I just ordered a bread machine to facilitate the use of all that flour I bought. Unbleached white. Gonna go get some whole wheat flour to balance out the recipes too, but I have noticed all the recipes for the bread machine call for bread flour. Yikes!

Also, I live at 6,500 feet elevation. Anyone have some recommendations for the bread flour issue and the elevation issue???

Thanks!!

-- OR (orwelliator@biosys.net), January 20, 2000

Answers

We have a bread machine too. The only difference we noticed using regular flour was that it didn't rise as much as the boxed mixes we were given with the machine and it wasn't as "light" - meaning that it didn't taste like store bought. For us that was no big deal and that way we could make the kind of breads that we like. We have even substituted our flour in the recipes that came with the book with decent results.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), January 20, 2000.

you can use any kind of flour, but to Really make it rise and work you need "glutin". You can buy it at any grocery store/ organic food store. It should be in the flour iale. If you can't find it, there go to a bulk food, like "wild oats". I have found it in just about every big town store in MO. "glutin" comes from the soft inside of the wheat and reacts with the yeast more then the other parts. This cost around $2 and you only use a Tablespoon or two in each batch so it goes a long way. best wishs RED HEN

-- red hen (redhen@fiberia.com), January 20, 2000.

Bread flour is made with a hard winter wheat that is a little higher in protein content than regular flour. But not alot higher. The higher protein content helps it to rise, but is difficult to "develop" by hand kneading; a bread machine does a good job with it. If you buy the boxed mixes for bread machines they probably already have other dough enhancers added that also contribute to the rise.

You can use any flour (or blend of flours) in your machine. If you want a higher rise, add some wheat gluten or a pinch of ascorbic acid or both. Fruit Fresh is a good product for the ascorbic acid. You can take a look at the King Arthur Flour website at www.kingarthurflour.com and request their free catalog. The catalog is a great source of information, includes recipes and is an education in itself!

-- Jill D. (jdance@mindspring.com), January 20, 2000.

Also try using a good yeast, like Red Star. It's appreciably better than Fleischman's.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 20, 2000.

OR, if you go to the Village Bakery section, then the recipes section. Lots of recipes for use with bread machine. They have a forum also, for asking questions.

Countrylife Online Village Plaza

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), January 27, 2000.