I have been experimenting with machines for a few years now and have some
ideas that improve the flavor and texture of the bread.
1. use filtered, bottled or preboiled (morning teapot leftover is great)
water. It seems that the chlorine in some water supplies makes the yeast
unhappy.
2. add 1 tsp of vinegar (I use apple cider) to the water.
3. let the water, yeast (I use smaller amounts than most recipies: usually
1 tsp total), vinegar, and one cup of the flour mixed together, ferment for
1/2 to 6 hours before mixing in rest of ingredients. Whole wheat, rye or a
mixture of these works great.
4. weigh the flour in a cheap food scale rather than measure: 1c = 4oz
5. Let the bread sit in the pan for 30 to 60 minutes after the baking cycle
is through. Then let the bread dry on a rack. The crust will be thick,
crisp and chewy.
One recipie I like is below:
Country Bread
1 cup cool water
1 tsp yeast
1 cup (4oz) whole wheat
1/4 cup (1oz) rye
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
mix together, cover (I use a shower cap lifted from a hotel), and let sit
at room temp for 6 hours.
shy 1 cup (7oz) bread flour
1 tbs gleuten
2 tbs dry skim milk (Carnation)
1 tsp salt
1 tbs light olive oil (does not flavor the bread)
1 tbs honey (I use the tablespoon measure right after the oil so the honey
slips right out.)
I use the Breadman that has been programmed to kneed 15 min, rise 30 punch
down then rise 1.5 hours, bake 375 for 50 min. Let sit in pan another 30
min then cool completely. If you have machine that cannot be programmed,
use warm water instead of cool(30 sec in microwave) and the dark
setting. If you want the timed setting, put the bread flour and the other
ingredients on top of the fermenting wheat/rye and the oil and honey on top
of that. Do not cover with plastic which would be truely interesting baked
into your bread.
This makes a Thick chewy crusted bread with a soft crumb that is stringy,
not cakey, and smells great.
LLoyd Davis