Hi everyone.
Back home me and the bread maker used to come up with some stunning examples of 'instant waistline expanding' delights.

Here, me the bread maker have yet to produce anything other then expensive chick (NOT chook) fodder.

1} Why?

2} Help !

bye the way nothings changed, same recipe same ingredients............

When I was visiting my uncle on Waiheke Island this Christmas he made some bread in his bread maker and it was fine (I make mine here in the UK with a bread maker too). It must be the quality of the flour. Have you tried a selection of different flours?

yeap. I've used pams (sorry), I've used commercial grade stuff bought from the bakers, I've used stone ground from the windmill in Foxton. All the results are the same - bricks.

Hmm... does the bread rise, then collapse, or just not rise properly?

bit of both. I've used different yeasts, I've even made up some yeast cultures and still no sucess

Try increasing or decreasing the liquid. Maybe there is something about NZ flour that makes it more/less absorbent. Maybe your machine got damaged in transit

I think I have exhausted the advice I can give. I will sleep on it and if I think of anything I'll let you know in the morning.

I love waking up to homemade bread. Might go and put on some sundried tomato and parmesan right now.

yum

I had a real basic breadmaker in UK and it made the best Hot Cross Bread ever... I left it there (my mistake!) and was given a much better one here.... can I make any decent bread in it?? .... big fat NOPE. All I use it for now is making dough... shame.

like mine !!!!!

So what are we doing wrong?? I only use mine now for making pizza dough and sweet dough for Danish Pastries.

I used mine, brought from the UK, for the first time in 7 months this week and it made a lovely (soz) loaf.

Anyway I wonder whether it could be the yeast. I was reading through the recipe book which came with my bread maker and it said the yeast was very important and that it should be the dried kind and also one specifically labelled for bread makers. It also said the yeast should be the first thing going into the bread maker and the water the last so as not to activate it too quickly.

Just a long shot but thought it may help. If you're already doing this then ...

yes indeed, make sure the yeast, always kept in the fridge, is nowhere near the liquid, do not allow the salt or the sugar to come in contact with each other during the resting period. Keep them in seperate corners of the pan.
I also use tepid water - never stone old from the tap. I have used pams flour and home brand flour both good, I buy a wholegrain mix from the Binn INn when making well, wholegrain bread. whole grain loaves never rise quite as much but still its a very nice loaf.

I also use a product from binn inn called 'bead improver' $4.50 for a big jar, add 2 teaspoons to the flour and bobs your uncle.
Mines a Panasonic, about 5 years old, still goes well,

I find with my British recipe books that I have to use slightly more water, only about 20ml to the written recipe, make sure the flour is 'strong' not the ordinary stuff.

I've also been experimenting lately with starter doughs and making ciabatti but its real fiddly, tastes good though but doesn't rise quite as much the stuff I see in the shops.

I have to say I break all those rules and my bread is fine. If you are making the bread for much later you should really use cold water as the warm water may get the yeast going too early.

One thing occurred to me. Buy a packet of flour with a bread recipe on and use the same proportion of ingredients. The recipe should use the correct combo of flour and liquid for the type of flour in the packet.

An egg!!! We have a really good Panasonic machine and Kate uses Edmonds red top yeast, an egg, a bit of water and olive oil and a high grade white plain flour. She does the dough in the machine then we let it rise over night and the oven comes on auto matically just before the cheap leccy ends...gorgeous smell, blinding bread and all done on the cheap!!!!

Having said that the machine sometimes does it all but the overnight oven jobbie is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay superior!!