Bread flour

[thornaby]

Can anyone please advise what the Turkish bread flour is called, onto my last English make, thanks!

[Keithcaley]

If you use the search facility, there are a couple of threads on the subject: -

Advice on bread flour please

And

Strong flour at İLELİ

If you can't find them, I'll see if I can post links, but I'm using a phone at the moment, which makes it awkward...

[Keithcaley]

Wheat flour is buğday unu - and you should look for the highest protein content.

[alphamike]

Look for sade un extra, if you can't get that sade un will be fine. I have used both successfully in my bread maker.
Wholemeal flour is kepekli un
Bran flour is kepek unu

[Mollie the cat]

Cheers everyone, going to try for the first time today, how much yeast do you use please, about a tablespoon full? Just looked at Jamie Oliver's easy bread you tub video, will try that.

[Groucho]

Cheers everyone, going to try for the first time today, how much yeast do you use please, about a tablespoon full? Just looked at Jamie Oliver's easy bread you tub video, will try that.

it very much depends on recipe and size... follow the recipe strictly and you won't go wrong - knocking-back the risen dough for the second time is the key... don't take it out until the crust is lovely and deep brown...

Try making soda bread too... you'll get fat on the results which are simpler, cheaper and equally as yummy.

[Dropshort]

Have a look at jennycancook.com. Brilliant and very easy overnight crusty bread rolls. Or can be prepared and baked in two hours.

[helendj]

We're trying our first homemade bread today, but it doesn't stop there!!!! Got a hankering for Findus crispy pancakes, found a recipe, trying that tomorrow, that's apart from all the cake recipes we're trying - all in all it will mean that we will be too heavy to go anywhere, lol - enjoy!

[karmels]

Bread flour has a protein content of between 11.5 and 13.4 you can find this on the side of imported Turkish flour but not on local flour. When using Turkish brown flour l would sieve it as it contains all the casings. This will make your bread very heavy, l use one third brown to two thirds white.

[sophie]

I'm terribly impressed by all you bread makers. And here's me limiting myself to two thin slices a day of rough koy bread. All other times its Ryvita!!

[helendj]

Haha don’t be that impressed Sophie, be lucky if anything I bake is edible!

[helendj]

Drop short am going to try Jenny’s rolls tomorrow, going to leave dough overnight and cook in morning

[slsgjc]

Love it I made some the other,was a bit of a disappointment, so cut it to cubes roasted half in olive oil garlic and herbs to make croutons and the other made bread sauce. So even if you mess it up you don’t have to waste it.

[Keithcaley]

Take notice of karmels' post, he's been baking all of his life - it's his passion!

[alphamike]

Now that we know, we will be waiting on tips from Karmels.

For anyone using a bread maker, the ratio of brown to white flour is 20%. e.g. 400g white, 100g wholemeal, so my Panasonic tells me anyway. That ratio has stood me in good stead for years. Can't do dough by hand unfortunately any more, hence the bread maker.

[Mollie the cat]

Ingredients mixed, 1st prove, it was very sticky though, had to rough guess the amount of yeast!!

[karmels]

Mollie, dough is normally stick after the first mix. Was it by hand or machine. Machine mixing is normally 10 mins hand 20 mins, after using a food mixer it takes a further 5 / 7 mins kneading by hand, do not be tempted to add to much flour when kneading lightly oil your hands and bring the dough into a ball place in lightly oiled dish and cover with clear film leave untill doubles it size, repeat this one more time the shape into what you are making.
Dried yeast is approx 2 tea spoons 50 gr to 500 from flour.

[Mollie the cat]

Karmels,
Thank you very helpful, about to go in the oven gingers crossed.

[Jonnie]

I have just got a sourdough starter going and going to start the breadmaking process with it tonight. Has anyone seen any breadmaking moulds anywhere? I made a pancake with some of the excess starter tonight it was fab!

[Mollie the cat]

Gingers crossed? Fingers crossed, in the oven lets see?

[Mollie the cat]

There you go, out of the oven, well chuffed for the first time, crispy crust, soft inside, cant wait for toast in the morning.

[alphamike]

I have just got a sourdough starter going and going to start the breadmaking process with it tonight. Has anyone seen any breadmaking moulds anywhere? I made a pancake with some of the excess starter tonight it was fab!

Have you a loaf tin or a deep casserole dish that you can use? I used to use my cast iron casserole dishes for making bread before I had to go over to a bread maker. Another tip I saw for making baguettes was placing jars on a roasting pan, spacing them out a bit, covering them with baking parchment, and placing the baguettes between the jars. If I can remember where I saw it and find a link, will post it.

[Keithcaley]

It's great fun isn't it?

Wait until you try making bagels - it's insane!

[alphamike]

This is way harder that I now know that we have an expert bread maker on the forum. These are just my tips, but am way happy to be corrected, as I am just a trier, and in no way a proper bread maker. I will be so happy to receive any tips from a proper bread maker.

A few little things that I have learned with bread making after making it in a bread maker, but I am not an expert by any means, and this is for home use. Am definitely not a baker.

1. Wrap bread in a tea towel and place on rack to cool.
2. If you want a soft crust, wet tea towel, wring it out, wrap around bread and allow to cool on rack.
3. It's way easier to slice bread maker bread the next day. It's also easier to get straight slices if you turn the bread upside down to slice using a bread knife.

Other general tips.

Follow exact measurements for bread in a recipe as in, use an exact tsp of yeast, exact amount of flour etc. using measuring spoons, calibrated cups/jugs and scales. If you don't have a measuring spoon, you might have a medicine spoon which is usually 5 ml. You don't want heaped, flat, so a knife to that, and put back in the packet.
I add linseed otherwise known as flax seed, which I grind to every loaf I make. It's good for you! Just got into the habit. A tablespoon or two works well.
For plain bread recipes, adding spices/herbs is lovely, and shouldn't make a difference to the basic recipe. A couple of teaspoons doesn't seem to harm the bread making process.
If you are adding olives or cheese to the bread, reduce the quantity of oil/butter. I generally reduce by 1 tblsp.
I use sunflower oil rather than butter in any recipes that call for butter. e.g. 15g butter is 15 ml of oil.

My disaster is adding grated cheese as a topping. It never works and the bread sinks, even though I have the cheese at room temperature. The bread still tastes very good though, despite having a bit of a v-shaped top. I've kind of given up on the topping of grated cheese, and just adding it whilst baking. Any advice is very welcome.

[alphamike]

It's great fun isn't it?

Wait until you try making bagels - it's insane!

Not a great lover of bagels, but have found that it's better to have a fairly dryish dough, rather than a wet one, as it goes into water before baking. This is just from memory now, as I haven't made them for years. Daughter thankfully married off, saves me the bother.

[thornaby]

Thanks for the response on my bread question, a lot of info to "digest".

[Mollie the cat]

Good Morning bread makers,
For a first attempt the bread was not too bad, lovely crust but it was quite a "heavy bake" took some getting through as toast this morning, I suspect I put to much yeast in? Maybe someone can help me when I try again which I will. I"m sure I had the correct flour, there was a picture of a baker holding a loaf.

[Groucho]

Good Morning bread makers,
For a first attempt the bread was not too bad, lovely crust but it was quite a "heavy bake" took some getting through as toast this morning, I suspect I put to much yeast in? Maybe someone can help me when I try again which I will. I"m sure I had the correct flour, there was a picture of a baker holding a loaf.

Probably not too much yeast, more likely the kneading, proving and knocking back are the cause, pay real attention to each stage... for example, when knocking back it's very important to use the heel of your hand squeeze down on the dough in continuous manner for as long as you can hear the gas bubbles squeaking out... it's tiring work and seems counter-intuitive but it is vital.

[helendj]

You’re right Groucho. My husband used Paul Hollywood’s recipe using bugday unu flour and followed the kneading process to the letter. Result one very nice bloomer loaf, crusty outside and soft in the middle, perfect for sandwiches, toast and anything else. He’s got a very good explanatory video on you tube, worth a watch.

[Groucho]

You’re right Groucho. My husband used Paul Hollywood’s recipe using bugday unu flour and followed the kneading process to the letter. Result one very nice bloomer loaf, crusty outside and soft in the middle, perfect for sandwiches, toast and anything else. He’s got a very good explanatory video on you tube, worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp5H87Su1jE

[Mollie the cat]

Thanks again everyone, really good tips there, I WILL crack this, you were right not enough kneading and kept adding flour because it was sticky.

[Groucho]

Thanks again everyone, really good tips there, I WILL crack this, you were right not enough kneading and kept adding flour because it was sticky.

Ah, yeah - bread is not forgiving like pastry, you knacker the ratios in dough if you add flour.

[Mollie the cat]

Right then here we go round two. I've watched the Paul Hollywood video so many times I feel like im stalking him (Lol)

Relying on this for my toast in the morning, even bought a jar of Raspberry jam this morning to have with it, wish me luck.

[helendj]

Well done molliethecat, hubby making second Paul Hollywood loaf today, I’ve made a mince pie and fruit pie - never done so much baking in my life lol!

[Mollie the cat]

Thanks,
Followed his instructions to the letter, now proving, it even looks like his, kneaded it to death using his technique. I can bake, I did a banana cake the other day but it collapsed when I took it out of the oven, my first baking disaster, tasted lovely though.

[Mollie the cat]

Success at last! Just what the doctor ordered and it does taste lovely.

Just out of the oven. Yum Yum.

[Jonnie]

Well my first sourdough was a success and my starter, "Boris" is doing well. I would post a photo but not sure how.

Starter is going well, feed it 50 and 50 everyday and I have made Crumpets and savory pancakes with the excess.

[Mollie the cat]

They say practice makes perfect. My first attempt was "ok" very heavy bake however, the one above was near as perfect as I could make it, tasted lovely this morning, toast and Raspberry jam.

[Keithcaley]

They say practice makes perfect. ..

It's true!

So glad that you are enjoying the experience.

*Tip* If you do decide to experiment, and change the recipe at all, only alter ONE item per trial, otherwise you will confuse yourself!

[Jonnie]

This is worth a go, you may love it or hate it.

https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2019/04 ... ad-recipe/

[Keithcaley]

Aaaargh!

[Mollie the cat]

Keith,
Thanks for the tip. so which one ingredient would you change or add?
I found a really easy crumpet recipe but dont have the crumpet rings, what a pain, not sure anyone sells them here?

[karmels]

TK. You can use food cans cut .

[Groucho]

Could large pastry cutter rings (the old metal type) also work Mel?

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves and kill both your nemesis and his son . Groucho 1954 -

[Keithcaley]

Keith,
Thanks for the tip. so which one ingredient would you change or add?

Infinite variety with this one!

alphamike made a few suggestions in msg 24 - Herbs and spices don't require changes to any other ingredients, cheese and olives do increase the fat content, so reduce the amount of butter/oil accordingly.

Once you are getting consistent results, try substituting honey or malt extract for the sugar, add some sunflower seeds for a 'Country style' loaf (not too many seeds though, they can cut the gluten and cause collapse ).

Substitute skimmed milk for some of the water to improve the keeping quality of a loaf (not that it ever lasts long enough to worry about in this house!) - or use dry skimmed milk powder as an addition.

According to the season, the absorbency of the flour may vary, and you may need to alter the amount of water by 10ml or so either way, but do wait until your results are consistent, and you feel confident enough about the feel of the dough to be able to judge whether a change is needed!

Add dried fruit and spices (not more than 75g of dried fruit to start with) and you can make a spicy fruit loaf...

Plenty of tips on the internet if you ask Mr Google

[Jonnie]

Could large pastry cutter rings (the old metal type) also work Mel?

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves and kill both your nemesis and his son . Groucho 1954 -

I used pastry cutter rings this morning worked fine

[jofra]

...And if you can't get pastry cutters, use a (size to choice) clean empty tin (with lid removed!)....

[karmels]

Groucho, yes but the only problem is that a set of rings get smaller, a crumpet mix normally make's about 8 / 12 so they would be different sized.

[alphamike]

Groucho, yes but the only problem is that a set of rings get smaller, a crumpet mix normally make's about 8 / 12 so they would be different sized.

One for mummy bear, one for daddy bear and the little one for baby bear.

[Mollie the cat]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I have just found three cutters in the cupboard, one heart shaped, one Christmas tree and one teddy Bear, should make interesting crumpets.

Flour is flying off the shelves in our local supermarket, everyone must be baking.