• Room temperature
The breadmaker will work well in a wide range of temperatures,
but there could be a difference in loaf size between a very warm
room and a very cold room. We recommend the room
temperature should be between 15ºC and 34ºC
.
All ingredients, including the machine and pan, and
especially liquids (water or milk), should be warmed to
room temperature 21°C (70°F).
If ingredients are too cold,
below 10°C (50°F), they will not activate the yeast. Hot liquids,
above 40°C (104°F), may kill the yeast.
•
Glazing
Give your just baked bread a professional finish. Select one of
the following special glazes to enhance your bread.
•
Egg glaze
Beat 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon of water together, brush
generously. Note: this glaze is only for bread where the dough
has been prepared in the breadmaker and is then being baked
in the oven. The glaze should be applied when the dough is
removed from the breadmaker. Do not apply this glaze to
doughs in the breadmaker.
Melted butter crust
Brush melted butter over just baked bread for a softer, tender
crust.
Milk glaze
For a softer, shiny crust, brush just baked bread with milk or
cream.
Sweet icing glaze
Mix 1 cup sifted icing sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to
make a glaze consistency and drizzle over raisin bread or sweet
breads.
Poppy/Sesame/Caraway seed/Oatmeal
Sprinkle your choice of these seeds generously over just glazed
bread.
Understanding Baking
It is often said that cooking is an art relying on the creativity of
the chef, while baking bread is much more of a science. This
means that the process of combining flour, water and yeast,
results in a reaction that produces bread. You have to remember
that when the ingredients combine with each other they
produce a specific result. Read the following information
carefully to gain a better understanding of the importance each
ingredient plays in the breadmaking process.
In all of the recipes you create yourself, never exceed a total
amount of 5 cups of dry ingredients (that includes the total
amount of flour, oats, oatmeal, bran.) Also do not exceed the
total amount of 3 tsp of yeast and 5 tsp of baking powder.
Using the Right Ingredients
Flours, while visibly similar, can be very different by virtue of
how they were grown, milled, stored, etc. You may find that you
will have to experiment with different brands of flour to help you
make that perfect loaf. Storage is also very important, as all
flours should be kept in an airtight container.
All purpose flour/plain flour
All purpose flour is a blend of refined hard and soft wheat flours
especially suitable for making cake.
This type of flour should be used for recipes in the cake/quick
bread section.
Strong white flour/bread flour
Bread flour is a high gluten/protein flour that has been treated
with conditioners that give dough a greater suitability for
kneading. Bread flour typically has a higher gluten
concentration than All purpose flour; however, depending on
different milling practices, this may vary. Strong plain flour or
bread flour are recommended for use with this breadmaker.
Wholewheat flour/ wholemeal flour
Wholewheat flour/wholemeal flour is milled from the entire
wheat kernel which contains the bran and germ and makes it
heavier and richer in nutrients than white flour. Breads made
with this flour are usually smaller and heavier than white loaves.
To overcome this wholewheat flour/wholemeal flour can be
mixed with Bread flour or strong plain flour to produce a lighter
textured bread.
Self-raising flour
Self-raising Flour contains unnecessary leavening ingredients
that will interfere with bread and cake making. It is not
recommended for use.
Bran
Bran (unprocessed) & Wheat Germ are the coarse outer
portions of the wheat or rye grains separated from flour by
sifting or bolting. They are often added in small quantities to
bread for nutritional enrichment, heartiness and flavour. They are
also used to enhance the texture of bread.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal comes from rolled or steel-cut oats. They are used
primarily to enhance flavour and texture.
Yeasts (active dry yeast)
Yeast through a fermentation process produces gas (carbon
dioxide) necessary to make the bread rise. Yeast must be able
to feed on sugar and flour carbohydrates in order to produce
this gas. Fast action granular yeast is used in all recipes that call
for yeast. There are three different types of yeast available: fresh,
traditional dry active, and fast action. It is recommended that
fast action yeast be used. Fresh or compressed cake yeast is
not recommended as they will produce poor results. Store yeast
according to manufacturers instructions. Ensure your yeast is
fresh by checking its expiration date. Once a package or can of
yeast is opened it is important that the remaining contents be
immediately resealed and refrigerated as soon as possible for
future use. Often bread or dough, which fails to rise is due to
stale yeast being used. The following test can be used to
determine whether your yeast is stale and inactive:
1 Place half a cup of lukewarm water into a small bowl or cup.
2 Stir 1 tsp. of sugar into the water then sprinkle 2 tsp. of yeast
over the surface.
3 Place bowl or cup in a warm area and allow to sit for 10 minutes
undisturbed.
4 The mixture should foam and produce a strong yeast aroma. If
this does not occur, discard mixture and start again with
another packet of dried yeast.
Sugar
Sugar is important for the colour and flavour of breads. It is also
food for the yeast as it is part of the fermentation process.
Artificial sweeteners cannot be used as a substitute for sugar as
the yeast will not react properly with them.
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