I have made two loaves with the new bread maker. It's the same brand as my old one, but I had new variables that did not exist in the mid-Nineties
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It's been educational about the salt. It's true. I may still need to get boring salt for other cooking, but not for this. I am low on flour, though.
When this started, i just didn't want to go to the liquor store at midnight to buy salt. Now that I've learned about the vector, I can't wait to learn its effects.
By the way, today's loaf came out lovely. The maple syrup and buttermilk powder give more of a cracker consistency to the crust, but the insides are tender and ball nicely. It went very well with the pumpkin curry soup that Sienna made for dinner.
So would it make any difference if you dissolved whatever salt you're using into the liquid before adding that? Or could it be as you suggest merely a difference in the mass of salt used? Whatever, ordinary table salt is cheap. Also, if you're into experimenting with different bread flavors compatible with bread machines, it is possible to buy a powder concentrate that simulates sourdough's taste without requiring a sourdough starter - if you happen to like that flavor, I think I found mine at a Whole Foods store.
There probably is a sourdough powder. However I'm not looking for the taste of sourdough: I want to taste the local air culture in my bread.
Making a sourdough culture is like making your own yogurt. You find out what yeast is in the air and whether it makes a good bread. You have something that isn't standardized, that isn't Fleischmann's nationwide yeast powder. It could be weird and need a longer rise, so you wind up using French loaf settings.
I build my own computers. Soon I shall cull my yeast from the air. Then I'll cackle a lot and rub my hands.
I suspect the problem w/the finer grind of salt isn't the grind per se, but the volume of salt, since salt does hinder rising. Perhaps try 1/2 to 3/4 as much of the finely ground salt as compared to the coarser grind? (I may have to try something like that w/my own bread machine; my problem is that the dough usually rises well, but then tends to fall somewhat once the baking element kicks in. It's still tasty bread, mind you, but it would be nice if the loaves stayed as high as they rose. (If I bake the dough in the oven, it turns out fine, so it's got to be the machine, but there have been the rare occasions where the bread just works...)
The recipe as written there is actually an early draft that vastly understates the amount of water required to do it right. Really you want to put in more like 1 1/4 cups, and then scrape the crud off the walls and add a tablespoon or two of additional water during the first kneading cycle.
The water required will be on the higher side if you add a tablespoon of extra gluten, which I sometimes do for a more consistent loaf (though sometimes I prefer the more homespun appearance you get without it). It's not exactly fire-and-forget.
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When this started, i just didn't want to go to the liquor store at midnight to buy salt. Now that I've learned about the vector, I can't wait to learn its effects.
By the way, today's loaf came out lovely. The maple syrup and buttermilk powder give more of a cracker consistency to the crust, but the insides are tender and ball nicely. It went very well with the pumpkin curry soup that Sienna made for dinner.
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Whatever, ordinary table salt is cheap.
Also, if you're into experimenting with different bread flavors compatible with bread machines, it is possible to buy a powder concentrate that simulates sourdough's taste without requiring a sourdough starter - if you happen to like that flavor, I think I found mine at a Whole Foods store.
Reply
Making a sourdough culture is like making your own yogurt. You find out what yeast is in the air and whether it makes a good bread. You have something that isn't standardized, that isn't Fleischmann's nationwide yeast powder. It could be weird and need a longer rise, so you wind up using French loaf settings.
I build my own computers. Soon I shall cull my yeast from the air. Then I'll cackle a lot and rub my hands.
Reply
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http://mmcirvin.livejournal.com/160407.html
The recipe as written there is actually an early draft that vastly understates the amount of water required to do it right. Really you want to put in more like 1 1/4 cups, and then scrape the crud off the walls and add a tablespoon or two of additional water during the first kneading cycle.
The water required will be on the higher side if you add a tablespoon of extra gluten, which I sometimes do for a more consistent loaf (though sometimes I prefer the more homespun appearance you get without it). It's not exactly fire-and-forget.
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