Bread machine novice seeks advice

[parakeet]

I have just bought my first bread maker (a Morphy Richards 48330 if you're curious) and I have two questions, if anyone can help me please.

The first is that the recipe for wholemeal bread is for half wholemeal flour and half white. Now I like proper full wholemeal bread, partly because I NEED a high-fibre diet (you don't want to know). I realise that if I just substitute the recipe with all wholemeal flour, the bread will probably turn out quite dense. So does anyone have any tips for other adjustments I can make to compensate?

My next question is that, as far as I can tell, the crust colour function doesn't seem to be working. Nothing happens when I press that button. As it is brand new, I may well just return it to Tesco, but before I do that, am I missing something obvious?

Oh hang on, I got the name of my breadmaker wrong. I actually got a Russell Hobbs 18036. I was dithering between the two. Not that it probably matters

Add a bit more water and yeast. I have the same brand as you, but mine is ancient. I put a cup and a bit under half a cup of water, 1teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 of powder milk, 3 cups of wholemeal and 1tablespoon of yeast.
Give it a try, it is a bit trial and error in the beginning. I haven't bought bread in about 5 years now.

Gosh, crust colour function?! I don't have that, it just comes..you know, a bit brown and smelling divine.
Maybe the button will activate once you select the programme?

Thanks, I will try the extra water and yeast, although I'm not keen on home-made bread that tastes super-yeasty if you know what I mean.

Re the crust colour, the two loaves I have made so far have both been completely pale and anaemic on top. I'm wondering if this is something that just can't be helped, because obviously there is no heating element in the lid.

Try some bread improver to "improve" the wholemeal, it works a treat, I wouldn't be without it. Lakeland sell it but I found a great shop that I tend to use now as they have a better range of this stuff. www.kitchenfoods.co.uk