…… Breadmaker flour - what to use?
- Thread starter Dennis Olson
- Start date
Not really a viable option, at least for the moment. Much easier for me to try with white flour first. (In troubleshooting, always start with the simplest things first: is the breaker tripped. Is it plugged in, is the power on.)
I got a successful product on my machine using white flour. I’ve not had a successful product on my machine using the Canadian flour. Thus, it would tell me nothing to ship flour to someone else’s machine. That wouldn’t tell me if it’s my machine or the flour.
Again, when troubleshooting do ONE THING at a time and observe the result.
I got a successful product on my machine using white flour. I’ve not had a successful product on my machine using the Canadian flour. Thus, it would tell me nothing to ship flour to someone else’s machine. That wouldn’t tell me if it’s my machine or the flour.
Again, when troubleshooting do ONE THING at a time and observe the result.
So that is similar to what happened a couple of times for the kids using the store brand all purpose flour. What they did was reversed the order of how they put the ingredients in. They mixed all the dry ingredients together and put them in first. Then they made a trench around the edge of that and put the liquid in. The yeast went in a little trench on top of the dry stuff but not touching the liquid. Don't know if that helps but that is what got them a successful loaf.
Hell, I’ll try anything. I want to wait for the arrival of the 50# (sigh) of white flour first. I’ll try it with the white, then with the Canadian, then with a mixture of the two. Three experiments total. That should tell me what I need to know, at least initially.
Naw. It'll just generate a lot more questions and at least 2 new threads.
I'm looking forward to it actually. (snicker)
Turd...
This at the King Arthur site:
Vital Wheat Gluten - 16 oz.
(164) #100154
$7.95 Qty
add to wish list
Vital Wheat Gluten - 16 oz.
(164) #100154
$7.95 Qty
add to wish list
- on backorder, ships in 3–4 weeks
- Ships within US only
Josie
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I got a cheap breadmaker many years ago. The instructions said that you can use both Canadian all purpose and Canadian bread flour because it has a higher gluten content than U.S. flours. Therefore if using U.S. flours, use the flour meant for bread machines. Also, the instructions are different depending on which flour you are using. For example, the recipe for plain white bread 2 lb loaf, all the ingredients are the same except for the flour...U.S. requires 4 cups of white flour while the recipe calls for 3-3/4 cups of Canadian.
And dang it all Dennis, every time you start talking about homemade bread, I have to go make another loaf!!!
And dang it all Dennis, every time you start talking about homemade bread, I have to go make another loaf!!!
I left a voicemail with the vendor asking for some insight a few minutes ago.
Then that’s new. When I placed my order, there was none on Amazon. But my 50# is $59 delivered.
What I wanted in this case was Gold Medal white bleached flour. The goal is to attempt to duplicate my successful loaf, using EXACTLY the same ingredients and recipe. If it fails, it’s the machine. If it succeeds, it’s the Canadian flour.
I have had some white bricks before I started weighing my flour instead of using measuring cups. I also use a couple of tablespoons of liquid to each batch to make it lighter. If you want a lighter whole wheat loaf, try opening the lid for about 15 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquid. Add a little more if its too dense. Good luck.
Profit of Doom
Dismember
I have never weighed the flour, but I have learned what a good dough looks like, and occasionally add a little water.
Laurane
Canadian Loonie
Dennis - I never have had any luck with 100% whole wheat Cdn. flour......I even tried spelt and Red Fife and combined them with white flour in my old bread machine......and that worked a bit better. It may be that the ww flour is just too hard to use without white or I didn't adjust for the high elevation of 3500 ft way back then ...... I would add maybe a 1:2 ww when your white flour comes and see how that goes. It could also be that your house is a bit hot or too humid?
I followed the directions on the pizza dough (2 ingredients) and it turned out to look good, but tasted awfully tough. I guess it might have been the elevation as the guy showing how to do it lived high in mountains, where I am at 1100 ft.
I followed the directions on the pizza dough (2 ingredients) and it turned out to look good, but tasted awfully tough. I guess it might have been the elevation as the guy showing how to do it lived high in mountains, where I am at 1100 ft.
my house is about 72 deg and 50% humidity except in summer when the a/c can’t keep up.
That’s one thing I’ve thought of, yes. If I have a successful white loaf, I’ll experiment with leaving the extra gluten out. I have a call into the grain mill to talk to them about things.
You were using metric flour in a machine designed for US flour.
Millie, you’re such a dick.... 
One more thought and I apologize if anyone has mentioned this...make sure your flour is not packed down. Don't laugh, you may need to lightly fluff the flour before you measure it out. Gently scoop a heaping cup and lightly run a knife over the top of the measuring cup to make sure you have a level cup.
I had also wondered about too much gluten...I just don't need it. I bought it when I got my grain mill and first fifty pounds of wheat berries but after my esophagus issues, I eliminated it and saw no difference in my bread and that was with all my recipes and different of combos of whole wheat and plain white. I thought I needed it because others told me I did and it was the thing to do.
I've made tons of bread over the last forty years and I can say my best work was done in my earliest years before I ever heard of a dough hook and all I ever bought was plain white flour. I believe the quality of the flour and yeast was better than what we get now. Bread making can be a bee-otch and my best advice is if you ever hit your stride and make something that is consistently good, and you will, make meticulous notes and maybe even record your whole process because you will set it aside from time to time and you'd be surprised what little techniques and touches you'll forget.
I had also wondered about too much gluten...I just don't need it. I bought it when I got my grain mill and first fifty pounds of wheat berries but after my esophagus issues, I eliminated it and saw no difference in my bread and that was with all my recipes and different of combos of whole wheat and plain white. I thought I needed it because others told me I did and it was the thing to do.
I've made tons of bread over the last forty years and I can say my best work was done in my earliest years before I ever heard of a dough hook and all I ever bought was plain white flour. I believe the quality of the flour and yeast was better than what we get now. Bread making can be a bee-otch and my best advice is if you ever hit your stride and make something that is consistently good, and you will, make meticulous notes and maybe even record your whole process because you will set it aside from time to time and you'd be surprised what little techniques and touches you'll forget.
China Connection
TB Fanatic
I have made quite a lot of bread and yes with bread machines as well. Sometimes the flour especially white does not have much left to feed the yeast. A lot of the bread mixers have Bread Improver added.
bread improver - Google Search
As I said before I tend to preferment my dough mix before adding to a bread machine. When the mix had raised like you do to make oven baked bread Iadd it to the bread machine. This overcomes the problems you can experience with bread machines.
bread improver - Google Search
As I said before I tend to preferment my dough mix before adding to a bread machine. When the mix had raised like you do to make oven baked bread Iadd it to the bread machine. This overcomes the problems you can experience with bread machines.
twobarkingdogs
Veteran Member
This I agree with and is the way that I was taught. I keep my flour in a container which is never more then half filled. Before using the flour I give it a good shaking to kind of mix it up a bit. The only baker in the family was my great aunt and she said flour always needed to be fluffed up before using.
Note that this is different then sifting flour and again great aunt said you don't shift unless the recipe calls for it and that is mostly only when baking cakes and such
tbd
wlf0wtr
Senior Member
I had come across this little quick (43 sec.) video on the King Arthur site which illustrates the reason for "fluffing" perfectly. Not fluffing can make a cup of flour weigh a lot more.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUSovVHpqsU
Laurane
Canadian Loonie
I just remembered.....when we went to AZ in winters, we had to take a big bag of Canadian All Purpose flour to sister-in-law who lived full time in AZ, and couldn't make decent bread (handmade) like she could in Canada. She was so aware of how it should turn out, and she couldn't adapt to American flour. She came from Saskatchewan...... 
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Excellent news.
I guess that’s my world now. Might you be able to get your SIL’s recipe for “regular” bread? (Would need loaf weight as part of that data )I just remembered.....when we went to AZ in winters, we had to take a big bag of Canadian All Purpose flour to sister-in-law who lived full time in AZ, and couldn't make decent bread (handmade) like she could in Canada. She was so aware of how it should turn out, and she couldn't adapt to American flour. She came from Saskatchewan......
I swear, you Canucks are nothing but trouble...
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
If you got a successful run with white flour, then odds are that it is the flour / ingredients? So getting a different flour does make sense. With us, it was the yeast. We had to get a faster rising yeast before we had regular results.
I just remembered.....when we went to AZ in winters, we had to take a big bag of Canadian All Purpose flour to sister-in-law who lived full time in AZ, and couldn't make decent bread (handmade) like she could in Canada. She was so aware of how it should turn out, and she couldn't adapt to American flour. She came from Saskatchewan......
Metric flour
I told ya....
last week I bot 2 x 20kg white flour ($21)
today I bot 20 kg hard whole wheat($23)
even up here, yeast is a bit of a struggle
mennonite store is having a hard time keeping it in stock
BUT they DO have it in stock
with a few hiccups
a brick for $5.95cdn
I have to await the arrival of the white flour. At least 10 days out. As I’ve said, there is NO FLOUR IN THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA.
Nope. Delete one thing at a time. Only way to know. Start kneading. And I’m serious. ST is right as you are. You are low on flour, so I suggest you lose the machine prior to the flour. Just my take.
My bread machine worked great until it started to pop the pan up for whatever reason. But both of you are correct. You have to eliminate one thing at a time. And like I said, the machine is there. Go with the expendable. That still may not give you an answer, but that’s where I would start.
Profit of Doom
Dismember
Dennis, are you by any chance left-handed?
Profit of Doom
Dismember
I always thought sifting was to get the weevils out
Profit of Doom
Dismember
Can’t find anything in the store except some cake flour and tortilla stuff.
phloydius
Veteran Member
Hey Dennis,
I got a message about an hour ago that the HEB (@ 183 & McNeil) had yeast packets and wheat flour (and had white flour earlier in the day). It would probably be gone by the time you’d get there, but figured I’d mention it because maybe it means some flour & yeast might show up in other HEB locations... um... maybe.
Laurane
Canadian Loonie
"Might you be able to get your SIL’s recipe for “regular” bread? (Would need loaf weight as part of that data )"
Sorry she passed away 2 years ago, but I will try to get you a recipe from a Saskatchewan farmer's wife.....there are lots of them who still bake their own. Bad timing.
Sorry she passed away 2 years ago, but I will try to get you a recipe from a Saskatchewan farmer's wife.....there are lots of them who still bake their own. Bad timing.
If youve been following my saga, I do not have enough counter space on which to make bread. I do not have a dining table nor space for one.
That’s 45 minutes away, and they closed 90 minutes ago anyway.