Making bread

[nicknorman]

Does anyone make bread? I do, although cheat by using a bread machine! Anyway, I have always struggled to make a light multigrain loaf. They taste good but are heavy! They also don't keep well. So I recently tried a flour improver - its just Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) diluted in some flour (since only a tiny amount of Vit C is required. What a difference - my brown / wholemeal / multigrain loaves are now light as a feather (and of course much bigger!). And they seem to keep much better. I would recommend anyone to try it.

[bastion]

Have always had the same problem. White flour always raises well and produced a light loaf and any other flour ended up stodgy. Where do you get the flour improver from?

[Grace and Favour]

Does anyone make bread? I do, although cheat by using a bread machine! Anyway, I have always struggled to make a light multigrain loaf. They taste good but are heavy! They also don't keep well. So I recently tried a flour improver - its just Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) diluted in some flour (since only a tiny amount of Vit C is required. What a difference - my brown / wholemeal / multigrain loaves are now light as a feather (and of course much bigger!). And they seem to keep much better. I would recommend anyone to try it.

 

We make all our own breads.

 

Used to use a breadmaker until a year ago - - (and even then, I found that I was simply using it to knead the dough, and was then taking it out to make rolls (they keep longer than a cut loaf)

 

So now I make from scratch - but use a Kenwood mixer & dough hook to do the hard work for me

 

I've been using the addition of Vitamin C (pure ascorbic - NOT Vit C tablets crushed - they've too many other additives in them) - as well as a teaspoonful of pure ground ginger (powder) (it really helps the rise too, and you cannot taste it!)

 

You're right - of course - the breads do have a more consistent rise - even wholegrain flours . . though having bought a copy of Ciril Hitz's "Artisan Breads" {a truly wonderful manual} I'm currently developing my skills with brioche, pane francese, ciabbatta and baguettes......

 

We've not bought a single loaf of shop/factory bread for six years now - - and have no intention of doing so!!!!!

 

 

Great, innit?

[nicknorman]

Have always had the same problem. White flour always raises well and produced a light loaf and any other flour ended up stodgy. Where do you get the flour improver from?

I got it from Lakeland. The label says "Claybrooke Mill Organic Dough Improver" (address in Claybrooke Magna, Leicestershire, but then rather confusingly says "made in France")

 

Only down side is it was around £7 and has a use-by date of around 3-4 months after you buy it. Contains perhaps 1/2 litre by volume (its a light powder of course) and since only 1-2 teaspoonfulls are required, will probably outlast its use by date for me, an occasional user.

 

As G&F suggests, it would probably be better to buy ascorbic acid powder from a Chemist, but you only need a pinch.

 

G&F you are obviously a bread-god, I feel humble with my little bread maker that I only use from time to time. However, retirement beckons and then maybe I will do more!

Edited January 29, 2013 by nicknorman

[Guest]

 

Used to use a breadmaker until a year ago - - (and even then, I found that I was simply using it to knead the dough, and was then taking it out to make rolls (they keep longer than a cut loaf)

 

 

Funny you should post that I think you had a Pansonic like ours and ours is getting less and less use for actually baking the bread but more for just making dough - it makes great Pizza dough for example, but I've found of late the results on the actual baking side of things have been less than 100% successful.

 

I don't know if ours is faulty but I often find the outside of the bread is too scorched when the crust setting is on 'dark'. I too was contemplating just making the dough in a mixer and ditching the bread maker which at only two years old is disappointing to say the least.

[Grace and Favour]

Have always had the same problem. White flour always raises well and produced a light loaf and any other flour ended up stodgy. Where do you get the flour improver from?

 

Pure Vitamin C powder from Holland & Barratt - - a 100g pot will last you for years! (and it's perfectly safe to ignore sell-by / use/by dates)

 

Funny you should post that I think you had a Pansonic like ours and ours is getting less and less use for actually baking the bread but more for just making dough - it makes great Pizza dough for example, but I've found of late the results on the actual baking side of things have been less than 100% successful.

 

I don't know if ours is faulty but I often find the outside of the bread is too scorched when the crust setting is on 'dark'. I too was contemplating just making the dough in a mixer and ditching the bread maker which at only two years old is disappointing to say the least.

 

Aye - we had a Panasonic (and gave it away to a grateful young couple) - and I too thought that the baking process was becoming a tad less accurate - (Though God knows how many 1000's of loaves we'd baked with it - in harsh winters I was baking 3 - 4 loaves a day for the wildlife!!!)

 

I have to say that 2 years is 2 short (see what I did there! ) an expected life - - I wonder if you should have a gentle word with customer services at Panasonic???

 

Have to admit that although scratch baking takes up (much more) time - - it's extremely enjoyable

 

 

 

 

(Yes Nick - - I'm now retired and have the time to play at being a baker/boater/general geek!)

[nicknorman]

I don't know if ours is faulty but I often find the outside of the bread is too scorched when the crust setting is on 'dark'. I too was contemplating just making the dough in a mixer and ditching the bread maker which at only two years old is disappointing to say the least.

Shouldn't you try it on "light" then?

 

Pure Vitamin C powder from Holland & Barratt - - a 100g pot will last you for years! (and it's perfectly safe to ignore sell-by / use/by dates)

 

 

how much do you put in, say, a 500g loaf?

[Guest]

 

Have to admit that although scratch baking takes up (much more) time - - it's extremely enjoyable

 

 

I shall speak to the first mate and will decide, I'm not sure if our Kenwood came with 'dough' hooks she will know.

 

I may speak to Pansonic as to me if it has a setting that says 'Dark' it should not result in 'scorched'. It always worked correctly when it was new and see know reason why it no longer should.

[Grace and Favour]

Shouldn't you try it on "light" then?

 

 

 

how much do you put in, say, a 500g loaf?

 

I just about cover 2mmof a teaspoon tip

[nicknorman]

I just about cover 2mmof a teaspoon tip

Ta - I'll try that when the expensive tub runs out!

[Jo_]

We make all our own breads.

We've not bought a single loaf of shop/factory bread for six years now - - and have no intention of doing so!!!!!

 

 

Great, innit?

 

What a pity you aren't down the road any longer ... I should have put in my regular order when you were there. Then I could have just scoooped it up on my way past!

 

I was making my own when we last had a thread on this running but stopped for no particular reason and, funnily enough, was thinking only this afternoon that I should get stuck in again.

 

Jo

[Grace and Favour]

What a pity you aren't down the road any longer ... I should have put in my regular order when you were there. Then I could have just scoooped it up on my way past!

 

I was making my own when we last had a thread on this running but stopped for no particular reason and, funnily enough, was thinking only this afternoon that I should get stuck in again.

 

Jo

 

I knew I'd have to move before I mentioned it again! :blush:

 

You both keeping well, Jo?

[Ex- Member]

Lynn's planning to make bread on the boat, so the tip for using this vit C stuff might be useful. Lynn used to make bread with a b/maker an Anthony Worrel Thompson machine, really good and I do recall wholmeal bread was always heavier. On the boat though it will have to be made in the gas oven.

 

The other bonus is I was recently advised that I'm at risk of Diabetes, making your own bread means you can dramatically reduce the amount of sugar in the bread. I found bread actually tastier with reduced sugar. It's also possible to make bread wih no sugar at all, there's some recipes on the net, its more of a different metthod than ingredients.

 

The excess amount of salt & sugar & fat inbrand name & supermarket bread and pastries is probably the main reason for obecity in this country along with cereals aimed predominantly at children, I've been astonished since looking at labeling and ingrediants especially sugar levels, it really is mind blowing what we're being fed.

 

Interesting info here.

http://www.content4r...essed-foods.htm

Edited January 29, 2013 by Julynian

[nicknorman]

Lynn's planning to make bread on the boat, so the tip for using this vit C stuff might be useful. Lynn used to make bread with a b/maker an Anthony Worrel Thompson machine, really good and I do recall wholmeal bread was always heavier. On the boat though it will have to be made in the gas oven.

 

The other bonus is I was recently advised that I'm at risk of Diabetes, making your own bread means you can dramatically reduce the amount of sugar in the bread. I found bread actually tastier with reduced sugar. It's also possible to make bread wih no sugar at all, there's some recipes on the net, its more of a different metthod than ingredients.

 

The excess amount of salt & sugar & fat inbrand name & supermarket bread and pastries is probably the main reason for obecity in this country along with cereals aimed predominantly at children, I've been astonished since looking at labeling and ingrediants especially sugar levels, it really is mind blowing what we're being fed.

 

Interesting info here.

http://www.content4r...essed-foods.htm

Yes it is good to be in control of what goes into your food. I am trying to cut down on salt at the moment and find that halving the salt in the bread recipe doesn't make a lot of difference to the bake, and you become accustomed to the taste.

 

Trouble is, I used to love cake. Then I started baking them, and now I know just how unhealthy the ingredients are, it puts me off eating it!

[BargeeSpud]

Here's a useful tip for users of breadmakers.

 

If your machine will allow you to pause the program, hit pause the second before it starts the final rise. Remove the dough carefully, remove the paddle, then butter the paddle spindle & gently replace the dough minus the paddle. Resume the program & when its finished you get a loaf with only a small hole in it instead of the usual whacking great paddle shaped hole in the bottom.

 

You will benefit from a separate timer to alert you to the time when your program reaches the point you want the pause. I set mine to 2 mins before so that I'm ready to hit pause.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Spuds

[Ex- Member]

Yes it is good to be in control of what goes into your food. I am trying to cut down on salt at the moment and find that halving the salt in the bread recipe doesn't make a lot of difference to the bake, and you become accustomed to the taste.

 

Trouble is, I used to love cake. Then I started baking them, and now I know just how unhealthy the ingredients are, it puts me off eating it!

 

I's a bummer innit, you can make bread without sugar and not cake. I find Honey a good substitute, have it on porridge and on toast and can be used in cooking. Honey I think I'm right in saying is the only food on the planet that won't go off.

 

 

 

BTW I find Olives great as a salty tasting food without the salt. I originally didn't like them, but they are extremely good for you so I perservered and am now almost addicted to them, green ones that is, black ones is anotther story

[nicknorman]

BTW I find Olives great as a salty tasting food without the salt. I originally didn't like them, but they are extremely good for you so I perservered and am now almost addicted to them, green ones that is, black ones is anotther story

Having made many work trips to S of France in the last few years, I acquired a taste for Tapenade, which if you haven't tried it is a kind of olive paste to be had on bread (your freshly made home baked bread of course) etc. As usual with these things, it never seems quite as good when bought in the UK but fortunately I have been able to bring a stash back with me - you can get it with various extras including almonds, tomatoes etc. Yummy, and healthy!

[Grace and Favour]

I's a bummer innit, you can make bread without sugar and not cake. I find Honey a good substitute, have it on porridge and on toast and can be used in cooking. Honey I think I'm right in saying is the only food on the planet that won't go off.

 

 

 

BTW I find Olives great as a salty tasting food without the salt. I originally didn't like them, but they are extremely good for you so I perservered and am now almost addicted to them, green ones that is, black ones is anotther story

 

The reason why olives are so wonderfully salty - - is that they are preserved in brine (!- - honest!)

 

Having made many work trips to S of France in the last few years, I acquired a taste for Tapenade, which if you haven't tried it is a kind of olive paste to be had on bread (your freshly made home baked bread of course) etc. As usual with these things, it never seems quite as good when bought in the UK but fortunately I have been able to bring a stash back with me - you can get it with various extras including almonds, tomatoes etc. Yummy, and healthy!

 

Tapenade recipes

 

Lynn's planning to make bread on the boat, so the tip for using this vit C stuff might be useful. Lynn used to make bread with a b/maker an Anthony Worrel Thompson machine, really good and I do recall wholmeal bread was always heavier. On the boat though it will have to be made in the gas oven.

 

The other bonus is I was recently advised that I'm at risk of Diabetes, making your own bread means you can dramatically reduce the amount of sugar in the bread. I found bread actually tastier with reduced sugar. It's also possible to make bread wih no sugar at all, there's some recipes on the net, its more of a different metthod than ingredients.

 

The excess amount of salt & sugar & fat inbrand name & supermarket bread and pastries is probably the main reason for obecity in this country along with cereals aimed predominantly at children, I've been astonished since looking at labeling and ingrediants especially sugar levels, it really is mind blowing what we're being fed.

 

Interesting info here.

http://www.content4r...essed-foods.htm

Get a copy of Cryil Hitz's book link, he hardly ever uses sugar in his recipes, and it's a superbly educating read

[nicknorman]

The reason why olives are so wonderfully salty - - is that they are preserved in brine (!- - honest!)

 

Tapenade recipes

That made me check the ingredients on the Tapenade from Provence: green olives, capers, garlic, basil, olive oil, herbes de Provence, cognac. No salt! and since they grow the olives on the premises, hopefully no need to preserve in brine.

 

The beeb recipe include anchovies which, since they live in brine, are probably quite salty!

Edited January 29, 2013 by nicknorman

[costalot]

Jan used to make all our bread kneading it in a breadmaker. Since moving onto the boat she does it all by hand and has a “no kneading” recipe.

 

Ingredients

1¾ cups of warm water

1 tsp salt

1 dsp yeast

3¼ cups bread flour (whatever she can find in Sainsbury’s or Tesco

 

Method

Put flour in bowl

Put yeast on one side and salt on the other

Add warm water and stir

Cover and leave in warm location for 2 hours to allow it to rise

Shape the dough, put in the bread tin or on a tray and cover. Leave to rise for 1 hour

Pre-heat oven to Gas mark 7

Bake bread 30-35 minutes.

 

NOTE: Dough can be sticky so use flour to shape

[lewisericeric]

I sometimes make a soda bread which is really easy as you just add your flour and bicarbonate and give it a quick stir.... Pop itin the oven straight away. No kneading or anything like that but again, it is heavier than normal bread... Does make good toast though!

[Ex- Member]

Thanks all for the foodie tips.

 

I made some traditional Cornish pasties ealier today, unbelievably yummy and blown away at the success of my first attempt. Made our own mince beef and veg pie the other day as well, this home cooking is really nice and we know exactly what's going in to the food. Just brilliant, First attempt at Soda Bread tomorrow I think. Lynn will be baking her first hand made loaf tomorrow as well, It's risen lovely so will hopefully be ok.

 

 

 

[Grace and Favour]

That's a fair-looking pasty, my compliments to the Chef!

[bowten]

That's a fair-looking pasty, my compliments to the Chef!

Mekin yer feel hungry is it,wot yer got fer supper?

[bizzard]

Egg wash the loafs crown and sprinkle ''Punch Puran'' a mixture of spice seeds available at Indian deli shops, before baking.

The aroma whilst baking and the eating is absolutely out of this world.