Inconsistent results between breadmakers
i have 3 breadmakers, a cheap plastic Russell Hobbs, a Kenwood BM450 and an Arendo Breadmaker, the last two looking similar and having comprehensive abilities allegedly.
I use a standard white loaf recipe:-
300ml water
450gm strong flour
11/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
4 tsp milk powder
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp backmaltz (I live in Germany, I think this is the equivalent of Bread Improver)
11/2 tsp instant dried yeast (the type that is dry mixed with the flour)
I use the standard white loaf, 750gm, medium crust program on all three machines
This recipe works perfectly every time in the Russell Hobbs producing a nice 750gm loaf.
in the Arendo, the loaf either does not rise at all or the top falls in in the last phase of baking
in the Kenwood, the top regularly sags during the last stages of baking, occasionally it turns out good
i have timed the machines and the Russell Hobbs and Kenwood machines both have the same timings give or take a minute or two, the Arendo is completely different with the opposite timings of first and second kneadings.
Can anyone give me some idea what is going on here?
i sent the Arendo back with a letter describing the faults, they refunded my money AND sent me a new machine!
It's possible the different machines develop the dough slightly differently but I think the temperature during rising could have a bigger effect. My Oster bread machine turns on the heating element during rising. Can you measure the dough temperature at the end of kneading and then at different points through the rise? One thing I noticed with my bread machine is that during the summer I get better results if I use cold water, around 50 F. Another thing to try if the top of the loaf collapses is to use less yeast. I used both strategies to adjust recipes so they would work to my satisfaction in the Oster bread machine.
I hadn't checked the rising temperature. I have used the Kenwood BM450 in differing ambient temperatures (Singapore and Germany) and with the same inconsistent results, the Arendo is new to me and has way different timings, I will need to check on the temperatures on that one.
Thanks for the information.