My Zojirushi just arrived

[Lake_Lady]

I have been waiting patiently for the past week and it is finaly here ;D

Any tips for a newbie before I get started?

[8kids4me]

Here's my tip:

Put all liquids in first, then salt and sugar, finally flour, then yeast.

Have fun!

[Lake_Lady]

Thanks for the tip, but the board was down so long (at least on my end) that I just went ahead and started my first loaf. I'm making the basic white bread so we'll see how it turns out. I

[Deberosa]

Yeah! We can be beginners together! My first try at whole wheat bread made a terrible racket and Karen suggested adding more liquid when it does that. I'll be baking up my next batch soon, and I'm going to try the whole wheat oat bread recipe in the Bread Machines for Dummies book.

[Shamrock1121]

Let the good times roll!!! ;D

1. Follow the recipes that come with the Zo until you get your "feet wet". They are designed for the machine and are more likely to be successful. Expect a failed recipe every now and again - bread is the most humbling thing.... To help you understand what happened when it fails, turn to the back of the Zo manual where you'll find TROUBLESHOOTING information.

2. Get the book (purchase or from the library) - "Bread Machines for Dummies" by Glenna Vance and Tom Lacalamita. It gives great instructions on everything from using the bread machine; all about flour, yeast and ingredients in bread. I've never had a recipe from this book fail on me. :D

3. VERY IMPORTANT! Don't just load and leave your bread machine. You need to check it to make sure the hydration is correct. From "Bread Machines for Dummies": "Open the lid after the machine has kneaded the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough should be formed into a very soft, sticky ball. If the dough is sticking to the sides or the bottom of the pan, you need to add a bit more bread flour. If the dough is crumbly and not in a ball, or if the ball appears firm, add more water. Your machine still has kneading time and will work the water into your bread dough. Keep checking your dough until you're satisfied that a soft, sticky ball has formed.

4. I'm assuming you have the large Zo. It's flour capacity is around 5-cups, so keep to recipes around that much flour. I know people use them to make the dough using more flour, but I'd be afraid I'd burn the motor out.

5. Resist the desire to cut off a slice while the bread is still warm from the oven. Doing so compromises the crumb of the loaf and it will be gummy. Allow the loaf to cool for at least an hour before cutting.

6. Occasionally I'll need to do a baking marathon - like when I need "tons" of sandwich buns for a friend's big party.

I'll use a recipe for 2-pounds of dough. Set the bread machine to Quick Dough. When it's completed the kneading cycle (NO RISING), I'll unplug the bread machine, remove the dough and place it in a dough-rising bucket. Load the next recipe in the bread machine. I only use the bread machine for mixing/kneading the dough. NO rises in it. It takes less time to rise bread in a dough-rising bucket than it does the bread machine, so I can continue to do consecutive recipes. Dough rises in 20-45 minutes, depending on type of dough and ambient temperature.

7. Recipes will vary and it's best to respect the type of yeast called for. I keep SAF-Instant Yeast and Active Dry Yeast. You MUST use a fast-acting yeast when using the Quick Cycle (bread in 1-hour). Fast-acting yeast are: SAF-Instant (my favorite), Bread Machine Yeast, Quick-Rise, and Rapid-Rise.

If you substitute a fast-acting yeast in a recipe that calls for active dry yeast, use 25% less fast-acting yeast.

Gosh, this is almost like giving one of my classes 8).

Good luck!!!

-Karen

[Deberosa]

5. Resist the desire to cut off a slice while the bread is still warm from the oven. Doing so compromises the crumb of the loaf and it will be gummy. Allow the loaf to cool for at least an hour before cutting.

That's the hardest part! ;-)

[Lake_Lady]

5. *Resist the desire to cut off a slice while the bread is still warm from the oven. *Doing so compromises the crumb of the loaf and it will be gummy. *Allow the loaf to cool for at least an hour before cutting.

That's the hardest part! ;-)




Yea............I already blew that one :P Turned out great though. My DH loved it and has since forgiven me for buying the Zo as long as I keep making bread for him.


Karen, Thanks for all the good advice (even though I blew #5) I'll definately be getting the Bread for Dummies.
I have a couple of Chia questions. First is what's the difference between the black and the white. Second is have you ever bought your chia seeds from http://www.hidalgofoods.com/products/products.asp?category=8&subcategory=8&size=0&searc h=&page= Their prices look pretty good if it's the right stuff.

[Shamrock1121]

...I have a couple of Chia questions. *First is what's the difference between the black and the white. *Second is have you ever bought your chia seeds from http://www.hidalgofoods.com/products/products.asp?category=8&subcategory=8&size=0&searc h=&page= * Their prices look pretty good if it's the right stuff.

I've only purchased chia seeds from Dancing Algae (since 2005), but the next time I need them I'm going to do some price comparison, so thanks for a link.

There is little difference between black and white. When you buy "black" seeds there are all kinds of "white" ones in it. It's just a sales ploy by those selling white ones.

http://www.querycat.com/faq/eec944055c01bb37e7c4e72269a85cc5

http://www.chiaseedandoil.com/blackwhite.html*

I've made so much bread (and assorted other yeasted things) I don't have that "can't resist" instinct to dive into it after all these years - but it took awhile to get to that point. I must admit, sticky pecan rolls were the hardest to resist ;). I eliminated snitching one of those when I started making them 6 at a time in a jumbo muffin tin (instead of 12 at a time). It's bread - big deal - there will be another loaf next week....

I'm also a stickler for serving sizes and total servings of grains a day. We only consume 4 bread/cereal foods a day.*

-Karen

[Lake_Lady]

The reason I asked about the white seeds was because I thought they would look better in my sourdough bread. I really like the idea of adding chia in my bread for both nutrtional value and helping with the moisture content.
You really are an amazing wealth of information and I thank you for it.

[Lake_Lady]

I forgot to add..................now to find a wheat source so I can mill my own. I got a grain mill but had to keep the cost down since I spent so much on the Zo. I figure if it's too much work with the one I got I'll have DH mill it. That way upgrading will be his idea ;)

[Shamrock1121]

The reason I asked about the white seeds was because I thought they would look better in my sourdough bread. *I really like the idea of adding chia in my bread for both nutrtional value and helping with the moisture content. *
You really are an amazing wealth of information and I thank you for it.

"Look better" as in trying to disguise the secret ingredient ;). I use light flax seeds for flaxmeal over the dark ones for "eye" appeal - so I see what you mean.

Chia seeds in bread look a little bigger than poppy seeds. The seeds are actually most noticeable on the crust of the breads I bake, than the crumb where they are few and far between. I just looked at a loaf and on the first piece I could see 2 chia seeds on one side of the slice, and 1 on the other. You might find 5-6 seeds at the most. I'd suggest going for lower price, and if you find the dark seeds unappetizing, switch.

I load so many "foreign objects" in our loaves of bread my husband is suspecious of white bread (LOL)!

Change the name to Seeded-Sourdough - everyone will think they are getting something really "special". :D

-Karen

[Shamrock1121]

I forgot to add..................now to find a wheat source so I can mill my own. *I got a grain mill but had to keep the cost down since I spent so much on the Zo. *I figure if it's too much work with the one I got I'll have DH mill it. *That way upgrading will be his idea *;)

Good ploy. My first piece-of-crap mill was a cheap hand mill. Hubby would help me mill enough flour for a loaf of bread, and after a few times he asked if they came in an electric version ::) My second mill was a piece-of-crap electric mill, so been there, done that!!! For a little more money to begin with, I could have been spared all the trouble. My old Whisper Mill (now goes by the name Wonder Mill) has worked like a charm for so many years and mills flour so quickly compared to the first two I purchased and was worth every dime.

-Karen

[Deberosa]

I agree - wise plan! I'll be getting the nutrimill next.


For now there is a loaf of whole/wheat oat bread about to come out of the machine, YUM! I got the recipe from the Bread Machines for Dummies book and seems to have worked very well!

Please share what you find about for grains sources, I plan to go with Wheat Montanna to start because it seems there isn't much around here available.

[Lake_Lady]

I don't know what's available around here for wheat, but after reading Shamrocks opinion, I too will be looking for the Wheat Montana. I guess I'll start making some phone calls later this morning. I'll definately let you know what I find out.