Strong Flour at Ileli

[Keithcaley]

Ileli now have in stock 'Sunar Özlem' flour with 12.6% protein content - ideal for breadmakers - see photo:

[Butterflyaway]

I can't smell anything!

[Keithcaley]

I can't smell anything!

It was only the one!

I start full-time production next week - get your order in now...

[pc4854]

You weren't wrong there Sir, I bought some on your recommendation and made rolls today - best flour I have ever used. Were you ever in the baking trade as no one else has ever explained about 12.6 protein before?

[Keithcaley]

No previous background in baking at all - My dad was a Baker before the war, but I don't think that it's genetic

I have to confess that what little I know has been gleaned from Paul Hollywood's books

He explains that the protein content of flour largely consists of Gluten, which as you know, is what makes the bread stretchy and chewy, but also keeps the gas bubbles (from the yeast fermentation) intact, 'cos it's stretchy, hence causing the dough to expand.

He said (I think) that you need at least 11% protein to ensure a good rise, and I've noticed that most of the local breadmaking flour is around 10.5% protein. By experimentation (!) I've found that you can still get a reasonable 'rise' with the less 'strong' local flours by using 2 or 3 times the normal amount of sugar - the bread doesn't end up tasting sweeter, because all of the sugar ends up being converted to alcohol (which evaporates in the baking) and 'extra' gas to assist the 'rise' and make up for what is lost due to the lack of elasticity in the dough caused by the low gluten content.

Well, that's my theory anyway

It is so much easier with a nice 'Strong' flour though - in the UK, Waitrose used to stock some 'Extra Strong' Canadian flour which was very good, but I'm well pleased with this stuff from Ileli.

My final confession is that I do use a Breadmaking machine to make ordinary loaves or spicy fruit loaves, and also to do all the hard work of kneading, and the proving as well, if I'm making rolls or bagels (now there's a job!) - it does take care of the 'temperature' control, particularly at this time of year...

[pc4854]

Thanks for that Keith, it was most interesting and very informative. I too use the breadmaker to produced the dough and after it has risen, I removed, knead and put into small loaf tins or shape into rolls. I find home made bread is not so good on second day, so the rolls are the best format as they are frozen and used as and when required. This flour was a real find, only hope they keep stocking it.
Thanks, Mike.

[karmels]

pc4854.
Try using olive oil in the mix, about 3 tbl spoons to 600 gr.

[Keithcaley]

That's a good tip karmels - I take it that the olive oil is instead of butter?

I would normally use 1oz (29g) of butter per 500g of flour, so first of all, I might try taking that up to 50g of butter to see what happens, although I do find that my bread usually keeps for 3 or 4 days (before being relegated to the toaster ) if I wrap it loosely in a plastic bag once it has thoroughly cooled.

Another tip to improve the 'keeping qualities' is to use Milk or Milk/Water instead of just water - personally I use dried milk and the normal amount of water, normally 2 level Tbsp, but you can increase this to 3 Tbsp if you want a softer, longer lasting bread.

If you use the Timer mode, to wake up to fresh bread, ALWAYS use dried milk instead of fresh, as fresh milk could go off overnight if left at room temperature - not a taste that I've acquired!

A couple of things that I would advise, if you are going to experiment: - KEEP NOTES!!!

Try changing just ONE thing on each 'bake', and note how it affected the various qualities of the bread - shape,size,colour,crust,crumb,softness,taste,keeping qualities, and anything else that you can think of...

It is very easy to get the detail confused if you try lots of different things and just rely on memory alone - well it is with my memory at any rate!

[karmels]

Keith, butter is only used in what is called enriched doughs, normal bread uses ether confectioners shortening or oil.

My mix is .

600 gr Alisons bread flour.
1 ans a half packets of dried yeast.
teaspoon salt.
aprox 400 mil full fat milk
3 tbl olive oil.
pinch of ascorbic acid.

The ascorbic acid I get from my local baker, a pkt of 250gr is about 12 TL but lasts for ages. This is a dough strengthener.

I have a Kenwood pro mixer, I mix the dough for 10 min on number 4 allow to rise once and knead and shape place on greased tray and prove for aprox 1 hour in a large plastic bag, bake for 30 mins at 180c in a fan oven, normal oven is 200c.
I forgot to mention that this dough mix makes two loaves.

I wish you luck, baking has been my life for over 50 yrs.

[Keithcaley]

Oh dear, seems like I've been trying to 'teach granny how to suck eggs'

It is fascinating though, and I discover new things all the time - thanks again for the tips!

[karmels]

Keith I am the chap who made the pies and cakes at the Pegasus for 18 yrs.
My wife would sell them on a Friday.
Prior to coming to Cyprus 20+ years ago I was in the Army Catering Corps for 22 years, My Father had a bakery in Bolton where I was born, so it is in the blood a bit.

[pc4854]

Difficult to keep up with all this expertise but just to add to the wisdom, I don't use any butter ,marge, fat or oil. My ingredients are I kilo of the new flour, 2 packets of the fresh yeast from supermarket which I bulk buy and keep frozen until needed, 350ml warm cask water, 200ml warm fresh milk, 4 teaspoon sugar and 2 of salt. The thing about this new flour is how rapidly the dough ball was formed compared to other flours I have used.

[Keithcaley]

So many variations on the recipe for bread!

It's astonishing to think that all these different combinations end up as loaves!

Just to add to it, my 'standard' white bread recipe, using a Breadmaker machine and Allinson's 'Fast Action, Easy Bake' yeast, and a good strong flour is:

[karmels]

pc4854.
This is the reason your bread goes stale over night. Without fat the bread has no way to stay fresh.
My bread will last for 4 days albeit on the fourth day it has to be toasted.

Keith, following recipease is not a bad idea for those people who have not done it before.
If you use bread flour which is called 00 ( double zero ) it will differ from pack to pack, this is why the industry in the UK use chemicals to improve their product, without products called improvers the bread would be the same as the ones we make at home.
So saying this the recipe I use has been tried and tested over a number of years living here using 50kg sacks I used to buy at the flour mill in Lefcosia never were they the same as the local flour is cut with flour from Turkey that is far better but in the sack very expensive.
If you reduce the salt and add 3 tsp of sugar and a dash of yellow colour and vanilla essence, you can make wonderful dougnuts, but remember the proving time to get the best from your mix, do not rush it.

[Keithcaley]

Oooooh.....Doughnuts..... I can feel a 'bake' coming on!

Bang goes the diet - again

[aerhere]

Karmels, which baker do you use to obtain your ascorbic acid please? I need to get some. Thank you for your help.

[karmels]

aerhere.
I use the old bakery in the old town on the left just before what was Seli restaurant, he and his father before him only make village bread and a few local breads ie pita olive ect.
You will need a local to translate your requirement as he doesn't speak much english, he also sells small bags of bread flour and fresh yeast.

[aerhere]

Thank you for the information Karmels.

[Keithcaley]

aerhere, it occurred to me that if you use one of the 'Fast Action, Easy Bake' yeasts, they actually include a 'pinch' of Ascorbic acid as an 'Improver', so you shouldn't need any more adding - although with traditional yeasts, you would do, obviously.

And... Ascorbic acid is better known as Vitamin C, which is readily available in tablet form from the chemists, and I think that you would need no more than about 100mg per 500g of flour, so that gives you more options

Happy baking!