Bread machine recipe - had a disaster with the one out the instruction manual!

[JBJ]

Treated myself to a bread maker. There was a recipe leaflet in with the instruction for a wholewheat loaf, which I followed, although I thought 4tbsp of sugar seemed excessive, so halved it. The bread itself looks ok and feels a nice texture, but good grief it's sweet! All the recipes in there call for loads of sugar - I'm guessing it's a typo?

Looked at several on the net, but the recipes vary hugely, so just after some tried and tested simple recipes for a basic loaf please :)

I have a Panasonic bread maker and the recipes only require 1 tsp so that does sound like a lot.

Yes, I'm assuming it's a misprint. It was revolting, even though I halved the sugar. Is the milk powder really necessary? I've seen lots of recipes with and equally lots without. I do have it in, so can use it, but is it needed?

Yeah, I'd say that's not right.

I have a Panasonic and I leave out the 1tsp it calls for.

I don't put the milk powder in either.

@JBJ My old bread maker required milk powder but none of the Panasonic recipes do. Flour, water, salt -sugar 1 tsp, butter for a standard white, brown, Wholemeal, granary type loaf.

Thanks. I'll try again in the morning with a lot less sugar and no milk powder! Does it matter what order the ingredients are added? I did water first, then flour, yeast, sugar, salt, butter

I do:
4 cups flour
1.5 cups water
1tsp yeast
1tsp salt
1tbsp sugar

I've never put milk powder in.

Nah, the sugar is intentional - because that's what is expected in other countries.

For a white loaf, you need 2lb 2oz of bread flour.

1 tsp/sachet yeast
1 tsp salt
330 ml warm water

and a tablespoon/slug of olive oil if you want to make pizza instead.

Sounds a much simpler recipe! Presumably I can do half white, half wholemeal flour for a more 50/50 type of loaf?

I’ve got a Panasonic too and reckon it’s a misprint. I don’t use the Panasonic book, I like this book.

Thanks, just ordering that now!

Panasonic here. I also have never put milk or milk powder in. 400g flour, 1tsp yeast, salt and sugar. 2 tbsp olive oil. 280ml water. I subbed butter for oil as we had a milk allergy in the house. But so much easier to measure oil than weigh butter, so I still do it now.

I was going to take a photo of my bread machine's wholewheat recipe but it is exactly the same as yours. Mine is a Tower. I tend to use the basic bread recipe and do add the powdered milk. Apparently it helps the yeast or something.

I did use one of the other recipes with no milk but after a number of perfect loaves, they started sinking in the middle of the top, so I changed recipes. I buy the powdered milk from Amazon. It's also handy when I've forgotten to get any milk for my coffee 😁

Salt kills yeast so try not to put them on top
Of each other.

I usually do salt then water then flour then yeast

Yep, mines a Tower too!

I never put sugar in mine, I don’t think ‘traditional’ bread has it in.

Yup, possibly a little more water to lighten it up.

Most breadmaker companies are largely aimed at the Japanese/Far Eastern/US markets where sugar goes into bread, along with lots of other weird things like butter or eggs - fine if you're making Challah, but absolutely not when you're trying to make a bog standard loaf.

I've got that book. Its brilliant

This is my regular recipe, i use 300g wholemeal flour/100g white, must have made it hundreds of tines over the years. I just judge the knob of butter by eye.

No milk powder and no sugar, tastes much better!

I always do water, sugar, salt and oil. Then flour on top and dried yeast last.

Isn't the sugar to feed the yeast?
Having said that, while I always add a tsp of sugar to machine bread I don't use any with hand made bread.

When I was a child and my dad was using fresh yeast to make bread, I used to love stirring the sugar into the yeast and watching it turn into a frothy mess.

I never use it in the breadmaker and it makes no difference (I assume - the loaves look risen and fine!) Maybe the fast acting yeast from tins/packets really doesn't need it.

I had a bread maker but I used to just use it to knead and prove the bread, then I'd turn it out onto a floured board, shape it and put it in a tin for a second prove and cook in the oven.

My one and only recipe that was given to me by a man who taught me the slap and fold method of making bread is:

500g bread flour
350g water
7g yeast
7g salt.

I use these proportions and the same recipe for all my bread and pizza. I now use sourdough starter rather than yeast but it is the same basic recipe.

Result! 50/50 loaf done this morning using 500g of flour, 350ml water, sachet of yeast and 1tsp each of salt and sugar. Tastes lovely and a really nice texture. Thanks all!

Next quest is to find a chopping board with a lip round the edge to contain crumbs when slicing!