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Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 05 Apr 2020 1:15 pm
by dippersgirl
bread kibkom.jpg
In Dipkarpaz we don't get much choice regards flour, but my friend told me to use 'Selva Bugday Unu' and I find out of all the local flours that is the best, the 'extra white' is too fluffy for us, this one is not too heavy either, just right, perfect for toast and homemade jams, marmalade and lemon curd!!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 05 Apr 2020 2:13 pm
by Groucho
Söke 'Tam Bugday Unu' is 13.2 protein, so they ought to be good for bread.... what say you Mel?

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 05 Apr 2020 2:26 pm
by Mollie the cat
That is one lovely looking loaf, I am jealous.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 05 Apr 2020 3:03 pm
by tutor4u
White artisan sandwich style bread

I make a quick and easy white artisan sandwich style bread -- no kneading! Here's the recipe:
13 oz. very warm water 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (packages of dry yeast hold 2 1/4-2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons oil (of choice) or can be omitted
3 1/2 cups white flour (preferably bread flour but all purpose flour works too) Mix water, yeast, salt and oil in bowl. Mix thoroughly until yeast and salt are dissolved. Let rest for 5 minutes to activate yeast.
Add flour and mix until combined.
Mix until flour is totally moistened from water. Cover and proof in a warm location for 1 1/2 hours or until approximately doubled in size.
Begin preheating oven to 400 degrees (200ºC) Gently deflate the dough by moving it around the bowl and folding dough over on itself until it's deflated.
Prepare baking pan with a spray of oil. "Roll" the dough into the pan. Settle it into the pan with a spatula/spoon . Cover and allow to rise again until the dough fills the pan and it has risen to almost the top of the baking pan. (About 30 minutes.)
Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack. Try to control your urge to cut into it for about 30 minutes, allowing the bread to cool down. Makes one loaf.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 05 Apr 2020 4:48 pm
by Soner
Here's my contribution to the thread.

600g White Plain Flour
400ml Water
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp of yeast
25g butter

Switch the bread-maker on and wait 4 hours.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 05 Apr 2020 5:09 pm
by nonna
Let them eat cake !

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 4:59 am
by Soner
Gosh, it's gone quiet, hope I have not unintentionally killed this thread.
I also use the same ingredients and mix dough in bread-maker then take it out to add hellim, onions, mint, fresh coriander and olives, leave to rise, then place it in the oven for 40 mins.
Very yummy!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 5:19 am
by alphamike
Am sure you haven't Soner. I was stuck under the kitchen sink yesterday trying to solve a plumbing problem. Would much rather have been making bread, or anything else come to that.

Your bread looks great, and huge.

If I remember, after the bread maker has done the dough, before the proving stage, I remove the paddle and let the machine get on with the proving and baking, so that there is no hole at the bottom.

I tend to add everything into the machine, and hadn't thought of adding later. This might solve the problem I have with cheese bread, which always sinks when I use it as a topping 1 hour before the end of cooking. Some of my cheese loaves have looked like Cheddar Gorge!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 6:23 am
by Keithcaley
before the proving stage, I remove the paddle and let the machine get on with the proving and baking, so that there is no hole at the bottom.
What a clever idea!
Some of my cheese loaves have looked like Cheddar Gorge!
Boom, Boom!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 9:10 am
by alphamike
Sorry, couldn't help myself with the cheesy bread.

Really good thread for tips from others that you hadn't thought of yourself. Keep em coming.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 10:38 am
by Soner
Alphamike, did you find the LEAK? (8)) Reference to post 27 https://kibkomnorthcyprusforum.com/view ... =8&t=50873

I sometime put ingredients into bread-maker then mix in all the other bits into the dough in the bread-maker by hand, just before it moves into rising stage. ( You have to allow most of the mixing first before adding Hellim otherwise the paddle will mash it all up - all to do with good timing.)

But, great idea about removing the paddle...."We have some real geniuses on the forum!" :+1:)

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 10:42 am
by Mollie the cat
Second loaf proving at present, if it turns out like the first I will be well pleased. :x))

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 11:17 am
by alphamike
Soner wrote:
Tue 07 Apr 2020 10:38 am
Alphamike, did you find the LEAK? (8)) Reference to post 27 https://kibkomnorthcyprusforum.com/view ... =8&t=50873

I sometime put ingredients into bread-maker then mix in all the other bits into the dough in the bread-maker by hand, just before it moves into rising stage. ( You have to allow most of the mixing first before adding Hellim otherwise the paddle will mash it all up - all to do with good timing.)

But, great idea about removing the paddle...."We have some real geniuses on the forum!" :+1:)
I hope that I have solved the problem Soner, thank you. Just one little drip overnight in the container I placed underneath the pipework after hauling everything to bits, and of course I have no plumbers tape. Problem was dirty water entering the dish washer when it was off, am assuming from waste water from sink, but relieved to say this morning, all was fine. Keeping all crossed.

Thank you for the tip on adding the hellim later on in the process, will try that next time. Always good to learn something new.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 11:21 am
by alphamike
Forgot to say, if you are removing the paddle, it's a good idea to dampen your hand a little, so that the dough doesn't stick to you. Apologies for not mentioning it before, have a memory like a sieve.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 1:02 pm
by Groucho
alphamike wrote:
Tue 07 Apr 2020 11:21 am
Forgot to say, if you are removing the paddle, it's a good idea to dampen your hand a little, so that the dough doesn't stick to you. Apologies for not mentioning it before, have a memory like a sieve.
I like a sieve too... not as much as a colander mind you...

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 3:43 pm
by dippersgirl
I usually make 3 loaves at a time, When they have properly cooled, I slice them and then put a slice- sized piece of baking paper between every 4th slice and then freeze the loaf. Everyday I just take out 4 slices for our breakfast. That way we have 'fresh' bread every day. More when wanted.
bread and rolls.jpg

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 3:47 pm
by dippersgirl
This week is of course Hot Cross Bun week!!!!
hot cross buns.jpg

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 3:55 pm
by dippersgirl
I use the LAKELAND RECIPE, I only cheat a bit by using rice paper for the cross

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 07 Apr 2020 4:23 pm
by alphamike
They all look fantastic DG, well done you.

Like you I freeze bread, although in 2 slice portions. I find it easier to slice the whole loaf the day after making, keeping the bread in a tea towel overnight.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 08 Apr 2020 7:57 am
by thornaby
Still unable to get bread flour but to be fair iam only trying our nearest supermarket. Made a loaf yesterday using self raising flour with the recipe from my 10 million different bread recipe book. The one I used was called egg bread. Expected a brick loaf but it came out quite respectable, not as good as the same recipe with bread flour. That one rose incredibly high. This recipe differs from the bread machine one in that it uses milk rather than water, butter compared to none, eggs compared to none and twice as much yeast.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 08 Apr 2020 9:38 am
by alphamike
At least you managed to get a respectable loaf Thornaby, and not a brick. Bread flour does seem to be in short supply at the moment, as more people are obviously staying at home and making it. Hopefully you will manage to get some soon.

This is my "go to" basic bread maker recipe which goes under the name of Ciabatta in the Panasonic. Italian Bake setting of 4 hours 30 mins.

1 tsp yeast
500g strong white flour
1tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp virgin olive oil
350 ml water

I usually use 400g of white flour and 100g of wholemeal/oats/bran or a combo of the latter. I replace olive oil with sunflower, always add a couple of tsp of ground linseed and then whatever spices/herbs takes my notion. If adding olives/cheese, I usually just use 1 or 2 tbsp of oil.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 08 Apr 2020 5:22 pm
by sausage and pash
Easier just buy a loaf at supermarket. Easy peasy.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Thu 09 Apr 2020 9:07 am
by Groucho
If you want to make lasagne or cannelloni then your ordinary plain flour can be used to make pancakes that substitute for pasta sheets and are easier to manipulate... they are more tender too.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Thu 09 Apr 2020 10:55 am
by alphamike
Good tip Groucho.

Another is to use sliced aubergine, squash or courgettes, even potatoes, better if they are roasted with a wee drizzle of oil first, albeit more like moussaka.

Any stale bread can be used to make a sweet or savoury bread pudding, or just blitz into breadcrumbs for topping dishes for some extra crunch.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Mon 13 Apr 2020 11:08 am
by Groucho
Carob Syrup Cake

Use 9” Cake tin (lined with baking paper or silicon liner)
2 cups (500ml) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup (250ml) oil (sunflower or rapeseed)
1 cup (250ml) sugar
1 cup (250ml) milk (semi-skimmed is fine)
1 cup (250ml) pekmez syrup
2 eggs beaten

Sieve flour and baking powder (yes SR Flour AND extra baking powder), add sugar, then add oil, mixing followed with eggs, milk and pekmez

Tip:- I mix these wet ingredients together in a jug before adding to the dry mix - it just seems to make things easier.

Beat the cake batter until smooth.
Line tin and add mix. Bake for 45 mins at 180 degrees 175 fan. Check after 40. Mine usually needs 50 mins here at near sea level.

When cooked leave to cool for 6 mins before turning out.
Once cool it can be cut into portions and frozen – it keeps very well and stays moist. Two slices only takes one minute in the microwave in the bag they were frozen in to revive this delicious moist cake

Tip:- If you like Jamaica Ginger cake then you can add ginger powder to the dry mix stage.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Mon 13 Apr 2020 3:07 pm
by alphamike
Thanks Groucho, sounds lovely.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Mon 13 Apr 2020 5:07 pm
by dippersgirl
Going to try that Groucho!!!!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 14 Apr 2020 7:12 am
by Groucho
dippersgirl wrote:
Mon 13 Apr 2020 5:07 pm
Going to try that Groucho!!!!
Be careful with the flour measurement 500ml is a measurement of volume not weight... if you put 500g that would be far too much... use cups and you can't go wrong... A cup is 250ml

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 14 Apr 2020 1:07 pm
by dippersgirl
I hate the 'cups measurement' - I found a recipe a while ago and it said 'a cup of butter' - WTF????? When I see a recipe now, I convert it strait away
Thanks all the same for reminding us!!!!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 14 Apr 2020 1:11 pm
by dippersgirl
Americans mostly, who seem to be still living in the 'Dark Ages'
When I had the Cup of Butter in a recipe, I asked them what they do about that and would it not be better to have everything in metric. I was quite polite but the woman went mad and told me how much work she put into her webpage and how ungrateful I was!!!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 14 Apr 2020 4:12 pm
by Keithcaley
Groucho wrote:
Sun 05 Apr 2020 2:13 pm
Söke 'Tam Bugday Unu' is 13.2 protein, so they ought to be good for bread.... what say you Mel?
I've been experimenting a little with the Söke flour...

Using 100% Söke, it rose well, but I found the result rather too heavy for my taste.

Next I tried 50% Söke and 50% strong white flour - a lot lighter, although I'm not that keen on wholemeal bread (I know that it's better for you, and all of that gubbins :) ) but definitely more palatable.

Then I tried 30% Söke to 70% strong white flour - perfect for me!

This was all in a breadmaker, 'cos my wrists won't stand up to all of that kneading these days ;)

Ingredients into the breadmaker in this order: -

1 tsp fast action dried yeast (it goes in 1st to keep it away from the salt, sugar and water until the mixing starts)
2 Tbsp dried milk powder (Marvel or similar, at the other side of the breadmaking pan to the yeast)
150gr Söke flour + 350gr Allinsons strong white flour or similar
1.5 tsp salt
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1oz / 28gr unsalted butter
350 ml/mg water.

Standard loaf setting, 4 hours.

I haven't tried taking the paddle out yet!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Tue 14 Apr 2020 7:44 pm
by alphamike
Thanks for the ratio's there for Soke flour KC. I don't particularly like white bread, but find that wholewheat is rather too dense for me too.

You still get a teeny wee hole when taking out the paddle before proving. Check the timing in your bread maker book for the kneading stage and set a reminder on phone, or hope that your memory is good enough. ((W\))

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 1:01 am
by kibsolar1999
fancy a french baguette in the morning?
then start in the evening, dough done in 6 minutes:
500 gr white flour or mixtures as above.
1/2 packet (3,5 gr) dry yeast
1,5 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
mix with 300 ml COLD (maybe out of the fridge) water and a hand mixer for 5 minutes. no hands. dough must stay cold.
dough must be soft, and is not very sticky, but a bit. depends also to the flour /mixture.
some oil into a bowl.. dough in.. cover with a plastic foil and a plate, and straight into the fridge for 10 - 12 hrs or more. over night.
dont worry, the dough will grow...

next morning, take the dough out of the fridge/bowl. rthe oil is just for the purpose that the dough slips our easily. do not knead. handle with care. divide to 2 x approx 400 grams
form a triangle, not too big.. and put two ends to the middle, roll up and form a baguette. carefully.
put a little flour on a baking tray and place the "roll-end " to the bottom and leave the baguettes for 30 min at room temp. say 25 degrees.
heat the oven to 230 C. recirculation mode. if you have, place a second tray at the bottom or, eg a 24 cm pan, pot whatever.
heat up a big cup of water. 250 ml.
give the dough a second "forming" , carefully, and give the dough 5 or 6 short "cuts" with a knife, 1 cm deep.
straight into the oven, add the cup of hot / boiling water to the 2nd tray or pot/pan.
best is a second tray to make a lot of steam. close oven door and do not open again.
after 10 minutes open the door to leave the steam out, if water is left, take out pan/pot / tray.
reduce heat to 200 and continue for 20 min.

eat warm

three times done and you have your perfect, personalised, baguette. works also by doing the dough in the morning and a bottle of wine in the evening.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 6:40 am
by alphamike
Thanks Kibsolar, sounds a nice easy recipe.

I tried making baguettes during the winter. Complete fail as the dough didn't rise well on the 2nd rise, suspect it was too cold, and I didn't leave them long enough. They looked great, but that's as far as it went. Might try again as the weather is warming up nicely.

I saw a tip on youtube for keeping the baguettes in shape if you don't have a mould. Place jars along the middle of your baking tray, cover with baking paper and place a baguette each side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ6zPRvP8Lo

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 8:02 am
by Groucho
dippersgirl wrote:
Tue 14 Apr 2020 1:07 pm
I hate the 'cups measurement' - I found a recipe a while ago and it said 'a cup of butter' - WTF????? When I see a recipe now, I convert it strait away
Thanks all the same for reminding us!!!!
With the wet ingredients it's fine to dispense with the cup and measure using weights in the recipe, for the flour you use a measuring cup or flask or jug as long as the volume is 500ml. On my scales that would be far too much flour if done by weight... it's any easy mistake to make.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 8:39 am
by come_on_aylin
I find this site quite good for conversions as it lets you to specify the ingredient you are converting allowing a more accurate conversion
https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooki ... -grams.php

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 8:43 am
by Mollie the cat
Thank you, I need that.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 1:11 pm
by Groucho
come_on_aylin wrote:
Wed 15 Apr 2020 8:39 am
I find this site quite good for conversions as it lets you to specify the ingredient you are converting allowing a more accurate conversion
https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooki ... -grams.php
228g = 2 cups US self-raising flour using this converter.
274g = 2 cups UK self-raising flour using this converter. so it rather depends on the cup size...

I think this recipe is US cups. 250ml x 2

So that got me thinking and I've just weighed two cups or Baspinar Self-raising flour and it came to 260g... so the lesson is to keep quantities in proportion it's best to use cups and 2 x 250ml of flour (500ml) as there seems quite a variation in the conversion arithmetic...

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 1:59 pm
by Keithcaley
I'm always cautious of measuring jugs, which often have a variety of different measurement systems marked on them.

The systems often include Cups, which are most often US Cups - 250ml as Groucho mentioned, as opposed to UK cup measurements which are 300ml.

Also, the Pints are sometimes US Pints - 16fl oz - instead of UK Pints which of course are 20 fl oz... This could really throw you out if you didn't notice!

You do have to pay attention to the system that the recipe is using and also be aware of what system your own kitchen measuring equipment uses.

Unless they specify 'heaped' or 'rounded', measurements such as teaspoon or tablespoon usually mean 'level', i.e. 5ml or 15ml, so the measuring spoon needs to be scraped level with a knife blade or similar.

Be wary of compressing flour etc by using too much force when scooping the material into a cup or spoon, as you may be forcing significantly more into the measure than specified - best to pour the flour or whatever into the measure rather than scoping it up.

Nowadays, I tend to use digital scales, which have a 'tare' (reset) button - this comes in very handy when adding multiple weighed ingredients, and I even weigh the water, on the basis that 1,000 ml of water weighs 1 Kilogram, although as Groucho mentioned earlier, this does not hold true for other materials!

It is a content source of amazement to me that my Mother never seemed to measure anything, and yet achieved perfectly consistent results, as if by Magic :)

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 2:06 pm
by Groucho
Keithcaley wrote:
Wed 15 Apr 2020 1:59 pm
I'm always cautious of measuring jugs, which often have a variety of different measurement systems marked on them.

The systems often include Cups, which are most often US Cups - 250ml as Groucho mentioned, as opposed to UK cup measurements which are 300ml.

Also, the Pints are sometimes US Pints - 16fl oz - instead of UK Pints which of course are 20 fl oz... This could really throw you out if you didn't notice!

You do have to pay attention to the system that the recipe is using and also be aware of what system your own kitchen measuring equipment uses.

Unless they specify 'heaped' or 'rounded', measurements such as teaspoon or tablespoon usually mean 'level', i.e. 5ml or 15ml, so the measuring spoon needs to be scraped level with a knife blade or similar.

Be wary of compressing flour etc by using too much force when scooping the material into a cup or spoon, as you may be forcing significantly more into the measure than specified - best to pour the flour or whatever into the measure rather than scoping it up.

Nowadays, I tend to use digital scales, which have a 'tare' (reset) button - this comes in very handy when adding multiple weighed ingredients, and I even weigh the water, on the basis that 1,000 ml of water weighs 1 Kilogram, although as Groucho mentioned earlier, this does not hold true for other materials!

It is a content source of amazement to me that my Mother never seemed to measure anything, and yet achieved perfectly consistent results, as if by Magic :)
Well she made you... :+1:)

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 2:39 pm
by Keithcaley
Well she made you... :+1:)
Perfect in every way... :) :) :)

... Not!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Wed 15 Apr 2020 2:39 pm
by alphamike
Must admit that the only time I weigh anything is for the bread maker. I did learn pastry making by watching my Gran though, and she never measured anything either. Her pastry was to die for, Mum says mine is the same, but Gran's was way better - no contest.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Thu 16 Apr 2020 6:31 am
by Groucho
alphamike wrote:
Wed 15 Apr 2020 2:39 pm
Must admit that the only time I weigh anything is for the bread maker. I did learn pastry making by watching my Gran though, and she never measured anything either. Her pastry was to die for, Mum says mine is the same, but Gran's was way better - no contest.
Yeah but cakes are more critical as the recipe is a chemical formula designed to achieve optimum taste and texture... if you change the formula you change the result... you may prefer the result but unless you are lucky it will often lead to disappointment.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Thu 16 Apr 2020 11:56 am
by alphamike
Very true Groucho, but I'm not really into baking cakes.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 19 Apr 2020 5:52 pm
by Mollie the cat
:+1:) Cracked it! Just pulled my third loaf from the oven really tasty. Thanks to everyone for your useful tips, always wanted to make bread now I can.

On a different note, had Jamie Oliver's chicken cooked in milk delicious. :+1:)

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Sun 19 Apr 2020 10:35 pm
by jofra
Re weighing/measuring in baking, my OH worked as a "confectioner" making (mostly) eccles cakes for a gold-medal-winning company; naturally, as made in bulk, weighing was not quite so critical, but even now at home/retired, when baking any and all different types of cake or pastries, she does not weigh or measure - and it still turns out perfect! :)

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Mon 20 Apr 2020 7:57 am
by Keithcaley
she does not weigh or measure - and it still turns out perfect!
... and how annoying is that??? :)

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Mon 20 Apr 2020 1:03 pm
by dippersgirl
Congratulation Mollie TC!!!!

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Mon 20 Apr 2020 3:29 pm
by Mollie the cat
Thanks Dippersgirl, very much appreciated. I bow to your superior knowledge on baking, hats off to you. :+1:)

I wish I had your knowledge but still trying. I should have been born a woman (maybe I was ) LOL.

Re: Bread flour

Posted: Mon 20 Apr 2020 3:56 pm
by Keithcaley
I will add - and I should have done it earlier - my congratulations to 'Mollie TC', particularly as you are doing it 'the hard way' ;)

It is always good to see someone bitten with a creative bug, and baking is nothing if it is not creative - once you have grasp of the principles involved and can put them to practical use, there are so many ways that you can develop the skill.

Well done!