Automatic breadmaker

[Rob P]

Was the yeast from the same batch? Strange it should suddenly start working again.

#3 used a different yeast in the bread machine. So it would seem to be sorted...

...except #4 used the original - and recently bought - yeast that I took from the machine once mixed and proved then baked in the oven. Also worked perfectly.

Rob P

[Rob P]

And now the next machine loaf has returned to housebrick form factor

[lobstaboy]

Hmmm...

The other variable that is outside the control of the user is the moisture content of the flour. Have you changed the type of flour?

Flour moisture content does vary even for the same brand of flour from time to time - depends on source of the wheat, what the harvest was like and so on. Mono should be able to explain more, I guess.

[Bill McCarthy]

Hagberg Falling Number !

[Paul_Sengupta]

It could be an intermittent problem with the mild heating for making the dough rise?

[lobstaboy]

Hagberg Falling Number !

Yup, its your alpha-amylase activity (I so enjoy Wikipedia)

[Leodisflyer]

This sounds very similar to what happened to ours. We decided that it was likely that there was a problem with the temperature sensor, or some other heating control, that was causing problems with rising. If the bread maker was in a cold place we ended up with a well baked brick. If it was very warm then we got a reasonable rise.

We decided to replace the machine, couldn't be bothered with trying to get it repaired, it had already paid for itself, and the newer model offered some additional features. Very happy with the replacement.

Have you tried an Internet search? Other people have reported problems and solutions that range from changing the yeast/flour/paddle, cleaning the temperature sensor, through to the temperature of the water and performing a reset.

[Paultheparaglider]

Ditto here. I decided this is caused by the cold water being colder at this time of year - cured by using tepid water. (The programme I use doesn't seem to warm things before mixing - just goes straight into it with whatever temperature the ingredients are at).

Thanks for that very useful tip lobstaboy. We have since done as suggested and it has solved the problem for us.

Paul

[Sir Morley Steven]

Cleaning the schyte off the paddle helps! Did you change the make of flour Rob? I used organic strong bread flour in one recipe and it produced a brick. Using Waitrose own brand organic strong flour produces a superb loaf if I put in either a little less water or a little more rye flour.
I really only use the french bread recipe as it uses the fewest ingredients and I use olive oil as the fat instead of butter. You must put salt in as that helps the process by making the dough stronger and regulating the yeast activity.

[Propwash]

The management here recommends using Very Strong Canadian Flour (we get ours from Waitrose). Mixing the wholemeal and the white makes a delicious, firm loaf every time.

PW

[Rob P]

Did you change the make of flour Rob? I used organic strong bread flour in one recipe and it produced a brick.

That is the current suspect.

We had a bread-free 2 weeks anyway so I am just now getting back to making loaves. Sunday's was perfect, but using the cheapest 'strong' flour from Waitrose (50/50 Wholemeal / white). The real brick came with some organic from down Mono's way.

Rob P

[stevelup]

It probably had horse DNA in it...

[Paultheparaglider]

More likely goose.

[Propwash]

Or even more likely, purple dinosaur . . . . . .

PW

[Oxo147]

When we returned from living in France last year, we found the bread from Tesco was unbearable after the excellent boulangerie, so I dusted the bread maker off.

Used Tesco strong flour, but found it was too variable, and you could easily get a flat loaf.

Switched to Allinsons flour, and it's always good now.