Bread

[Flummery]

They do a seedy flour too. That's gorgeous but for me the Oatsmill has the edge. I find the bread heavy if you just use the Oatmill or Seedy, but added as about a third of the total, fantabulous!

[northepaul]

Zazen, do you mean you want your bread to be square shaped, like shop bought bread?

[zazen999]

No, just to rise up not out.....i don't want it square at all - more round than anything.

[mrdinkle]

They do a seedy flour too. That's gorgeous but for me the Oatsmill has the edge. I find the bread heavy if you just use the Oatmill or Seedy, but added as about a third of the total, fantabulous!

Yup we use these and they are very nice. I generally do a 500g loaf (200g white, 150g wholemeal, 150g seedy). Also picked up locally milled stuff when we go and see the relatives in hampshire - but again it is too hefty on it's own.

I mostly use the breadmaker to mix the dough, knock it back and use a tin that I purchased from lakeland (upon recommendation from this site) or shape into rolls etc.

[zazen999]

Well, I used another simple 'french bread' recipe and today's has come out absolutely lovely [well, half lovely as I used half the recipe and put it in the pound loaf tin so it 3/4 filled it once risen] so i think I'll stick to this for the time being......

[northepaul]

Maybe where your putting the bread to rise is not warm enough, so its not rising properly?
I had this problem last week, and ended up turing the oven on for 10 mins on 1, then putting the dough in it after I turned it off - it was fine then....hope thats helpful, I am only a novice bread maker myself

[zazen999]

No, it's rising - just sideways not up.....

[nerdgas]

I made a couple of round rustic style loaves (without tins) a couple of months ago using a Jamie recipe and they came out really well.

Once you've mastered the basic recipe then you can start being a bit more flash!

Basic bread dough recipe | Bread recipes & snack recipes | Jamie Oliver recipe

Be warned though that the amounts in this will give you quite a bit of dough.

[zazen999]

I've been baking bread for YEARS by hand [using the bread machine to mix it]; it's just I wanted to make smaller amounts more frequently and wanted it softer......hence upping the water content.....I'm sure I'll find a suitable mix in time.....I've used Jamie's recipe before so I might have a go at that but freeze portions rather than make up shedloads in one go.

Thanks for all the recipes though! Bread fresh every day [or every other day] is GOOD!!!

[annacruachan]

Using half milk and water instead of all water will also give a fluffier crumb, especially with white flour.
I've made bread by hand since my youngest was born forty one years ago and tried all sorts. Currently I make a mix of wholemeal and granary with white to knead with a basinful of different seeds and a good slosh of sunflower oil. It's absolutely scrummy Mr C tells me - I can't eat it as I'm on the Atkins diet!

[Snadger]

No, it's rising - just sideways not up.....

So its siding?

[Flummery]

So its siding?

Sidling along?

[dammad49]

But, I can't chuffin get it to rise VERTICALLY ie up - it just moves HORIZONTALLY ie outways.

I know what is wrong - you're only making female bread!

[Hilary B]

More water makes bread too soft to rise 'upwards', it's that simple.
I never tried it, but I gather you CAN use a very clean (ie brand new) terracotta flowerpot to bake an interesting shaped loaf. It needs thorough greasing to prevent sticking, but I remember being told that it was quite a traditional approach.

[Flummery]

I've tried it Hilary. I found it disappointing - the dough stayed damp in the middle. (Or too hard round the outside if left in long enough to cook the centre.) Something to do with the fact, I suspect, that terracotta doesn't conduct the heat like metal. The old fashioned ranges cooked differently too.