Bread making

[DocArbathnot]

Hi I have been using a Panasonic bread maker for the few weeks, very happy with the results except the crust.

I've only tried a few recipies so far (from the panasonic book) and really like the French Loaf, but how do I make it crusty or is this just a breadmaker thing I have to live with?

[calibrax]

Brush dough with water before baking, that helps it go crusty.

Also, remember that a breadmaker doesn't heat from the top - so you may be better off making the dough in the breadmaker (so it does all the hard work!), then take out the finished dough and do the final bake in a normal oven.

[jet_noise]

Dear DA,

I've never been able to get it as crusty as a shop bought loaf but a couple of things help.

how long are you leaving it in the pan after cooking?
If you leave it for long, say > 30 mins water in the loaf softens the crust. I leave it for maybe 10mins only to ease the removal - paddle doesn't stick.

How are you cooling the loaf?
Needs to be on a rack. Longer you leave it, crustier it gets.

You can adjust the degree of bake light to dark,

regards,
Jet

[Mobile Chicane]

calibrax said:

Brush dough with water before baking, that helps it go crusty.

Also, remember that a breadmaker doesn't heat from the top - so you may be better off making the dough in the breadmaker (so it does all the hard work!), then take out the finished dough and do the final bake in a normal oven.

This is what I'd do. In the oven, hot as it will go, top spritzed with water.

[illmonkey]

My breadmaker makes 'orrible bread, its like cake. We only use it for pizza bases now. Although I like to make it by hand, it needs it far better and its much easier to roll out from the bread machine.

Recipes (for bread) anyone?

[IanA2]

illmonkey said:

My breadmaker makes 'orrible bread, its like cake. We only use it for pizza bases now. Although I like to make it by hand, it needs it far better and its much easier to roll out from the bread machine.

Recipes (for bread) anyone?

It's 'orrible flour what makes 'orrid bread......

[IanA2]

illmonkey said:

My breadmaker makes 'orrible bread, its like cake. We only use it for pizza bases now. Although I like to make it by hand, it needs it far better and its much easier to roll out from the bread machine.

Recipes (for bread) anyone?

It's 'orrible flour what makes 'orrid bread......

[illmonkey]

IanA2 said:

illmonkey said:

My breadmaker makes 'orrible bread, its like cake. We only use it for pizza bases now. Although I like to make it by hand, it needs it far better and its much easier to roll out from the bread machine.

Recipes (for bread) anyone?

It's 'orrible flour what makes 'orrid bread......

Using waitrose bread flour normally. Or '00' imported Italian flour for pizza bases.

[juliann]

Waitrose Canadian flour - dive to the back of the shelf for the longest use-by, younger the better. Same for the yeast packets - younger the better and once open , keep in the fridge for only a couple of weeks.
Panasonic recipe for French is good, or try adding some roasted pumpkin seeds.

For better crust, finish in the oven and cool completely before storing

[RizzoTheRat]

I find taking the loaf out a few minutes after its it's finished is the best way to get a good crust. I usually use the timer overnight so it's ready to make sandwiches in the morning, but this means I don't have time to let it fully cool on the rack, so my first days sarnies are lovely and crunchy, but I often have to put it away while it's still warm which means the next days it's got a softer tougher crust.

from memory the recipe I use in my Panasonic is
1/2 teaspoon fast acting dried yeast
1 tablespoon milk powder
200 grams sainsburys white breadmaking flour
200 grams Allisons wholemeal seed and grain or Hovis Granary flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
15g margarine
270g water.

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Tuesday 10th September 13:54

[DocArbathnot]

Thanks, so dough only and finish in the oven.

[IanA2]

juliann said:

Waitrose Canadianflour - dive to the back of the shelf for the longest use-by, younger the better. Same for the yeast packets - younger the better and once open , keep in the fridge for only a couple of weeks.
Panasonic recipe for French is good, or try adding some roasted pumpkin seeds.

For better crust, finish in the oven and cool completely before storing

Waitrose Canadian is good. Marriages imho is better, stockists here: http://flour.co.uk/stockists

[IanA2]

juliann said:

Waitrose Canadianflour - dive to the back of the shelf for the longest use-by, younger the better. Same for the yeast packets - younger the better and once open , keep in the fridge for only a couple of weeks.
Panasonic recipe for French is good, or try adding some roasted pumpkin seeds.

For better crust, finish in the oven and cool completely before storing

Waitrose Canadian is good. Marriages imho is better, stockists here: http://flour.co.uk/stockists

[74merc]

RizzoTheRat said:

I find taking the loaf out a few minutes after its it's finished is the best way to get a good crust. I usually use the timer overnight so it's ready to make sandwiches in the morning, but this means I don't have time to let it fully cool on the rack, so my first days sarnies are lovely and crunchy, but I often have to put it away while it's still warm which means the next days it's got a softer tougher crust.

from memory the recipe I use in my Panasonic is
1/2 teaspoon fast acting dried yeast
1 tablespoon milk powder
200 grams sainsburys white breadmaking flour
200 grams Allisons wholemeal seed and grain or Hovis Granary flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
15g margarine
170g water.

You sure you are not using 270ml of water? I've never used milk powder, does it do anything or make the bread taste different?

[RizzoTheRat]

Ooops, typ0. Yes, 270ml.

A lot of recipes use milk in the dough, I'm using milk powder and water as I leave it in the machine overnight.

I did a bit of hand baking using some of Paul Hollywood's recipes back in the summer, he uses a hell of a lot more yeast and no milk, and tends to make a fantastic loaf. Obviously it takes a lot longer to do it all by hand though. Got a Kenwood Chef on the wedding list which should take some of the effort out of making by hand.

[juliann]

IanA2 said:

Waitrose Canadian is good. Marriages imho is better, stockists here: http://flour.co.uk/stockists

Interesting, will have to try them side by side. A few years ago, they were one & the same - will check to see if Marriages still pack this for Waitrose.

Used to make me laugh when I was involved in milling that due to the volume nature of the larger mills, it wasn't worth switching wheats for changing production to 'value' soft flours vs 'std' soft flours, so the trick was to blend a bit of bran back into the 'value' flour to make it look a bit less white. Value flour was (is still ?) arguably better for you than std flour

[juliann]

DocArbathnot said:

Thanks, so dough only and finish in the oven.

Not sure that's what people mean. Let it finish a bread setting in the breadmaker(or take out a few mins before), then give it a quick blast in the oven to develop the crust.

[IanA2]

juliann said:

IanA2 said:

Waitrose Canadian is good. Marriages imho is better, stockists here: http://flour.co.uk/stockists

Interesting, will have to try them side by side. A few years ago, they were one & the same - will check to see if Marriages still pack this for Waitrose.

That would be interesting.

[DocArbathnot]

juliann said:

DocArbathnot said:

Thanks, so dough only and finish in the oven.

Not sure that's what people mean. Let it finish a bread setting in the breadmaker(or take out a few mins before), then give it a quick blast in the oven to develop the crust.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...............I'll try this next time what do you think 5 or 10mins at say 220?

[calibrax]

juliann said:

DocArbathnot said:

Thanks, so dough only and finish in the oven.

Not sure that's what people mean. Let it finish a bread setting in the breadmaker(or take out a few mins before), then give it a quick blast in the oven to develop the crust.

No, he's got it. Jut remember to spritz the dough with water when you put it in the oven, it's the combination of high heat & water that make a good crust.