Topic: Breadmakers -Problems with breadmixes

[Paulines7]

The last couple of loaves that I have made with my Panasonic breadmaker have come out like bricks and are totally inedible.  The machine is just under 19 months old so I rang Panasonic for advice. 

There is evidently a problem with the gluten in the flour in many of the breadmixes I have been using. 

Is anyone else having these problems? 

[rbull]

No problems so far, but we use a 50:50 mix of wheat flour and spelt flour (from Tesco) that produces a lighter texture anyway.

[manicscousers]

when did the problems start, Pauline? and have you changed flour?
if not, sounds like the machine  ???

[macmac]

I always put a splash of lemon juice with my 50/50 wholemeal/white. It usually comes out ok .sometimes if the ambient temp is low it struggles and also I've had to buy new yeast-I buy those little tins of Allinsons and sometimes keep them too long ::)

[pookienoodle]

Did they rise at all or are they just heavy?
If they are not riseing at all then the yeast has been killed or not allowed to develop long enough, and I would suspect your breadmaker.
If they are very heavy it could be lack of gluten in the mix.
have you changed mix?
Is your breadmaker in a draughty place as sometimes a cold draught can cause an uncooked loaf to collapse before it has finished its prove.
the best thing to do is to try another loaf and keep having a peek (if you have a viewing window) to see what is going on.

[Paulines7]

when did the problems start, Pauline? and have you changed flour?
if not, sounds like the machine  ???

I hadn't used the breadmaker for a few months then last week tried a bread mix that I had used several times in the past.  The result was a brick.  Thinking that I had done something wrong, I tried again yesterday with a Sainsbury sunflower bread mix which was always reliable and one of my favourites.  Same result.

Did they rise at all or are they just heavy?
If they are not riseing at all then the yeast has been killed or not allowed to develop long enough, and I would suspect your breadmaker.
If they are very heavy it could be lack of gluten in the mix.
have you changed mix?
Is your breadmaker in a draughty place as sometimes a cold draught can cause an uncooked loaf to collapse before it has finished its prove.
the best thing to do is to try another loaf and keep having a peek (if you have a viewing window) to see what is going on.

They appeared to have risen a little bit.  Panasonic said that it was lack of gluten in the mix and that there were problems with some of the bread mixes because of the weather last year.  I rang Sainsbury today and they are looking into the matter as mine is the first complaint.  Surely if so much wheat was affected it would have been in the press?  A Google search has revealed nothing.  ::)

My breadmaker is in the same place as it has always been.  I am going to try baking another today and this will be a "Hovis White" mix.  According to Panasonic, it should be all right.  They said it was the Tesco and Sainsbury ones that have the problem and that Waitrose mixes are the best in their machines.....but I have always used Tesco and Sainsbury bread mixes and never had this problem before!!   

My breadmaker doesn't have a viewing window but I think I will have a look in every half hour to see what is happening.  Watch this space!!

 

[dtw]

I was having this problem, but bought some new yeast and it was better.

[Paulines7]

The Hovis bread mix has produced a beautiful loaf, much to my relief as I was thinking of chucking the breadmaker out.  ;D ;D

I am really pleased that I contacted Panasonic now.  It will be interesting to hear the outcome of the Sainsbury investigation into their mixes. 

[tomatoada]

There are some yeasts which tell you on the packaging it is not suitable for bread machines.

[grannyjanny]

Someone who used to test bread making machines for the makers said to use the sachets not the drums of yeast.

[halibut-t]

Hi there, I have had the same issues with my Panasonic bread maker when I left a while between loaves. The problem I discovered was the yeast. Even though I used the Hovis sachets, so when I get a duff couple of loaves I just buy new yeast and all is back to normal.

Hope this helps.

[pookienoodle]

very interesting thread on MSE forums on this subject.
I wouldn't let panasonic off the hook just yet.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1994411

[Paulines7]

There are some yeasts which tell you on the packaging it is not suitable for bread machines.

Hi there, I have had the same issues with my Panasonic bread maker when I left a while between loaves. The problem I discovered was the yeast. Even though I used the Hovis sachets, so when I get a duff couple of loaves I just buy new yeast and all is back to normal.
Hope this helps.

Hi there, I have had the same issues with my Panasonic bread maker when I left a while between loaves. The problem I discovered was the yeast. Even though I used the Hovis sachets, so when I get a duff couple of loaves I just buy new yeast and all is back to normal.

Hope this helps.

I really don't understand these three posts.  The yeast is already in the packet mix and the only ingredient it says to add is water and the option of a thingy of butter!!   Lol, I typed k n o b of butter.   ;D ;D

The only time I have ever added yeast is in the first week of owning the breadmaker when I made the mixture myself using packets of bread flour.  It was successful but a bit fiddly weighing it all out, so I changed to using the ready prepared bread mixes that just require the addition of water.

Pookienoodle, thanks for the link.  I will have a read through it.

[tomatoada]

Re message about yeast.  I am a bit thick at times, did not note you were not using separate ingredients. 
Another tip is to weigh the water.
Just trying to help.

[BarriedaleNick]

I ditch the premade mixes in favour of making your own choices over flour, yeast and water/milk/beer etc.  It's much more fun and once you have done it once or twice you worry less about precise measurements.
In fact I ditched the breadmaker and bought a baking stone for the oven and never looked back - the oven baked bread is always nicer than the loaves from the breadmaker.

[Paulines7]

Re message about yeast.  I am a bit thick at times, did not note you were not using separate ingredients. 
Another tip is to weigh the water.
Just trying to help.

Sorry if my reply seemed a bit curt tomatoada; no offence was intended.  It was in the early hours when I put that post on here and I was no doubt very tired.  Please accept my apologies.
The lady at Panasonic also suggested that it was better to weigh the water rather than use a measuring jug.

I rang her again this morning for some more information.  Evidently there have been problems with the wheat since 2007.  She said the lack of gluten doesn't normally affect hand made bread but can have disastrous results as far as small breadmaking machines are concerned.

[qahtan]

After the  bread machine has done the work , mixing rising etc, have you tried taking the dough out of the machine, shaping it freeform or tin, let it rise on kitchen counter then bake in the oven,,,,,,, not convect... qahtan

[Paulines7]

After the  bread machine has done the work , mixing rising etc, have you tried taking the dough out of the machine, shaping it freeform or tin, let it rise on kitchen counter then bake in the oven,,,,,,, not convect... qahtan

No, I haven't tried that yet.  That was to be my next move if the Hovis mix produced the same result as the other mixes, but fortunately it produced a good result.

[Baccy Man]

The simplest way to check there is sufficient gluten is to read the nutritional information on the bag as it is the protein which forms gluten.
For bread you want a protein content between 13%-15% ideally.