In what ways does honey affect breadmaking?
dessert_gardener
9 years ago
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teresa_nc7
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJasdip
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
weather affect breadmaking?
Comments (7)Bread is the most humbling food in the world.... Everything effects it. I'm not so sure which side you part your hair on isn't an issue some days!!! (LOL) Flour (or in my case wheat) varies from brand-to-brand and bag-to-bag - protein content, moisture level, age... Old flour makes horrible bread. Old flour is an often over-looked reason for failed bread. I see a big difference just in the type of wheat I use. Hard spring wheat has a larger kernel and produces more flour and less bran, while hard winter wheat is a smaller, shriveled-looking grain so you mill more bran into the flour. BUT, hard winter wheat generally has more gluten, and a stronger gluten protein, than hard spring wheat due to the longer growing season. WHO KNEW??? Ambient air temperature as well as humidity are the two that readily change from season to season. That's why I use a dough-rising bucket to raise dough in. Snap on that lid and you have a perfect little micro-environment where you can keep drafts off, moisture in, and can see exactly when the dough has doubled (no more guessing and over- or under-proofed dough). The temperature of the dough is something most of us home-bakers don't really look at critically, but in their books the "experts" go on-and-on about the temperature of the dough during kneading and proofing. So I'm sure the temperature of the dough in my kitchen varies a LOT from the 76-degree F summer kitchen to the 62-66 degrees I keep it in the winter. You'll get different results if you use a sponge method. Even a 30-minute sponge will improve dough (it allows the gluten to develop by absorbing hydration), but a 2-1/2-hour sponge is optimum. I use an overnight sponge with whole wheat flour, so one more "rule" broken. But an overnight sponge works great for whole wheat bread made with green flour (freshly-milled and NOT aged), which most "experts" poo-poo and have very little experience using. Most of us don't take the time for a triple rise. A triple rise was fairly common when our flour was bromated and it had the extensibility that worked well with 3 rises. But the flour is no longer bromated so our dough doesn't have the extensibility it used to. Even the old standard "double in bulk" has changed due to the removal of bromates from the flour. "Experts" now suggest to let the dough raise to just UNDER double -- that double is actually over-proofing. So that's something else to consider when we use "older" recipes. Yeast will only work so long, so a triple rise is actually pushing how long your yeast will work and may affect the oven-spring. But a triple rise certainly improves the flavor and the texture. I just printed off a recipe at King Arthur yesterday that has yet another "rogue" method. (see link below) SAF-Instant Yeast is used in this recipe, which is a favorite of mine. SAF-Instant Yeast is the hybrid of yeast and works differently than even the other brands of fast-acting yeast (Bread Machine Yeast, Red-Star Quick-Rise, Fleischmann's Rapid-Rise). Over the years I've studied the science, methods and common rules for making bread, and for every rule there seems to be an exception. The rules seem to be most helpful when the cry "what happened to my bread" comes up. The written recipe did bread a complete disservice, in my opinion. It gives exact amounts and precise times, and neither apply to bread-making. The flour amount is only a good guess because no matter how carefully you measure it on a scale or in a cup (and cups are NEVER an accurate measure), the amount can't take into consideration the amount of moisture and protein in the flour - which is always changing. We go by the "feel" of the dough - which can't be measured. Dough doesn't rise to a clock, but rather to the strength of the yeast, moisture in the dough and humidity in the air, as well as the ambient temperature. One thing for certain, whether you use an overnight sponge, no-knead method, quick-rise/double-rise/triple-rise, or the 1-hour Quick Cycle on your bread machine, everyone enjoys the fruits of our labor (most days). On the days we get "bricks" we bow in humility to the "bread god" and vow to RISE-UP (LOL) another day... And explain to hubby as he walks into the house for lunch and he catches a whiff of fresh-baked bread, that all he gets is the smell, not the heel off a fresh loaf of bread. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: John's Easy Yeast Bread...See MoreBaby on the way - How does that affect kitchen design choices?
Comments (18)Thanks everyone for your compliments on our house and your congrats on the baby! We are very excited for this baby - its been a long time coming!!! Same with our house  weÂve been working on it for 2 years. We had been doing a bunch of things ourselves taking down all the wallpaper, painting the entire house, leveling the subfloors, ripping out all the old carpet, reconfiguring our master closets, opening up the walls between the kitchen and great room as well as hiring out for all new hardwood upstairs, refinishing the downstairs hardwood, getting a pool/spa put in, new landscaping, irrigation/ outdoorlighting, repiping the house with new tankless water heater, gutting and redoing the master bath. I have to post before and after pics sometime  the house always had good bones but boy was it dated. The kitchen is the last major project  of course there are other little projects left Âlike the babyÂs room which I havenÂt even started furnishing/decorating . Anyhow youÂve all given me such great ideas for ways to make the kitchen safer and more user friendly when the little one arrives. Rookie-2010 thanks!! Congrats to you too on your new house! Love love your kitchen!! Have you moved in yet? alwayssunshine I will definitely start looking for a large gate(s). We actually have two openings between the kitchen and the great room (there is another smaller one on the right). There used to be pocket doors where the large opening is and stationary glass doors where to smaller one is but we decided to open it up and really looks so much better (but I can see how it make things harder when the baby is mobile). I have been hoping for a gas range but if we canÂt vent it we might have to go with a cooktop on the island again which would have knobs on the top. Or if we get a range we might do what withoutanh suggested and take the knobs off if the baby shows interest in playing with them. Sadiebrooklyn thanks for the tip about the pack and play. Judging from how DH and I are I am betting weÂll have an inquisitive baby. dianalo we have thought about just doing a facelift on this kitchen but I really have my heart set on a new layout and better cabinets (they are really beat up when you see them up close). We ended up doing a facelift in the kitchen in our previous house after spending a year planning a gut renovation and my husband promised me IÂd get to remodel the next one - so we bought this house specifically because weÂd get to redo it. As onecatonedog said I think things will bother me more after the baby comes and IÂd rather try to get it all done before if we can. rjr220 we are planning on a single large sink  although still deciding whether to do farmhouse or undermount. I hadnÂt thought about bathing the baby in it but I have certainly used it to rinse the dog on more than one occasion so that makes sense I guess! I far as the pool we have to install a bunch of things  we are planning on a pool alarm as well as door alarms and exterior doors with hardware mounted higher than little babies reach  we also have magnalatches already on the backyard gates. Rexroat yes I plan to use the island for prep  the way I have been using it is I stand facing away from the sink. Not sure if weÂll be able to add a prep sink at this point - we just repiped the whole house and didnÂt include one. The island shape in those drawings is not really finalized  I just know I donÂt want the same shape we have now  so IÂd be open to suggestions about that. Thanks again everyone!...See MoreQuestion for the BreadMakers
Comments (8)Bread making isn't a science. That's the first rule anyone has to remember. Amounts and times in yeast bread recipes are only guidelines--different brands of ingredients, different weather conditions, different temperatures in your home will all make a big difference and you have to be ready to adapt to them. That amount of yeast WILL be adequate for the amount of flour (1 package is fine for 3-3.5 cups flour and that's just a tiny bit more than that), IF you're willing to give it a little more time to rise. But no one can tell you exactly how much time. As with any bread recipe, you have to monitor it, and let it rise as long as it needs (I've had recipes that called for '1 hour rising time' that were ready in 30 minutes, and other recipes have taken an hour an a half). The rising time for the same recipe can be different on different days. Just let the bread rise until it's doubled--however long it takes. On the other hand.... I often up the amount of yeast in many of my bread recipes. We like the yeasty taste and aroma, and it's sometimes nice to shorten the rising time a bit, when I'm in a rush. If the recipe looks like something you'd enjoy, why not give it a try? You can always cut it in half or quarters the first time, just to see if you're happy with the results. I often do that when trying a questionable new recipe/idea (sometimes I make just one or two muffins, cupcakes or rolls, just to make sure the recipe will work)...See MoreWhat does a 1" smaller duct for hood affect?
Comments (13)Here's the latest on our situation. I called Zephyr and they said technically the duct should be a minimum of 7". It isn't "extremely critical" (hesitation in service person's voice) "but it would be better all the way around if specs had been followed. If it were mine, I'd have them change it out." Talk with our contractor went well. He wants us to be happy so tomorrow morning they will change out the 6" duct for the 7" duct. Thank you all for you advice! If it hadn't have been for GW-ers I probably would have swallowed hard and agreed to the smaller duct. Then every time I used the hood I would wonder how much quieter etc it would have been if true specs had been followed. Whew ! Tonight's looking good thanks to you!...See Moregrainlady_ks
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agocloudy_christine
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agobeachlily z9a
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9 years agolast modified: 9 years agodessert_gardener
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoteresa_nc7
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agodessert_gardener
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agodessert_gardener
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9 years agolast modified: 9 years agodessert_gardener
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoplllog
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agodessert_gardener
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agograinlady_ks
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoplllog
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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