Bread

[zazen999]

I've recently taken [as part of my long term rehab into using my elbow again.....] to making bread without the breadmaker.

But, I can't chuffin get it to rise VERTICALLY ie up - it just moves HORIZONTALLY ie outways. Making every loaf into a flatbread.

AARRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Just thought I'd share.

Thank you for listening.

[Flummery]

Needs a tin. It 'rises' to fill the space available! Usually I use a loaf tin. Sometimes I use a cake tin. Lets you have a different shaped loaf. But you do need sides.
I can smell the loaf I've just taken out of the oven and am trying to ignore - off to the local pub for tea and I don't want to dull the edge of a noble appetite!

[zazen999]

I found with the breadmaker bread, once it was out of the machine; I could shape it and it would rise UP.

I am going to have to dig out the loaf tin, aren't I? I think as I'm using a different mix [more water] this isn't helping either.....

[becslb]

try rekneading and adding more flour - could be that there is too much water for it to rise and then when you make your next loaf, use less water.

I use 400ml water for 1lb 7oz flour as a comparison

[Bren In Pots]

I agree with Flum you need tins, years back I acquired some Hovis ones then bought a few more of ebay.
to make those loaves I use
3lb flour,
1oz yeast
1oz lard
nearly 1 table spoon salt
30 fluid oz warm water

[zazen999]

try rekneading and adding more flour - could be that there is too much water for it to rise and then when you make your next loaf, use less water.

I use 400ml water for 1lb 7oz flour as a comparison

I'm experimenting at the mo....using more water for a better rise so am trying different recipes to my old breadmaker one....

My latest 2 are just out and by golly; yes they are flat but they're tasty!!!

[jackyspratty]

Ive got a nice spanish recipe that uses an oiled bowl on top of the dough which helps it keep shape. If you want it let me know and I'll try and find it
I also agree that no matter what the shape its fantastic!

[zazen999]

Ive got a nice spanish recipe that uses an oiled bowl on top of the dough which helps it keep shape. If you want it let me know and I'll try and find it
I also agree that no matter what the shape its fantastic!

Ooh; I'll try that next time; I have spray oil!!!

[Snadger]

Just mastered how to use the bread machine i.e. add water, add mix and switch on!

Not ready for the real thing yet, but can understand the theory of using a tin!

How do you make a seeded Cob, my favourite then?

[jackyspratty]

Pan Gallego
Makes 1 large loaf

Corn meal for dusting
12oz strong white bresd flour
4oz strong wholemeal
2tsp salt
3/4 oz fresh yeast (Ican never get fresh so use equiv)
9fl oz water
2tbsp olive oil
2tsp pumpkin seeds
2tbsp sunflower seeds
1tbsp millet

Spinkle baking sheet with cornmeal
Put flours and salt together in food procesor to mix
Mix yeast with water
Add to flours with olive oil and process to make a firm dough
Continue until dough is firm and elastic
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise, about 11/2 - 2 hours
Return dough to food procesor and use pulse button to work to a small dough
Turn out on a lightly floured surface and gently nead in the seeds.
Cover dough and leave to rest for 15mins

Shape the dough into a small round ball and using 3 fingers, pinch and twist the centre to make a cap. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet and dust with cornmeal.
Cover with a large upturned oiled bowl leave to rise for 45 mins until doubled in size.

Place an empty roasting tin in the bottom of oven preheat to 220 degrees
pour about 300ml of cold water into tin.
Remove the bowl from the top of the loaf and place the baking sheet in the oven
Bake for 10mins
Remove the pan from the oven and bake for 25-30mins, or until browned and hollow whe tapped
Transfer to rack to cool


Yum yum.....If you want to give your arma agood work out you could do it by hand instead of the food processor of course! Enjoy... its great with soup
Its a soft crumb loaf cos of the olive oil. From Galicia.

[stella]

I make a lot of bread and agree it sounds like a tin you need. Another thing I have found gives a nice taste to the bread is to use porridge oats instead of flour to do the final needing and shaping.

[Mrs Jackson]

What I do when I make bread (and this only works for bread with bakers yeast, not sourdough for some reason) is do the initial kneading, then properly shape it into a round (press flattish then lift top edge and fold into middle then bottom edge and both sides, then turn the whole thing over and turn it around while tucking the edges under as much as you can). Then every hour I repeat the flatten and shape. I do this about 3-4 times before doing the final shaping. For a standard free-standing loaf I press it into a rough rectangle, roll it up tightly towards me, fold the sides into the middle so it's folded into 3, then leave it for 10 minutes for the gluten to relax before pressing it flat and rolling towards me again. Then I cover the whole loaf in rye flour before popping it on a baking tray and leaving to prove. Just before it goes in the oven I cut slashes diagonally, but more lengthways than widthways, before spraying it all over with warm water and sliding into the oven. The tight moulding really helps to get a loaf that rises upwards and the slashing helps the dough to expand more when it first goes into the oven.

Sorry, that was a bit of a waffle, but hopefully it'll help. I've been baking all our own bread by hand for over a year as my youngest has multiple food intolerances and I'm vegetarian. I can't stand shop-bought bread any more!

Mrs J

[Flummery]

A softer dough will certainly give a fluffier bread. This needs a tin. A stiffer dough will rise up to some extent on its own but gives a harder bread which feels a bit 'drier' in the mouth. I've made all ours for years (my kids are 34 and 37 and never had shop bread!). My fave at the moment uses a few ounces of Allinson's Oatmill flour - about 6 oz in a 2lb loaf tin mix. Really tasty - especially as toast!

[HayleyB]

Sorry Zaz but I did laugh. I use a tin well actually a silicon thingy since Heywayne sang the merits for yorkies, but when I make sodabread it stays in a big risen round probably because of all the flour on the try and around it.

[Comfreyfan]

I second the vote for Allinson's Oatmill flour - OH isn't keen, but sometimes I use it just for me!