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I just inherited an automatic Breadmaker. I followed the receipe for French bread. It called for 8 -10 oz of water. It was not enough. The flour did not mix due to lack of fluid. Where did I go wrong? I might not have understood the recipe. Someone please help?
An inexperienced baker !!!
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6 Comments:
Hi naslin,
When I first got my breadmaker (which I use regularly and love), I had a lot of trouble getting the liquid ratio correct. Because of differences in humidity, temperature, and elevation, liquid amount can vary widely - even in the same house in different seasons. I find that in winter, when it's dryer, I use a few tbsp. more water than in humid summer. Also, the protein content of your flour will affect the amount of water to use. I just baked and baked, varying the amount of water, until my loaf came out right - then I followed that recipe.
There's also a good chance your recipe was misprinted. Look online to find alternative recipes for the bread you want to make, and compare their liquid levels. That has been a big help to me!
Good luck. Breadmakers may irritate purists, but I love mine. They're great tools.
producestories at 3:25PM on 05/13/08
I don't have a breadmaker but I think it's a great tool to mix and raise bread dough. I don't care for the weird shaped loaf, so I'd remove the dough and hand shape for the last rise, then bake in a conventional oven.
You can find breadmaker recipes everywhere so you're not chained to that one recipe. You can start here.
chiff0nade at 4:19PM on 05/13/08
I use my baker in the same manner as chiffO. It does the hard work (I used to call it therapy...) and then I "handle" through the final stages in a regular loaf pan. One thing you might confirm is the order you add ingredients. My machine requires all of the liquids to start on the bottom and then work up into the dry during the kneeding cycles. One thing I do is open the machine early in the first knead and poke my finger into the dough to get a feel for the moisture content. If it needs more, I add it on the spot, a spoonful at a time. You should ome to love your new tool. It does take some personalizing so start approaching this as an artistic hobby instead of a scientific formula.
czken at 5:45PM on 05/13/08
The problem is probably not the amount of water, but the way you're measuring the flour. A cup of flour can range anywhere from 3.5 to 5.5 oz. depending on who is measuring, what method they're employing, and what cups they're using.
Many cookbooks will give a weight measurement for things like flour, along with the cup measurement -- or they will tell you about what a cup should weigh for their tested recipes.
If you don't know what weight the flour is supposed to be, per cup, for a particular recipe, or if you don't have a scale to check they weight, you're probably going to have to do a bit of experimenting before you get the recipe they way you want it to be.
dbcurrie at 7:57PM on 05/13/08
I hate yeast and it hates me. However, I love my bread machine. I make clone of a cinnabon from allrecipes.com all the time. In fact, I did it last night. I stand over mine with a spatula and help the mixing part along a little...looks too crumbly? A little splash of water or milk. Too wet? A sprinkle of flour. I never bake bread in it, I always use the dough cycle and then dump it out, shape, rise and bake.
Just monkey with it. If nothing else, feed the birds and make ALOT of french toast!
ChelleyD01 at 8:54PM on 05/13/08
Thank you all. Really appreciate your tips. I wont' give up!!! Will keep trying till I get it right. Will keep you informed.
Thanks
naslin at 3:03PM on 05/14/08