molasses vs honey in breadbaking

I've been having fun with the Breadman machine DH gave me for Hanukkah. First couple of loaves were fine, next one I forgot to put the paddle in (3 hours later it took me a second to realize that we'd baked the molassas to the sides of the machine), had a couple of edible, if not truely successful, loaves of pumpernickel.

Last night, I set it up for a loaf of light wheat, following the directions from the booklet that came with the machine. Used the same yeast, same batch of flours, salt, etc. Only changes I made were to use molasses and cinnamon instead of honey.

With 20 minutes left to go on the baking time, it was pushing the top of the machine up! Is molasses more sweet or something than honey?? I've been told in the past that too much cinnamon will slow the yeast down, but that sure didn't occur.

I did add a quarter cup of ground flax seed. Could that have caused the overgrowth?

inquiring minds want to know, maxine in ri

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maxine in ri
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Nope, flax contains no gluten, if anything it would inhibit rise.

Forgot the salt... little extra shortening?

If anything excessive sugar will retard yeast activity... was not the sugar... and honey has more sweetening power than molasses. If all your ingredients were measured properly then perhaps your ingredients were warmer than at previous times, perhaps your kitchen was warmer... weather hotter, oven on? A little extra volume such as an extra 1/4 cup flour can easily overflow an ABM. Overflow happens to me sometimes, never do know exactly why, but I've learned to check near the end of the last rise and if the dough seems too high I give the top a few slashes with a sharp knife, so that it collapses a bit. I also try to remember to be there just as the last rise begins, to reach in and remove the mixing paddle, it's job is done... and now I won't have a big hole in the loaf from ripping it out.

Sheldon

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Sheldon

That's a great idea, never thought of removing the paddle before the baking starts. Must give that a try! I hate that hole in my loaf. :)

KD

Reply to
KD

Well, there'll still be a hole, but more virgin like.

Reply to
Sheldon

Salt's one thing I rarely forget, since I mix it with the warm water, oil and sweetener.

I've been using a scale for a while now, makes a wonderful difference in my non-machine baked goods. Both types of flour say 4 cups to the pound.

The water _might_ have been a bit warmer, or the two hours of sitting on the counter at 65 degrees might have warmed up some of the ingredients that I keep in the freezer more than usual for the first rise. After that, I can't see the room temperature making that great a difference, since the oven wasn't on, and the weather, while warmer than normal for this time of year (mid-40's) doesn't affect the indoor temps much.

Two good ideas. I will try them both with the loaf that just started and see how they work for me. I was spoiled by the last machine, that always made a great loaf.

Thank you for the suggestions. maxine in ri

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maxine in ri

Why are you measuring with cups if you have that nifty new scale... there's your problem... flour runs darn close to three (3) cups per pound (5-5 1/2 oz/cup)... check it with your wonderful scale. You stuffed a whole extra cup's worth into your ABM.... that's fine if it were your Olga! And unless you have some little rug rat to play with them toss those measuring cups in the trash, they have no culinary value whatsover... there isn't a professional baker on the planet who uses dry volume measuring cups... an idiotic concept initiated by those homemakers simply too cheap to buy a kitchen scale. The only measuring cups interest me are bra cups... and yes, I've checked their accuracy with a scale, double checked, double D checked even. ;)

With ABM recipes, before using it's best to do the math, be sure all dry ingredents add up to one pound and all liquid ingredients add up to one cup... with baking, fats (even cheese) are considered liquid. Additions such as nuts and fruit need to be figured in too... if you like to add more nuts/raisins cut back a bit on the fat/liquid/flour. With baking, as all cooking, to be sucessful you need to develop a sense for extrapolating... no, extrapolation is not a kinky sexual act. hehe

Reply to
Sheldon

Not measuring by volume, but the number of 1/4 cup servings in a bag (where do they come up with the idea that you're going to eat a 1/4 cup of flour??) comes out to 4 ounces per cup. Which goes along with what you're saying about a pound of flour plus a cup of liquid

You

No, just described it differently. The flour I use weighs out to a pound. ...

Interesting. The machine I'm using calls for 1-3/4 cups liquid per pound of flour. Just tried that same recipe again, and this time it didn't get quite as close to the top on the second rise, but it seemed pretty high, so I slashed the top as you suggested, deflating it a bit, but the result was fine. Used honey this time, also, so if more sweetener will decrease the CO2 output of the yeast, that may have been the problem before. Goes against everything I knew up til now, but that's what learning's all about.

Thanks for the pointers.

maxine in ri

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maxine in ri

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