Help needed with bread maker please....

[alfiesbabe]

have recently resurrected my bread maker. I'm following the recipes in the book, but it always turns out a bit too sweet and cakey? Where am i going wrong?

Are you using strong white bread flour? Sorry if that sounds patronising, but the flour seesm to make all the difference...

have you got the original measuring cup & scoop thingies too? they go on about baking being an art but breadmaking being a science. presume that refers to meticulous measuring.

Yes, am using strong bread flour, and yes, I even bought a new measuring thingy cos i lost the first one, so I'm definitely getting the right amounts. I've even been using the bread maker to make the dough and then baking in the oven to see if that helps, but no difference - it's definitely too cakey still.

ok having a quick look through my Tips for your Breadmaker book, do you think this could be it..?

Bread has a crumbly, course texture? Because bread rose too much or dough was too dry. Either reduce amount of yeast slightly or add more liquid to make a more pliable dough.

Or

Bread has a holey texture? Either dough too wet or salt omitted from the dough. Or warm weather (doubtful at the mo)/high humidity can cause dough to rise too quick.

the first one we got, the recipes were all a bit wierd, all included dried milk and sugar, later discovered neither were necessary- I think it's someone's idea of english taste.

ooh i think you're on to something Madlentileater. I've been religiously putting in the dried milk and sugar cos the book says so. Do you just leave them out then? Or replace them with anything?

Don't you need sugar to make the yeast work?

no, I thought that about the yeast because I remembered using fresh yeast which you stirred into sugar- but the rapid acting dried yeast doesn't need it. No need for milk either. My basic recipe- 4 cups flour, 1 1/2 cup water, 1 tsp salt, 1 sachet yeast, some oil. Vary flours and oils as you wish. Of course, you need to use bread flour.

Oh Thank you for this thread!! I have been hunting the web high and low for weeks for anything to do with sugar amounts in bread.. all the recipes in my book are American ones with high sugar in it. We have been having french bread because it seems to be the only one with the least! I tried granary bread and it was foul. The amount of sugar made it soo sickly it made me feel sick,I didnt dare give it to the kids lol! My mother has been telling me that we only need a minimal amount of sugar to make the yeast work and that I must be reading tsp and tbls lol.. Nope it says tbls.!

I put a tsp of sugar in mine (tsp measure, not a real teaspoon). Doesn't taste particularly sweet.