Hi ALL,

We bought a panasonic breadmaker (SD-252) recently. It is not as fool-proof
as we expected. So far we still have not got the hang. The bread did not
rise or baked properly, and some flour was still at the edges. We followed
all the instructions and used recommended ingredients. Anyone has experience
of using this machine and what are the tricks we have missed. I am sure the
machine is working as normal.

Thanks

Pete,

Where in the world are you? If you are in Canada I would give you one
answer and if in the US a different one... I suggest downloading a
Black and Decker breadmaker manual to see the differences between a
recipe they provide for Canada and a recipe they provide for the US
for the SAME bread. They are side by side in those manuals.

Also, if you are at any elevation above sea level you may need to make
changes. The following holds according to Professional Baking by
Gisslen.

Altitude adjustments

Above sea level by:
2500 feet 5000 feet 7500 feet
Baking Powder -20% -40% -60%
[Yeast - my suggestion - reduce yeast by half the above percentages]
Flour +4% +9%
Eggs +2.5% +9% +15%
Sugar -3% -6% -9%
Fat -9%
Liquid +9% +15% +22%

So if you are in Denver or Salt Lake City you need to use the middle
column to make adjustments and if you are in Mexico City you need to
use the last column to make adjustments.

Also, each machine has quirks with the way the paddles work and the
way the corners of the pan are, or are not, cleaned by the kneading
action. Keep a silicone or rubber or plastic spatula around, and be
prepared to slide it into those corners to push the flour into the
center a bit so that it gets picked up and mixed in. Often it is more
a matter of a few drops of liquid into those corners that accomplishes
the same thing ... You simply may need to add a bit of liquid because
you are at enough elevation above sea level that you are simply not
providing as much liquid as is really needed in your recipes.

Once you get it right, adjust other recipes the same way to be certain
that you do in fact have it right. If all of them work when you make
those same adjustments, that solves most of your problems.

Also, depending on the humidity your flour will either require more or
less water each time you make bread. After 5 minutes look and touch
and see if it is wet enough or too wet... and adjust with either a
little more flour or liquid. Add liquid by the drop and flour by the
teaspoon until you have it figured out.

FWIW... I hope this helps you...

RsH




On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 01:25:39 GMT, "Pete Lodd" > wrote:

>Hi ALL,
>
>We bought a panasonic breadmaker (SD-252) recently. It is not as fool-proof
>as we expected. So far we still have not got the hang. The bread did not
>rise or baked properly, and some flour was still at the edges. We followed
>all the instructions and used recommended ingredients. Anyone has experience
>of using this machine and what are the tricks we have missed. I am sure the
>machine is working as normal.
>
>Thanks
>
>

R.S. (Bob) Heuman - Toronto, ON, Canada
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Pete Lodd > wrote in message
...
> Hi ALL,
>
> We bought a panasonic breadmaker (SD-252) recently. It is not as
fool-proof
> as we expected. So far we still have not got the hang. The bread did not
> rise or baked properly, and some flour was still at the edges. We followed
> all the instructions and used recommended ingredients. Anyone has
experience
> of using this machine and what are the tricks we have missed. I am sure
the
> machine is working as normal.
>
> Thanks

Hello Pete,

I have one of the older Panasonic's that I love. Don't give up on it yet.
Flour not mixing in all the way hasn't been a problem (are you adding your
water last?) but when the rise is off, I know my yeast is getting old. If
you store your yeast in the fridge, let it come up to room temp and don't
add very cold or hot water. There are some 100% w/w recipes in the manual
that don't rise that well for me but maybe that's the way they are meant to
be. If you haven't tried the basic white on the rapid setting you may want
to try it. I throw in a fourth to a third cup of oatmeal and it's always
good even when the yeast is half dead.

Joy in WA

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 01:25:39 GMT, "Pete Lodd" > wrote:

>Hi ALL,
>
>We bought a panasonic breadmaker (SD-252) recently. It is not as fool-proof
>as we expected. So far we still have not got the hang.

It's really hard to make things fool proof. Fools can be maddeningly
clever at defeating fool proof designs.

>The bread did not
>rise or baked properly, and some flour was still at the edges. We followed
>all the instructions and used recommended ingredients. Anyone has experience
>of using this machine and what are the tricks we have missed. I am sure the
>machine is working as normal.

I know nothing about the Panasonic model, but I have used a Zojirushi
and I now have an old Hitachi. They are not perfect, of course, but
they do work pretty well. I'd just keep trying.

If you want more detailed help, you will need to post the recipe and
that went wrong.

If you are trying to make whole wheat bread, it won't rise as much as
white flour. You can add a little vital gluten, but be careful. Only
add a little (1/2 tsp at first) or you may find it rising therough the
lid.

--
Hitachi HB-A101 bread machine, 1 pound
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(01/10/05)