BS: Bread maker problems

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Janie
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 01:06 PM

Are you using bread flour or all-purpose flour?

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 12:30 PM

Sounds dry, perhaps a bit more water.

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Sooz
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 12:28 PM

Only for rich people!

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: peregrina
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 11:54 AM

A guess--are you using (UK) STRONG flour rather than merely 'plain'?

One thing to try -- there are some premixes of things like special organic malted/seed flour for breadmakers. I've had excellent results with thos.

And Lakeland store has some premixed flour packs for different types of bread just the size for standard breadmakers. They work well in my experience, though of course one might prefer more organic & self-chosen in the long run.

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 11:46 AM

Whole wheat (brown?) bread doesn't have the gluten that white bread does. If you're using whole wheat then you still need some white flour in there. I use 1 cup of whole wheat with three cups of white in my everyday bread that I mix on the white bread setting. But if you're using more or all whole wheat then you need a LOT more kneading and to possibly add some gluten.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Megan L
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 11:36 AM

Measure measure measure most folks make that mistake when they start you really do have to measure out the ingredients carefully.

Good luck when it comes right the bread is delicious and soooooo adictive :)

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 11:34 AM

As with computer troubleshooting, we need some specs.

What make of machine, what settings are you trying to use, and what size loaf are you hoping to come out with?

I've been baking bread all my life, I grew up in a family where mom made 9 loaves of bread every nine days. Somehow that number just worked out--and they went in the freezer to be pulled out at the rate of one-per-day for a family of six.

Anyway, many years ago now my father told me about this new bread machine kitchen gadget of his and asked for a good bread recipe. I sent him my favorite recipe, and he sent me a bread machine. I thought it seemed pretty silly, but have since realized that it is a labor saver. I make my bread recipe in this machine, always on a manual setting, so after it does all of the work I take the dough out, shape it, and put it in a regular loaf pan to rise and bake. This step makes a big difference in the consistency of the loaf and how long it lasts.

So, if you can tell us about your maker (what shape loaf, what size are you making, and what is the recipe you are using) then I can probably recommend some adjustments in the mix or modifications in the method.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Jess A
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 11:23 AM

thanks John. I had googled fairly extensively but hadn't found this one...

was hoping it would have a helpful hint labelled 'how to make bread that isn't cakey' or similar and it didn't really talk about it, but it does seem to have lots of simple brown bread recipes which I shall have an experiment with.


yum

Subject: RE: BS: Bread maker problems
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 11:12 AM

Take your pick!

Subject: BS: Bread maker problems
From: Jess A
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 11:10 AM

Hiya - I'm hoping for some advice on using my bread maker. Have searched through other old threads on the subject of breadmakers but haven't found anything that quite answers my question...

I've been following the recipes that came with my bread maker religiously and the bread always comes out a little bit cakey - with an almost scone-like texture & flavour. I've so far tried the wholemeal and white recipes and they both seem to have the same sort of problems. The recipes are fairly basic - flour, water, yeast, oil, a little salt, some dried milk powder and some sugar. I've also tried missing out the milk, on the advice of my brother in law who said it solved his cakey-texture problems, but that didn't seem to make much difference to me. I'm contemplating missing out some of the sugar too but presume I need to leave at least a bit in order to feed the yeast. Or is it ny yeast that is teh problem? (I'm using the dried stuff that UK supermarkets sell especially for breadmakers...)

Has anybody else succesfully solved this type of problem? All advice gratefully received...

thanks,
Jess