My background: Use a bread machine lots of times. Made bread (to some
level of success) by hand a few times. Decent "cook", not at all
experience "baker", though my mom was pretty good and I watched (or
helped) her many times.

So I have been playing with making bread with the help of a Kitchen Aid
Mixer. Don't bother telling me to do it all by hand; my current live
compromise stands at using the mixer (vrs bread machine or buying it).
One of the recipes I have tried several times with quite *miserable*
results was the Delia Smith one for Plain and Simple White bread. I
suspect ingredient differences are at the heart of the problem, but I'd
love to have some help. I could just try a different recipe, but I get
stubborn sometimes....I'd also like to be able to reliably use British
recipes, so solving the problem would be nice.

I am in Canada for reference. Now, from the recipe, here is where I find
difficulty, ingredient wise:

- She specifies "strong white bread flour". I use "bread flour". I seem
to remember Canadian flour is considered strong (not soft), but...
- She specifies "easy-blend dried yeast". Now I use "active dry yeast",
which I really would think is identical, but she only uses 1 teaspoon
for 700g of flour, which seems quite low. Is the british teaspoon wacky,
the yeast different or is this right?
- "golden caster sugar" -- I was using granulated, but it seems that
actually caster might be a lot closer to powered sugar. Comments?

Thanks for taking the time to read this far at least!

PK

Paul Kierstead wrote:

> My background: Use a bread machine lots of times. Made bread (to some
> level of success) by hand a few times. Decent "cook", not at all
> experience "baker", though my mom was pretty good and I watched (or
> helped) her many times.
>
> So I have been playing with making bread with the help of a Kitchen Aid
> Mixer. Don't bother telling me to do it all by hand; my current live
> compromise stands at using the mixer (vrs bread machine or buying it).
> One of the recipes I have tried several times with quite *miserable*
> results was the Delia Smith one for Plain and Simple White bread. I
> suspect ingredient differences are at the heart of the problem, but I'd
> love to have some help. I could just try a different recipe, but I get
> stubborn sometimes....I'd also like to be able to reliably use British
> recipes, so solving the problem would be nice.
>
> I am in Canada for reference. Now, from the recipe, here is where I find
> difficulty, ingredient wise:
>
> - She specifies "strong white bread flour". I use "bread flour". I seem
> to remember Canadian flour is considered strong (not soft), but...
> - She specifies "easy-blend dried yeast". Now I use "active dry yeast",
> which I really would think is identical, but she only uses 1 teaspoon
> for 700g of flour, which seems quite low. Is the british teaspoon wacky,
> the yeast different or is this right?

Fellow Canadian here. I would read the "easy-blend dried yeast" as
being the same as "instant yeast". I've never used "bread flour" simply
Robin Hood flour and my bread always comes out great.

> - "golden caster sugar" -- I was using granulated, but it seems that
> actually caster might be a lot closer to powered sugar. Comments?
>
> Thanks for taking the time to read this far at least!
>
> PK


--
Think beyond your assumptions.

Serendipity > wrote in
:

> "golden caster sugar"

Perhaps a type of brown sugar? And their tsp is wacky...not ours (CND) plus
the handle is on the other side.

--
Starchless in Manitoba.

"Hahabogus" > wrote in message
...
> Serendipity > wrote in
> :
>
> > "golden caster sugar"
>
> Perhaps a type of brown sugar? And their tsp is wacky...not ours (CND)
plus
> the handle is on the other side.
>
> --
> Starchless in Manitoba.

SNORT! SNORT! <giggle>

Charlie, choking on his Bacardi Silver

"Pinot" > wrote in message
...
> Paul Kierstead wrote:
>
> > - "golden caster sugar" -- I was using granulated, but it seems that
> > actually caster might be a lot closer to powered sugar. Comments?
>
> It depends where Julia's bread recipe comes from.

Who is Julia?

Charlie, smarty pants :-0

"Pinot" > wrote in message
...
> Paul Kierstead wrote:
>
> > - "golden caster sugar" -- I was using granulated, but it seems that
> > actually caster might be a lot closer to powered sugar. Comments?
>
> It depends where Julia's bread recipe comes from.

Who is Julia?

Charlie, smarty pants :-0

Charles Gifford wrote:
> "Pinot" > wrote in message

>>It depends where Julia's bread recipe comes from.
>
>
> Who is Julia?

It's Delia. "...Baking Delia's bread".

Sorry.

Charles Gifford wrote:
> "Pinot" > wrote in message

>>It depends where Julia's bread recipe comes from.
>
>
> Who is Julia?

It's Delia. "...Baking Delia's bread".

Sorry.

Paul Kierstead wrote:


I'm a newby bread maker from the UK.

> - She specifies "strong white bread flour". I use "bread flour". I seem
> to remember Canadian flour is considered strong (not soft), but...

That should be right, bread flour is often called strong in the UK.

> - She specifies "easy-blend dried yeast". Now I use "active dry yeast",
> which I really would think is identical, but she only uses 1 teaspoon
> for 700g of flour, which seems quite low. Is the british teaspoon wacky,
> the yeast different or is this right?

Alas British teaspoons are as boring as everybody elses but 1
teaspoonful seems very little to me.

There are two sorts of dried yeast available in the UK:-

Dried Active Yeast:
A small tin of tiny spherical granules of yeast. Needs to be
mixed with warm water and sugar and left for about 15 mind to get
going.

Fast Action Bread Yeast:
Sachets of very finely powdered dried yeast and flour improvers.
Can be mixed straight into the dough.



> - "golden caster sugar" -- I was using granulated, but it seems that
> actually caster might be a lot closer to powered sugar. Comments?

Its really not going make a difference.

Phil

Paul Kierstead wrote:


I'm a newby bread maker from the UK.

> - She specifies "strong white bread flour". I use "bread flour". I seem
> to remember Canadian flour is considered strong (not soft), but...

That should be right, bread flour is often called strong in the UK.

> - She specifies "easy-blend dried yeast". Now I use "active dry yeast",
> which I really would think is identical, but she only uses 1 teaspoon
> for 700g of flour, which seems quite low. Is the british teaspoon wacky,
> the yeast different or is this right?

Alas British teaspoons are as boring as everybody elses but 1
teaspoonful seems very little to me.

There are two sorts of dried yeast available in the UK:-

Dried Active Yeast:
A small tin of tiny spherical granules of yeast. Needs to be
mixed with warm water and sugar and left for about 15 mind to get
going.

Fast Action Bread Yeast:
Sachets of very finely powdered dried yeast and flour improvers.
Can be mixed straight into the dough.



> - "golden caster sugar" -- I was using granulated, but it seems that
> actually caster might be a lot closer to powered sugar. Comments?

Its really not going make a difference.

Phil

Zspider wrote:

> Paul Kierstead
>
> So I have been playing with making bread with the help of a Kitchen
> Aid Mixer. Don't bother telling me to do it all by hand; my current
> live compromise stands at using the mixer (vrs bread machine or buying
> it). One of the recipes I have tried several times with quite
> *miserable* results was the Delia Smith one for Plain and Simple White
> bread. I suspect ingredient differences are at the heart of the
> problem, but I'd love to have some help. I could just try a different
> recipe, but I get stubborn sometimes....I'd also like to be able to
> reliably use British recipes, so solving the problem would be nice.
>
> *************
> It sounds like plain ole white bread Paul, so I'm not sure why you
> are having problems. I have a few comments, though. First, since
> you are not using a bread machine, I wonder about your rise cycles
> and the temperature. Second, double the yeast. It doesn't sound
> like the recipe is using enough. The type of white sugar you use
> shouldn't matter much. It should end up totally dissolved anyway.
> Third, what is "miserable," Paul? Is it not rising enough? If it
> is, then my question about your rise cycles is irrelevant. Also,
> I use "bread" flour. It's supposed to rise better.
>
> Michael
There can be so many reasons why he is not having good results:

amount of yeast, temperature of the bread prior to and after kneading,
ambient temperature, protein content of the flour (bread flour is good,
otherwise add some wheat gluten,) the kneading process itself, amount of
water used, et cetera, et cetera. Extrapolate from these ideas and
experiment, experiment, and experiment. Jot down each and every recipe
and make notes as to what improved or went wrong.

HTH,

Rich

--
"Dum Spiro, Spero."

As long as I breath, I hope.

Cicero (Ancient Rome)





ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸. ><((((º> ·´¯`·. , .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Let there be fish!!!

Zspider wrote:

> Paul Kierstead
>
> So I have been playing with making bread with the help of a Kitchen
> Aid Mixer. Don't bother telling me to do it all by hand; my current
> live compromise stands at using the mixer (vrs bread machine or buying
> it). One of the recipes I have tried several times with quite
> *miserable* results was the Delia Smith one for Plain and Simple White
> bread. I suspect ingredient differences are at the heart of the
> problem, but I'd love to have some help. I could just try a different
> recipe, but I get stubborn sometimes....I'd also like to be able to
> reliably use British recipes, so solving the problem would be nice.
>
> *************
> It sounds like plain ole white bread Paul, so I'm not sure why you
> are having problems. I have a few comments, though. First, since
> you are not using a bread machine, I wonder about your rise cycles
> and the temperature. Second, double the yeast. It doesn't sound
> like the recipe is using enough. The type of white sugar you use
> shouldn't matter much. It should end up totally dissolved anyway.
> Third, what is "miserable," Paul? Is it not rising enough? If it
> is, then my question about your rise cycles is irrelevant. Also,
> I use "bread" flour. It's supposed to rise better.
>
> Michael
There can be so many reasons why he is not having good results:

amount of yeast, temperature of the bread prior to and after kneading,
ambient temperature, protein content of the flour (bread flour is good,
otherwise add some wheat gluten,) the kneading process itself, amount of
water used, et cetera, et cetera. Extrapolate from these ideas and
experiment, experiment, and experiment. Jot down each and every recipe
and make notes as to what improved or went wrong.

HTH,

Rich

--
"Dum Spiro, Spero."

As long as I breath, I hope.

Cicero (Ancient Rome)





ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸. ><((((º> ·´¯`·. , .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Let there be fish!!!

Paul Kierstead

So I have been playing with making bread with the help of a Kitchen
Aid Mixer. Don't bother telling me to do it all by hand; my current
live compromise stands at using the mixer (vrs bread machine or buying
it). One of the recipes I have tried several times with quite
*miserable* results was the Delia Smith one for Plain and Simple White
bread. I suspect ingredient differences are at the heart of the
problem, but I'd love to have some help. I could just try a different
recipe, but I get stubborn sometimes....I'd also like to be able to
reliably use British recipes, so solving the problem would be nice.

*************
It sounds like plain ole white bread Paul, so I'm not sure why you
are having problems. I have a few comments, though. First, since
you are not using a bread machine, I wonder about your rise cycles
and the temperature. Second, double the yeast. It doesn't sound
like the recipe is using enough. The type of white sugar you use
shouldn't matter much. It should end up totally dissolved anyway.
Third, what is "miserable," Paul? Is it not rising enough? If it
is, then my question about your rise cycles is irrelevant. Also,
I use "bread" flour. It's supposed to rise better.

Michael

Paul Kierstead

So I have been playing with making bread with the help of a Kitchen
Aid Mixer. Don't bother telling me to do it all by hand; my current
live compromise stands at using the mixer (vrs bread machine or buying
it). One of the recipes I have tried several times with quite
*miserable* results was the Delia Smith one for Plain and Simple White
bread. I suspect ingredient differences are at the heart of the
problem, but I'd love to have some help. I could just try a different
recipe, but I get stubborn sometimes....I'd also like to be able to
reliably use British recipes, so solving the problem would be nice.

*************
It sounds like plain ole white bread Paul, so I'm not sure why you
are having problems. I have a few comments, though. First, since
you are not using a bread machine, I wonder about your rise cycles
and the temperature. Second, double the yeast. It doesn't sound
like the recipe is using enough. The type of white sugar you use
shouldn't matter much. It should end up totally dissolved anyway.
Third, what is "miserable," Paul? Is it not rising enough? If it
is, then my question about your rise cycles is irrelevant. Also,
I use "bread" flour. It's supposed to rise better.

Michael