Bread making

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kevinp

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Bread making
« on: August 31, 2010, 19:46 »
I just need some advice on my bread maker or rather the making of brown or granary bread as every time I make these types which are my favourite, they always collapse with about 40 minutes to go. If I make white bread they will rise and stay up and I have no problems with them.

I made two loaves this weekend a hovies granary failed, and a tesco brown loaf and that also failed I follow the instructions to the tee.

The bread maker is a Morphy Richards fastbake, I don't use the fast bake by the way.

Any ideas ?

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hamstergbert

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2010, 19:37 »
Try using the 'dough' setting (takes about an hour and a half to an hour forty) with the standard machine recipe book for white loaf but change the flour from white to wholemeal or a mix of the two.

On completion of that, dust a worktop with flour and turn the dough out onto it.   Carefully unpick any dough that stays behind and bung it onto the dough ball and then give it a good wellying - heel of the hand, stretch the dough away from you then fold back towards you and do it again.  There is probably a proper technique here, but I just keep slapping it around - knead flat and fold up - for about five mins.  

Drop it into a loaf tin (I always use a 2lb loaf tin even for the 1lb ingedient mix although a midway between 1lb and 1.5lb works best.  Hey ho.) that has been wiped out with a bit of oil and use your knuckles to punch it into a slab that fills the bottom of the tin.  Turn it out and put it back in the tin upside down and do the same again, and again a couple of times.  Finally when ready or bored, cover the tin with a clean tea towel and leave the covered tin somewhere out of the draughts.  

Usually takes about an hour or an hour and a half this time of year in a reasonably warm place, longer in winter.  The higher the wholemeal proportion, the slower it seems to go.  The aim is to check when it has roughly doubled in size. (1.25lb loaf in a 2lb tin is ready when it has a pronounced top bulging an inch or so above the top edge of the tin.)  25 mins in the oven at about 200 (fan oven - 215 without) turning about 7 mins from the end (especially if your oven door seal is 'crepe' like ours) to get the top evenly done.  Extend the time if you prefer a high bake.

Let it cool thoroughly and then eat it.  All of it.  Do not share with anyone - let 'em bake their own.  You may however allow them to stand in the kitchen and inhale the aroma of fresh bread.

Incidentally I find a particularly nice mix is 2/3 wholemeal to 1/3 white.
Other thing to try is change your fast action yeast - Allinson fast action in sachets seems consistently reliable.

None of the above is presented as being the right way to do it, all I can say is it consistently works for me.   I no longer use the breadmaker on anything other than the dough setting these days!
« Last Edit: September 01, 2010, 19:39 by hamstergbert »
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kevinp

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2010, 19:44 »
Thanks for the reply I have made by hand but was bought this by my sister, my first was a 1lb machine which was too small so a year later she bought me this one. as I said its never done a proper brown loaf so I might try it your way at the week end . And I agree if you want to eat bread bake your own no point drooling over MINE :lol:

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Missy1970

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2010, 20:34 »
Hi 

I have MR FastBake (like you I dont use the fastbake option!) are you using the Granary packet mixes or recipe?  I do find the packets a little hit and miss.

I prefer the French Bread recipe for loaves however we don't eat a lot of bread I mostly use mine to make dough for rolls for our lunches I tend to make a 50/50 dough I follow the main white roll recipe although use 50/50 white - wholemeal flour with 2 tablespoons of  skimmed milk powder - found this out by accident that extra milk powder helps keep them lighter.  I also use halfspoon sugar and low sodium salt this doesnt seem to affect the recipe

I love my breadmaker OH said it would just collect dust in the cupboard 12 months on its out every other day and he can no longer stand shop bought rolls I do love reminding him of that :D

 



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kevinp

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2010, 20:43 »
Hi Missy

Yes I am using the mixes I did have everything to make my own but never managed one good loaf but as I said its only the white mixes. I will also give your way a go as I love the bread when it does make them :)  and much prefer it to bought bread.

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agingchick

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2010, 17:52 »
Hi I have a Morphy Richards Fastbake and like Missy I use 50/50 mix with white and wholemeal flour I also add 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin c powder which is supposed to make it lighter. I also add sunflower seeds for extra taste I could never go back to brought bread.
Diane
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hamstergbert

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2010, 20:10 »
Would recommend against using the mixes unless you really, really want to.  Measuring out and using your own ingredients puts you in control (within reason - we need to remember that bread making is not so much an art and more of a science especially as far as being casual with the weights and measures goes!).  We tried a few mixes when we first got the beastie (over ten years ago we think) with varying degrees of success and otehrwise.  Would definitely not give up my stash of strong bread flours and the rest now!

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Madame Cholet

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2010, 20:48 »
I gave up using mine I could never get the mixture right, I use it to bake cakes now.

I find by hand allows you to feel the consistancy of the dough I only kneed it and rise it once takes about 15mins plus rising time. I also found I wasn't organised enough and would forget to start it ect. I now bake about 4 in the oven and freeze them.
However you make it home made taste miles better!
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kevinp

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2010, 06:57 »
Thanks for all the replys and help everyone  :)  It is annoying as the bread maker I had before would do all loaves perfect but it only made a pound loaf so it was a bit small.

agingchick I take it you are not using the mixes then ? and are buying all the seperate ingredients ?


If I want to make my own from scratch with the bread maker has anyone got a list or recommend what flours and other bits and pieces I need to make a truly good brown loaf either granary or just brown or even half and half as lots of you have mentioned.

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DD.

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2010, 07:16 »
In common with a lot of people, I only use the machine to make the dough. It then goes into tins into the oven. I can get two loaves the size of one that I'd get out of the machine, so of course it's much lighter.

If you use 20% strong white flour to 80% wholemeal, you'll get a much better rise. (In my case that's 400g wholemeal to 100g strong white).
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

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DD.

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2010, 10:52 »
Fresh out: 12 x basil & sundried tomato mini loaves. Dough made in the break maker from the proportions previously posted.

Try squeezing them into the breadmaker pan!


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kevinp

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2010, 12:37 »
now I'm hungry :lol:

they look great I will have to try this at the weekend.

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agingchick

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2010, 13:42 »
Hi Kevinp I don't use bread mixes any more I found they didn't really work in the machine I tried using the dough setting and finishing off by hand but as I have arthritus in my hands  :( it's not something I want to do again. As I make as least 2 loaves a week I soon get though all the ingredients and it takes me less than 10 mins to measure everything and set it going then forget about it till the smell reminds you.  :)  You can't beat the smell of fresh bread :)
Diane

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polly nator

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2010, 11:38 »
I dont use the ready made bread mixes either (except for Wrights tomato and parmesan) - but I do mix different types of flours. If I am making granary style bread I always mix the malted grain flour with strong white. I now try to buy the super strong white flour.  If you look around beyond the supermarkets you will find lots of lovely grainy flours made by smaller mills. Try a few to find which you like best. For example my favourites are milled by Sunflours in Yorkshire and available in some delicatessens or health food shops in Yorkshire. I first bought some  in Harrogate. So have a look around a see what you can find where you live. Happy baking!!

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Madame Cholet

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Re: Bread making
« Reply #14 on: September 06, 2010, 22:46 »
My other half has a passion for old machinery so we spend many weekends at restored mills and steam rallies, there are some lovely flours around. I mix wholmeal with  white and others to lighten it and add crunchy bits!

I've recently discovered marriages flours which are very good special show price £1.00 bag.
umm all this food talk I think I need a slice of bread and jam.




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