walker570]

16 hours ago, Jonty said:

If you have time and the inclination, you can also use the machine to make the dough only so you can let it prove and bake in the oven.  We do this a lot with ours, especially for bread rolls and the like, let it do the donkey work and you do the fine tuning - we really enjoy it when we have the time.

Yes, I might just have a go at making some fruit buns or Chelsey buns.

[Walker570]

Have been experimenting with sultana fruit loves and the first turned out awesome . I add a teaspoon of orange essence to the mix. Just made a second but using brown sugar instead of white. It is still hot off the stove so have not cut a slice yet.  Pity I can't do smelly pictures

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Looks mighty good Nev.

[Lloyd90]

On 12/03/2022 at 19:42, Vince Green said:

I make German "schwartz brot" German black wholemeal rye bread with no wheat ( a family member has a serious problem with wheat ) and no sugar.

Once you develop the taste for it you realise just how good this bread can be. Its thick to the point of being pudding like but a couple of slices with butter is a meal in its own right.

Several people with IBS , diabetes and Celiacs disease have contacted me and I have made it for them too. Rye bread is considered very much better for the digestive system.

Demand is such I could make a business out of it but instead I help them to get started making it on their own.

Try it, its not immediately to the English taste but it sure grows on you

Can you send me the details please Vince?

[Vince Green]

On 10/04/2022 at 23:03, Lloyd90 said:

Can you send me the details please Vince?

There is everything you need on the internet but we dont follow the recipes because most recipes want you to mix rye flour 50/50 with wheat flour and the whole purpose of us making it is for it to be wheat free.

Also the Germans tend to add molasses which gives it a very distinctive flavour, not unpleasant but not to everybody's taste.

In Germany it is a meal in its own right with a bit of cheese 

[amateur]

On 10/04/2022 at 19:43, Walker570 said:

.... ...Just made a second but using brown sugar instead of white.........

Soft brown sugar adds a different layer of taste.

I use thick-set honey for the same reason

[Walker570]

Still a couple of slices of the last one to go before I can slice into this new one.  There is little doubt that home made machine bread is far superior to the pap available at stores.  Our white loaves slice brilliantly instead of breaking up in bits and make superb toast.

I have to try the honey next time.