Author Topic: The Bread Thread  (Read 107904 times)

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
The Bread Thread
« on: 21 February, 2013, 11:27:13 pm »
I've fired up the Panasonic  for the first time in ages to make a stonking great big seeded white loaf. I'm looking forward to the morning when it's cooled down.

Looks like the ketogenic diet is going to be on hold for a while...   

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #1 on: 22 February, 2013, 09:35:55 pm »
We've been firing up our Panasonic three or four times every week for at least 9 years. It's one of the best investments we've ever made. The bread is invariably excellent and costs a fraction of the inferior product that you pick up from the supermarket or baker's shop. The best thing to complement this bread, in my view, is the Seville orange marmalade that I make. I just wish I had the wherewithal to keep and milk a cow so that I could make my own butter.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

dasmoth

  • Techno-optimist
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #2 on: 23 February, 2013, 11:59:29 am »
My first attempt at a sourdough loaf is currently rising!  Finger crossed...
Half term's when the traffic becomes mysteriously less bad for a week.

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #3 on: 23 February, 2013, 02:56:05 pm »
Crossed with what?

Usually bake a half wholemeal/half seeded white loaf, but currently trying 25/75 mixture for a change. 40 min to go...

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #4 on: 24 February, 2013, 11:22:42 am »
I got a bread machine a couple of weeks ago. Having mulled it over for some time and dismissed it on grounds of space (small kitchen) and having that rare thing, a nearby bakery that sells decent bread, I found by chance a machine for only £12 in a charity shop. Bargain! And indeed it is. So far I'm making white loaves in the week (cos that what Little Cudzo likes in his sandwiches) and wholemeal at the weekend (cos that what his parents like), nothing more ambitious yet, but I've noticed an oddity: the wholemeal loaves rise at the sides but not in the middle - at first I thought this was due to old yeast, but it's not - and the white ones rise ok, but the mixing hook always gets stuck inside the loaf! I can't work out why this happens with white loaves only, but in any case, both types taste pretty good.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #5 on: 24 February, 2013, 12:05:49 pm »

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #6 on: 24 February, 2013, 12:29:42 pm »
Is he wearing a cottage loaf on his head?
Getting there...

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #7 on: 24 February, 2013, 01:12:32 pm »
Cudzo, try adding a little vitamin c to your wholemeal loaves.
Science - http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/nov/24/foodanddrink.baking13
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #8 on: 25 February, 2013, 07:19:52 pm »
Thanks - I'll add vit C to my shopping list.

I think I'll try warmer water too. I see that recipe says "warm water", the instructions with my machine say "cool water, 20C" which was puzzling me since 20C doesn't seem like cool water to me (unless I was having a bath in it...).
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #9 on: 25 February, 2013, 08:22:51 pm »
I got a bread machine a couple of weeks ago. Having mulled it over for some time and dismissed it on grounds of space (small kitchen) and having that rare thing, a nearby bakery that sells decent bread, I found by chance a machine for only £12 in a charity shop. Bargain! And indeed it is. So far I'm making white loaves in the week (cos that what Little Cudzo likes in his sandwiches) and wholemeal at the weekend (cos that what his parents like), nothing more ambitious yet, but I've noticed an oddity: the wholemeal loaves rise at the sides but not in the middle - at first I thought this was due to old yeast, but it's not - and the white ones rise ok, but the mixing hook always gets stuck inside the loaf! I can't work out why this happens with white loaves only, but in any case, both types taste pretty good.


We've got a Panasonic, and it started doing this intermittently at first, especially on the timer function.  A google suggests it's a not an uncommon phenomenon.  Panasonic blame the flour. I make a 50/50 mix on the basic program.  It's really annoying as it made perfect HUGE loaves for about 2 years, now they are either dense but a nice small shape, or sunk in the middle.  The wholemeal program is a disaster!
"Il veut moins de riches, moi je veux moins de pauvres"

dasmoth

  • Techno-optimist
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #10 on: 27 February, 2013, 01:07:21 pm »
My first attempt at a sourdough loaf is currently rising!  Finger crossed...

The first one ended up slightly under-baked and doughy.  But had another go yesterday and 'twas nommy.  This may have to become a regular occurrence (especially if I want to keep the bowl of yeast in the airing cupboard under control!)
Half term's when the traffic becomes mysteriously less bad for a week.

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #11 on: 27 February, 2013, 01:21:35 pm »
My first attempt at a sourdough loaf is currently rising!  Finger crossed...

The first one ended up slightly under-baked and doughy.  But had another go yesterday and 'twas nommy.  This may have to become a regular occurrence (especially if I want to keep the bowl of yeast in the airing cupboard under control!)
It gets even better over the first few loaves. And yes, you have to bake mostly daily, unless you want to do the throw away half and replenish thing, which seems a bit wasteful.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #12 on: 27 February, 2013, 01:25:37 pm »
We've got a Panasonic, and it started doing this intermittently at first, especially on the timer function.  A google suggests it's a not an uncommon phenomenon.  Panasonic blame the flour. I make a 50/50 mix on the basic program.  It's really annoying as it made perfect HUGE loaves for about 2 years, now they are either dense but a nice small shape, or sunk in the middle.  The wholemeal program is a disaster!

I don't own a panasonic, but of the machines I've had the wholemeal program has been rubbish, and had better results for wholemeal bread from the standard white setting (+ darker setting). Sinking in the middle can also be from having too much water in the mix.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #13 on: 27 February, 2013, 01:32:09 pm »
Thanks - I'll add vit C to my shopping list.

I think I'll try warmer water too. I see that recipe says "warm water", the instructions with my machine say "cool water, 20C" which was puzzling me since 20C doesn't seem like cool water to me (unless I was having a bath in it...).

You can get vitamin C powder - pure ascorbic acid - but it's sold "under the counter" as it were, you have to be looked up and down by the pharmacist because apparently it's used as a cutting agent by drug dealers.

The tablets contain all sorts of other stuff as well as ascorbic acid, but probably not enough to worry about in a whole loaf.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #14 on: 27 February, 2013, 01:34:39 pm »
We've got a Panasonic, and it started doing this intermittently at first, especially on the timer function.  A google suggests it's a not an uncommon phenomenon.  Panasonic blame the flour. I make a 50/50 mix on the basic program.  It's really annoying as it made perfect HUGE loaves for about 2 years, now they are either dense but a nice small shape, or sunk in the middle.  The wholemeal program is a disaster!

I don't own a panasonic, but of the machines I've had the wholemeal program has been rubbish, and had better results for wholemeal bread from the standard white setting (+ darker setting). Sinking in the middle can also be from having too much water in the mix.

Thanks I'll give that a go
"Il veut moins de riches, moi je veux moins de pauvres"

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #15 on: 27 February, 2013, 01:47:40 pm »
Thanks - I'll add vit C to my shopping list.

I think I'll try warmer water too. I see that recipe says "warm water", the instructions with my machine say "cool water, 20C" which was puzzling me since 20C doesn't seem like cool water to me (unless I was having a bath in it...).

You can get vitamin C powder - pure ascorbic acid - but it's sold "under the counter" as it were, you have to be looked up and down by the pharmacist because apparently it's used as a cutting agent by drug dealers.

The tablets contain all sorts of other stuff as well as ascorbic acid, but probably not enough to worry about in a whole loaf.
Holland & Barrett do jars of Vit C without having to ask for it.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #16 on: 27 February, 2013, 10:31:14 pm »
Thanks - I'll add vit C to my shopping list.

I think I'll try warmer water too. I see that recipe says "warm water", the instructions with my machine say "cool water, 20C" which was puzzling me since 20C doesn't seem like cool water to me (unless I was having a bath in it...).

You can get vitamin C powder - pure ascorbic acid - but it's sold "under the counter" as it were, you have to be looked up and down by the pharmacist because apparently it's used as a cutting agent by drug dealers.

The tablets contain all sorts of other stuff as well as ascorbic acid, but probably not enough to worry about in a whole loaf.
Holland & Barrett do jars of Vit C without having to ask for it.
But that's a health food shop, none of those hippies would be doing drugs, surely?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

dasmoth

  • Techno-optimist
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #17 on: 03 March, 2013, 07:35:17 pm »
I've just discovered BakeryBits.  Do NOT click that link if you're already short of storage space in the kitchen.
Half term's when the traffic becomes mysteriously less bad for a week.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #18 on: 12 March, 2013, 09:38:45 pm »
Proving baskets - discuss....
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

dasmoth

  • Techno-optimist
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #19 on: 12 March, 2013, 11:45:09 pm »
Proving baskets - discuss....

I'm kind-of after one...

Emily (rightly) asks where we'll keep it, though!
Half term's when the traffic becomes mysteriously less bad for a week.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #20 on: 12 March, 2013, 11:54:42 pm »
We do half-and=half loaves mostly: 25 grammes while flour, 250 of wholemeal. Occasionally w do granary.

Our paddle (panasonic) gets stuck in the bread every time now, but we must have made more than 1500 loaves now. I don't mind. It usually tears a bit out of the middle o the loaf, but I eat that bit hot.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #21 on: 13 March, 2013, 07:36:35 am »
Proving baskets - discuss....

Rather spherical.

What is it that it achieves that a plastic bowl covered with a lightly oiled piece of cling film does not? 

I always used to cover with cloth because that's what I always did, but there is no detectable difference. (For the last 10 years I haven't had to cover with anything, thanks to my oven, but that's another story)

Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #22 on: 13 March, 2013, 11:10:28 am »
We bake several loaves a week and have done for many many years.  We mainly bake the recipe from the Panasonic book that uses 350 wholemeal and 150 strong white.  The paddle rarely gets stuck with that recipe.

R

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #23 on: 13 March, 2013, 11:24:10 am »
We do half-and=half loaves mostly: 25 grammes while flour, 250 of wholemeal. Occasionally w do granary.

Our paddle (panasonic) gets stuck in the bread every time now, but we must have made more than 1500 loaves now. I don't mind. It usually tears a bit out of the middle o the loaf, but I eat that bit hot.
25 grammes while the flour does what?  :D
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Bread Thread
« Reply #24 on: 13 March, 2013, 10:53:24 pm »
Tonight's loaf is the best bread so far. Because: more than enough yeast and a little bit of Vit C!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.