has a higher gluten concentration than All purpose flour; however, depen-
ding on different milling practices, this may vary. Strong plain flour or bread
flour are recommended for use with this breadmaker.
Wholewheat flour/ wholemeal flour
Wholewheat flour/wholemeal flour is milled from the entire wheat kernel
which contains the bran and germ and makes it heavier and richer in nutri-
ents than white flour. Breads made with this flour are usually smaller and
heavier than white loaves. To overcome this wholewheat flour/wholemeal
flour can be mixed with Bread flour or strong plain flour to produce a lighter
textured bread.
Selfraising flour
Self-raising Flour contains unnecessary leavening ingredients that will in-
terfere 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) neces-
sary 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 three different types of
yeast available: fresh, traditional dry active, and fast action. It is recom-
mended that fast action yeast be used. Fresh or compressed cake yeast is
not recommended as they will produce poor results. Store yeast according
to manufacturers instructions. Ensure your yeast is fresh by checking its
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 undi-
sturbed.
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.
Liquid measurements
Use the cups provided B. When reading amounts, the measuring cup must
be placed on a horizontal flat surface and viewed at eye level (not on an
angle). The liquid level line must be aligned to the mark of measurement.
A ‘guesstimate’ is not good enough as it could throw out the critical balance
of the recipe.
Dry measurements
Dry measurements (especially flours) must be done using the measuring
cups provided. The measuring cups are based on the American standard 8
fluid oz cup – British cup is 10 fluid oz. Dry measuring must be done by gently
spooning ingredients into the measuring cup and then once filled, levelling
off with a knife C. Scooping or tapping a measuring cup will pack the ingre-
dients and you will end up with more than is required. This extra amount
could affect the balance of the recipe. Do not sift the flour, unless stated.
When measuring small amounts of dry or liquid ingredients (ie yeast, sugar,
salt, powdered milk, honey, molasses) the small measuring spoon which is
provided must be used. Measurements must be level, not heaped as this
small difference could throw out the critical balance of the recipe D.
Your breadmaker produces delicious baked goods with ease. This machine
requires only that you carefully follow the recipe instructions. In basic coo-
king, normally ‘a pinch of this and a dash of that’ is fine, but not for breadma-
kers. Using an automatic breadmaker requires you accurately measure each
ingredient for best results.
•
Always add ingredients in the order they are listed in the recipe.
•
Accurate measuring of ingredients is vital. Do not use larger amounts.
UNDERSTANDING BAKING
It is often said that cooking is an art relying on the creativity of the chef,
while baking bread is much more of a science. This means that the pro-
cess of combining flour, water and yeast, results in a reaction that produces
bread. You have to remember that when the ingredients combine with each
other they produce a specific result. Read the following information careful-
ly to gain a better understanding of the importance each ingredient plays in
the breadmaking process.
USING THE RIGHT FLOUR
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 conditio-
ners that give dough a greater suitability for kneading. Bread flour typically
