The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Does the ingredient order matter when using the dough cycle/setting?

DylanBradbury's picture
DylanBradbury

Does the ingredient order matter when using the dough cycle/setting?

I know that most bread machines have a specific order you're to add the ingredients in (Liquid, salt, dry, yeast, for example.)

My question is does the ingredient order matter when using your bread machine's dough setting?

Alex_Dew's picture
Alex_Dew

I guess the order doesn't make much difference if you are not using the timer, but putting the yeast on the bottom or the top keeps it dry when you do.

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

At first I thought putting the yeast in top of the dry flour was a timing issue, so if you used a delay timer, the yeast would not activate too soon.

But then  it also occurred to me that even when not using the delay timer, if the yeast got wet before it was dispersed in the flour, it might clump and not get evenly distributed.  

So unless you're going to manually stir and disperse the yeast in the water before adding the flour (to avoid clumping of the yeast), it's best to just follow the instructions.

NSquirrel's picture
NSquirrel

First post having just found the forum.

I use a basic Morphy Richards breadmaker (48280).

I started off following the order of the recipes, but the recommended sequence messed up dry measuring spoons and I was getting uneven loaves. So I changed the order, so that water, sugar, salt went in first, followed by 1 white cup, one measure of yeast, one cup brown, two measures of yeast, one cup brown, one measures of yeast and 1 cup wholemeal  and two measures of yeast. Yeast needs to be kept separate from the salt and water and by putting it onto the flour in stages, helped make a more even loaf. Finally I put olive oil on the top - and a mixture of seeds. The above is for a 2lb loaf.

One change I have made recently is to put the water and olive oil at the end to try and protect the pan seal. I did this because I was getting a lot of liquid leakage through the paddle spindle and am now on my 4th baking pan over about 6 years. Before I put the liquids in, I turn the machine on and let the dry mixture mix up for 30 seconds or so. Then I use a plastic spatula to assist mixing in the water and olive oil.

Obviously I do not use the delay timer. As for cycle times, I simply use the basic setting, so a loaf takes 3 hrs.

One final point: I have recently tried replacing the water with lemonade, which makes the loaf slightly less dense, with the aim later to try champagne and possibly beer, having just seen a book on making bread with beer!

 

ChrisVJ's picture
ChrisVJ

After using the recommended order for a few years and getting through two pans because the bearing leaked I started putting the flour in first.  I found I had to adjust  the amount of water as the different order made a difference in the amounts.

For my almost daily loaf I don't get too pernickerty.

Four level cups flour,  roughly,

Sprinkle two teaspoons each salt and yeast and two table spoons sugar   all roughly and  in ANY ORDER.

Quarter cup of milk,  very roughly, and top up to 1. 7/8 with water.  (More careful for total amount.)

Dash of lemon juice. 

Put it on dough program.  When finished take it out and punch it a couple of times.  If it is too sloppy kneed it on  well floured board till about right.  Roll it up and let it rise on warm part of top while oven heats,  About 35 mins.  Bake  400 in my oven for 35 mins. 

Works every time and I have been using this pan for over three years..

Colorado Man's picture
Colorado Man

No as other have said. There are some bread machine cookbooks out there that say other wise but no. I've put in all sorts of order. It all comes out the same. I don't know if using a mixer with a dough hook would be any different. In as far as mixing that is.