Hi,

I used my Panasonic machine every day in the UK but have put it away here. Which brand of flour do you use here? I have tried both the Defiance and Tip Top brands and neither was any good. I used Waitrose organic strong flour in the UK with great results but nothing I've found here even comes close.

I would love to be able to use my machine again, first to save a trip to the bakers every day and second, to know what I'm actually eating!

Jane

Hi Jane, I had my bread maker packed away for some time for the same reason - or at least that and a small kitchen in our rented apartment. But it seems to be working well now using more or less whatever organic flour I find in the supermarket and then adding gluten (from the health food shop). I've used 'White Wings' flour recently, from Woolworths. Tracey may have better suggestions for a strong breadflour though.

I also wonder whether the cooler weather now in Sydney may be making the loaves come out better. The whole process is so temperature critical. In the UK I had to add tepid water in really cold weather. I don't know if everything being too warm could make the yeast rise too quickly and then collapse? At any rate for now it's going well on the 'rapid' cycle.

I've not found any really rich nutty wholemeal - like Allinsons stoneground. Shop-bought wholemeal bread also seems very 'light' to me - unless it's rye.

I was curious enough to ask an experienced baker, Paul Merry, about this. He used to be at the Village Bakery in Cumbria and now runs his own place in Dorset, but his first bakery was in Melbourne. His comment was: "It is true that Australian wholemeal wheat flour is paler and less flavoursome than English. Regarding its weaker strength (less gluten) you might be able to find a type that has abnormal strength so that you feel no need to add powdered gluten. You could try working with a sponge - that may improve the bread's structure. In U.K., rather than offer extra powder gluten as a solution, the millers import strong grain from N.America." (As my bread-making skills are confined to pressing the buttons on the machine, I'm afraid I have no idea what "working with a sponge" involves!)

Has any one bought flour direct from the net? As i know in the uk if i wanted to i could get allinson flour delivered to my house.
Would this be possible in oz?
Mandy

I was interested in your bread making thread, but the link doesn't seem to work. I have had difficulty in making any decent bread since I got here , so would love to see this link.

Sorry Gill, stupid thing, I didnt realise it didnt work! Correct link is http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371177

Thanks for that, I have tried the link and it's OK