Breadmakers anyone?

[Katie H]

One of the problems with making bread either by hand or with a bread machine is humidity. It affects flour and changes the weight of the flour depending on HIGH or LOW humidity. That's why I cook/bake using a scale.

I have a wonderful electronic scale that accurately weighs my ingredients, so I don't have to worry about the humidity when I want to bake. One cup of unsifted flour weighs 5 ounces. A cup of sifted flour weighs 4 ounces, so you can see there's a difference even when it's sifted. On a humid day, the flour will, obviously, be heavier. The quandry is...when using a measuring cup, how much flour do you use? With a scale, that problem is eliminated.

When I make bread products, I place the bread machine container on my scale, zero out the scale and add my ingredients according to weight. I zero after each ingredient is added so that each one is weighed alone.

Another thing weighing does is that I have fewer measuring utensils to wash. And, what's wrong with that picture?

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Wow, Katie, I never thought of doing that with the scales. I have one like that that has a tare feature so that would work for me. I have noticed when I make bread at the coast, I have to seriously reduce the liquids because it's so humid there.

You know, if you ever have any extra time (ha ha), I for one would love it if you could post a sort of primer for how you make bread.

 

[bebopdobop]

I also had a problem with humidity affecting the final product. So many loaves I messed up, not realizing what the problem was. I don't use a scale, but I monitor the mixing closely and add either flour or water to get the desired consistency of dough.
Also, my main reason for loving my breadmaker, I don't like to use my gas oven for baking. It only has a high and low setting. I have no idea about the temperatures. I have become a pro at using a toaster oven to bake. Sounds pathetic, huh? Thats Mexico. Taught me how to use the toaster oven.

 

[Corey123]

Wow, Katie, I never thought of doing that with the scales. I have one like that that has a tare feature so that would work for me. I have noticed when I make bread at the coast, I have to seriously reduce the liquids because it's so humid there.

You know, if you ever have any extra time (ha ha), I for one would love it if you could post a sort of primer for how you make bread.

In commercial baking, heavy weight scales are actually used to measure the ingredients for cakes, pastries and bread dough.

I was taught how to use one while I was in the culinary arts training course..

 

[SueBear]

I have a bread maker and that's the only thing I use for doing the bread as it's easy and I prefer using it over the manual labor in regards to personal preference. I have had issues with yeast not working correctly because it was not used within a reasonable time frame. There were times when the yeast was not allowing the bread to rise because it was no longer workable.

I am looking at purchasing an Artisian Kitchen Aid stand mixer for the holiday so perhaps there is hope as I may reconsider the idea of doing oven baked breads.

 

[Corey123]

Also, when using your breadmachine to make and bake bread, DO NOT LET THE SALT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE YEAST. So the manual says.

It has to gradually be introduced when the machine starts to mix the flour mixture, otherwise the salt will kill the yeast, causing the dough not to rise.

Put the measured salt around the sides of the pan.

 

[jet]

Yeah, my first complaint with the earlier bread machines was that they made a "tall" loaf and not the more familiar horizontal one....

What is the disadvantage of a vertical loaf? My bread machine makes horizontal loaves and the size of the slices vary depending on the size of the loaf. AFAIK, that would not be a problem with a vertical loaf.

One of the problems with making bread either by hand or with a bread machine is humidity. It affects flour and changes the weight of the flour depending on HIGH or LOW humidity. That's why I cook/bake using a scale....

I do not quite understand. You are saying that the weight is affected by humidity, so you measure by weight instead of volume. That seems backwards to me.

 

[Katie H]

What is the disadvantage of a vertical loaf? My bread machine makes horizontal loaves and the size of the slices vary depending on the size of the loaf. AFAIK, that would not be a problem with a vertical loaf.

I do not quite understand. You are saying that the weight is affected by humidity, so you measure by weight instead of volume. That seems backwards to me.

The weight of the "flour" is affected by humidity, which, in turn, affects the amount of liquid added. When I make bread during days when it's very humid, I know that when my scale says "5 ounces," I know it means 5 ounces. Some of that weight is additional moisture because of the high humidity. So, when I add my liquid, I don't add too much, which would cause a too sticky dough.

 

[Corey123]

When breadmakers were first introduced, it was actually the vertical style that broke the ice. Later, as time went by, the horizontal style became available.

I was going to get a vertical one, but I like the style of the old fashoned horizontal loaf, so it was no contest.