Title: Tips For The ABM by J.Ross
Categories: Miscell, Abm, Breads
Yield: 1 servings
From Joan's Kitchen
Flour:
The best flour to use for breads machines is bread or high gluten
flour. This flour contains the proper amount of protein and gluten
to allow for lengthy kneading, stretching and rising times without
producing a small or collaspsed loaf. The loaf should be a good
risier with a fine grain texture.
Additional flour such as rye, oats, soy, cornmeal, wholewheat, rice
etc. may be added to any recipe without increasing the size of the
breads. These flours are deficient in gluten. Except for whole
wheat which ironically has sufficient gluten but has a sharp gluten
structure which punctures and deflates the risen yeast cells. You
can sucessfully add 1 or 2 cups of these flours to recipes which
use 3 cups of bread flour.
The lightest and highest loaves are ones made with white bread
flour, eggs, and liquids such as milk or water. The smaller denser
loaves are made with rye and whole wheat flour etc. These breads
can even be made lighter if the flour is blenderized before using.
Blenderized oatmeal also makes a lighter textured bread.
The best bread machine cycle for denser loaves is the standard
mode. the turbo or quick mode is excellent for for basic white,
french, italian or light weight breads. Become familiar with cycles
on your own machine.
Humidity and temperature affect flour and the dough consistency may
never be the same in repeated recipes. Let your eyes be your guide
to know when to add more flour or water to the dough in the
kneading cycle. the dough should be a smooth somewhat tacky dough
when touched. However no dough should cling to your fingers when
touched.Add flour or water if needed in small amounts gradually to
get the proper consisitency.
All ingredients should be lukewarm, not hot, when added to the
recipe. People have the tendency to make the water much to hot for
the bread machine. This activates the yeast too quickly, causing a
poor textured loaf which may often collapse. Too hot water also may
rupture the yeast cells and render them ineffective. Follow your
machine's instructions. If in doubt, 80 to 100°F may be sufficient.
Temperatures over 110°F may be too hot.
There are many bakers yeasts on the market. Red Star is reputed to
make breads rise higher than Fleischmann's yeast. SAF instant yeast
(French imported yeast) produces higher better textured bread using
less yeast than called for in recipes. Judge for your self by
experimenting.
Ingredients which help improve texture, rising and character of
bread:
Gluten flour or powder:
Very high in protein and helps breads rise higher. You dont need
this if using a good brand of bread or high gluten flour. The
protein adds a nutritional boost to breads. Available in health
food stores
Pure Barley Malt Syrup:
1 tb or so also helps breads rise higher as the sugars feed the
yeast. Found in health food stores
Liquid Lecithin:
Improves the textures of the breads, making it stay fresh longer.
found in health food stores.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid):
Crush a tablet or use it in powder form to help breads have a
better texture and mellow gluten.
Fresh Lemon Juice:
A few ts also mellows the gluten and helps the texture of the bread
making for a good keeper and riser.
Other Miscellaneous tips for the breadmaker:
Use bakers spray to spray the globe tops of bread machines in case
your breads over rise and stick. This aids in cleanup!
Use a small pastry or paint brush to sweep away the bread crumbs
inside your machine and use a damp paper towel to pick them up. If
your paddle sticks inside the bread, try using a bakers spray on
the paddle next time.
Low fat products such as skim milk, egg beaters, light margarine
low or non fat sour cream etc. work well, but the texture of the
bread may not be the same as for higher fat products. Bread may be
denser and smaller.
Bread that does not come out satisfactory may be use for
breadcrumbs, bread pudding, bread dumplings or for the birds!
A general safe ratio for breadmaking is: 3 cups bread flour,
1-1/4 cups liquid, 1 ts salt, 1 ts sugar, and 2 ts yeast.
Experiment from there. Decrease the total amount of liquids if
added oil and eggs are used
It pays to buy yeast and flour in large quantities if making a lot
of bread. Store flour in a cool dry place. Yeast may be
refrigerated.
Cool breads at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing.
Any breads that dont seem quite baked, place them in a conventional
35O°F oven for 10 minutes to finish baking,
Eggs:
When directions call for 1/2 of egg etc. just use one small
egg.Normally in all baking large eggs are used.
Too much garlic and cinnamon also decreases the power of yeast in a
bread recipe. A small amount is okay when added directly with
ingredients but dont go overboard if you are a garlic or cinnamon
lover. Add the extras in the last kneading cycle.
