DO you have to use specific bread flour to make bread?

[sorrento56]

I couldn't find any rye bread so bought rye flour - it says nothing on the packet so will it work in the bread maker?

see here

you will need a proportion of 'strong' flour as well or you will just get a brick.

Thank you CerealOffender, I was posting because I wanted real life experience not a google hit.

seth - I do have some proper bread flour, have you any idea of the ratios I would need?

off the top of my head, I think about 4:1 strong:rye - will just check the recipes I have used.

Thank you seth.

nope I'm wrong - half and half.

OK, I had only got as far as the water and butter.

Rye bread:

500gms strong white flour
500gms rye flour
2tblspns yeast
1tblspn salt
4tblspns treacle (optional, can just use sugar for a lighter, sweeter loaf)
1tblspns cocoa powder (optional)
4tblspns veg oil
300ml sour milk mixed with 300ml hot water
1tblspn caraway seeds (optional)

Mix yeast with milk and water and treacle/sugar and leave for 10 minutes or so until frothy. Add flours, salt, cocoa and seeds and squeeze together. Add oil and squeeze together again. Leave for 15 mins to rest. Knead until smooth. Rest 30 mins, knock back and knead a few mins. rest 30 mins, knock back, knead and divide into 2 equal bits. Shape and leave to rise till double. Heat oven to max. SLash top of loaves and wash with egg. Sprinkle with rye flakes and/or caraway seeds. PUt in the oven and reduce the temp to 200. Bake for about 40 mins until dark brown, risen and hollow sounding. Let it cool before you cut it.

I make this all the time, sometimes with the treacle and cocoa, sometimes without, it's lovely. If you don't have sour milk you can sour half a pint with a tablespoon of vinegar, or you can just use water, but it doesn't quite taste the same.

Sounds really nice, do you think the above recipe could be adapted for a breadmaker?

you'll have to use the rye attachment, though.

I don't know, I don't have a breadmaker. I think that there is a special rye programme on them, perhaps? if not, probably a wholemeal programme because it needs extra kneading.

Aitch I'm not sure what a rye attachment is, but I do have a wholemeal programme.
(When I get some pennies I think we might try this.)

stressedHEmum - that sounds interesting - am going to try cocoa powder and vinegar in my next rye loaf now!

our one came with two attachments, the one that never gets used is for rye. there is a rye setting on the panasonic, deffo.

Hi all

I followed the recipe for a sandwich loaf and used half and half flour. It is the tiniest loaf of bread I have ever made but it tastes okay. I have ordered some proper rye bread to be delivered tomorrow so I will see if that is okay.

Thanks again.