Fruit Loaf - with photos

[Babymaker]

Hm I made this this morning and it didn't cook in the middle, I baked it at 220 conventional for 30min and it was very brown around the outside. It was a very wet mixture I didn't add all the water and I still had to add more flour as it was kneeding as it too too too wet, not sticky wet!

Hm will try again though as I love fruit bread!

[Babymaker]

Ok, I popped it back into the turned off oven while it was still quiet hot and it has finished cooking all the way through, it is very yummy!

[Thermomixer]

Phew - saved

[JulieO]

Hi Babymaker.  I'm glad it worked out in the end for you.   

Did you use a 700g bread tin?  It is a big amount of mixture so needs the bigger tin, or either make half quantity, or bake in 2 smaller tins.

This is from a Simply No Knead recipe which they tell you to have the mixture quite wet, certainly more wet than a normal recipe calls for, I can vouch for that.  It's not one that you can handle with your hands like normal dough - far too sticky.

If you are finding that the outside is turning too brown before the inside is cooked, maybe bake on a slightly lower temp for longer.

These are just a couple of suggestions, because I didn't have the same trouble and it's the only 2 things I can think of to help. 

[Babymaker]

Not sure what weight my loaf tin is, I usually bake a loaf with 900g of flour in it so I would assume it would be big enough to do this, will try the lower temp next time thanks for the tips!

[Georgie]

oh yum ,thanks - need to wait for a cooler day for this. I LOVE raisin toast

RE: the bread improver q a few posts back, I know someone who uses a little orange juice or ascorbic acid instead, apparently the Vit C does the same thing? I don't buy bread improver as I don't really understand the ingredients, which turns me off things (and it contains soy, which  Idon't avoid religiously but don't really like).

[Katya]

Thanks Georgie - I'll try some orange juice in my next loaf and see what happens

[judydawn]

I couldn't get bread improver at my local supermarket the other day but have absorbic acid in the pantry.  How much do you think we should use?

[Babymaker]

Thanks for the reminder about the OJ Georgie, I had totally forgotten, I just omitted it in this loaf but will try it next time

[cookie1]

I'd be quite happy adding OJ to my bread. As Judy said, does anyone have any idea of how much?  Would we end up with orange flavoured bread?

[Georgie]

Apparently the strained juice of half an orange, OR one crushed unflavoured Vit C tablet, or (not sure how much) sodium ascorbate powder ...

haven't tried it myself, I did use bread improver when I first started baking bread, but I found once I switched to a proper, good quality baker's flour I didn't need the bread improver. Can't hurt though

[achookwoman]

I know that this will sound like I work for Lauke flour mills,  but I don't.    I use their White Crusty and Wholemeal for all my bread making.   I also use the dried yeast that comes in the 10k. bag. When I have a failure it is due to some outlandish thing that I have tried.   JD it doesn't go in the bin,  the chooks eat it!!!!   Although I have a tin of improver, I have never used it.    The yeast must be fresh.   I don't use 'fresh yeast"  as i am never sure just how fresh it is.  I keep the dried yeast packet very firmly closed.   I don't freeze it as I make bread of some sort nearly every day and use a packet quickly.   Inspite of what I have just written,  everyone must find a method that suits their circumstances.   Why isi's bread is so successful is that many of the variables have been removed.  As JD has said, it doesn't work if the yeast is stale.   But for most people the yeast has been OK.,  so it works well. Just follow her instructions.   If the dough sticks at the bottom of the bowl(on the blades) then you have not measured the water carefully. If you think you need improver,  first check that you are following the recipe exactly,  and that the ingredients are all in good order. Sorry if I have carried on a bit,  but bread making is a passion and it is so rewarding to get good results.

[judydawn]

Unfortunately I don't have any chooks Chookie.  Thanks for all your advice on breadmaking, every bit helps.  As I use bakers flour I obviously don't really need to use bread improver and my next lot of bread in the morning will be with dried yeast.  A 10kg bag of dried yeast - boy that must be huge

[Very Happy Jan]

  A 10kg bag of dried yeast - boy that must be huge

I use the Lauke bread mix for the breadmaker & I think Chookie means she buys a 10kg bag of flour & there are sachets of yeast sealed in foil within the bag of flour.

[judydawn]

Ha ha, you would be correct there VHJ.  Either that or Chookie has a bread making business on the side