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8
Important note on
flours
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.
Whole wheat flour/wholemeal
flour
Whole wheat 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,
whole wheat flour/wholemeal flour
can be mixed with Bread flour or
strong plain flour to produce a
high, light 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.
Other ingredients
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 basically three different
types of yeast available: fresh,
traditional dry active and fast
action. It is recommended that fast
action yeast is used. Fresh or
compressed cake yeast are not
recommended as they will produce
poor results. Store yeast according
to manufacturer’s instructions.
Ensure your yeast is fresh by
checking it’s 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.
Salt
Salt is necessary to balance the
flavour of breads and cakes, as
well as for the crust colour that
develops during baking. Salt also
limits the growth of yeast, so the
amounts shown in the recipes
should not be increased. It may be
reduced for dietary reasons,
however, your baking may suffer.
Liquids/milk
Liquids such as milk or a
combination of powdered milk and
water, can be used when making
bread. Milk will improve flavour,
provide a velvety texture and soften
the crust, while water alone will
produce a crispier crust. Some
liquids call for juice (orange, apple,
etc) to be added as a flavour
enhancer.
Note: For most recipes, we suggest
the use of dry skimmed milk.
Eggs
Eggs add richness and a velvety
texture to bread doughs and cakes.
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil ‘shortens’ or
tenderises the texture of yeast
breads. Butter or margarine can be
used as a substitute. If butter or
margarine is used direct from the
refrigerator, it should be softened
for easier blending during the
mixing cycle.
Baking powder
Baking powder is a raising agent
used in cakes. This type of raising
agent does not require rising time
before baking as the chemical
reaction works when liquid
ingredients are added.
Bicarbonate of soda
Bicarbonate of soda is another
raising agent not to be confused or
substituted for baking powder. It
also does not require rising time
before baking as the chemical
reaction works during the baking
process.
Vitamin C - Ascorbic acid
Ascorbic acid helps improve the
volume of the loaf. Vitamin C
powder or tablets should be used.
You can also use the orange flavour
vitamin C supplement tablet.
These are usually marked in mg
(milligrams) strength. If they are
200mg tablets, use 1/2 tablet for