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BREAD IMPROVER

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Dick Margulis

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Jan 17, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/17/00
to
George,

Does your kitchen tap water come through a water softener? (Or is it
naturally very soft water?) If so, then this particular improver may be
somewhat helpful. If not, you probably don't need it.

Dick

Geoff Clifton wrote:
>
> I have just got a packet (250 grams) of Bread Improver powder. Cost
> AUS$2.85 in the health food store.
>
> Most of the ABM recipes call for 1-2 tsp. I am reluctant to use
> 'additives' but am giving it a go to see what it does. I'm getting
> slight collapse when bake starts.
>
> LOWAN Bread Improver Ingredients: (A natural product)
>
> Sucrose
> Mineral (Calcium)
> Emulsifier (472e Esters/Fatty Acids)
> Wheat Flour
> Soy Flour
> Enzyme (Amylase)
>
> Flour Treatment Agents:
> 516 Calcium Sulphate
> 300 L-Ascorbic Acid
> 223 Sodium Metabisulphite
> 920 L-Cysteine
>
> Do we really need this? I feel that it's defeating the charm and
> purpose of home made bread.
>
> Geoff from Oz.

Geoff Clifton

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Jan 18, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/18/00
to

Geoff Clifton

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Jan 18, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/18/00
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On Mon, 17 Jan 2000 19:46:39 -0500, Dick Margulis <marg...@fiam.net>
wrote:

>George,
>
David:)

I don't know what the hardness of Sydney water is though it does rinse
soap off 10 times faster than Melbourne water.

I have two tests underway today using the improver. First was amazing
as I got about a third increase in rise (hit the top of the ABM) and
less, though some, top sinking during bake. The loaf is very good,
light moist & aerated.

I have reduced the ingredients by a third and that loaf is nearly done
and looking good. I'll post the recipes when the jobs done, multi
grain in a basic white bread.


>Does your kitchen tap water come through a water softener? (Or is it
>naturally very soft water?) If so, then this particular improver may be
>somewhat helpful. If not, you probably don't need it.
>
>Dick

Geoff from Oz.

Dick Margulis

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Jan 18, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/18/00
to
Geoff,

Sorry 'bout that, Mate. I was kinda bleary-eyed yesterday.

Dick

Geoff Clifton

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Jan 18, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/18/00
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This is the result of my experiment with bread improver. The bread is
fantastic, I shan't be happy until I can get the same with a few known
ingredients rather than a commercial packet of powder. The loaves are
at least a third bigger and wonderfully light and moist. Try the
recipe below and let me know. I would like to hear from others who
can do a with and without bread improver test.


Multigrain (Wheat Rye & Linseed) Loaf

All spoon measures are level (tea, desert, Table)

7grams (1Ŋ tsp) Dried yeast
320g (11oz) Plain flour
ž tsp Bread Improver
2 tsp Sugar
Ŋ tsp Salt
2 tsp Margarine
1 Tsp Linseed Grain
1 Tsp Wheat Grain
1 Tsp Rye Grain
170mL ** Water
200mL ** Hot Water

** Soak the whole grains in hot water for about 15 mins and drain OR
raise the recipe water to 220mL and stand the mix for 30 minutes
before kneading (ABM whole wheat cycle)

I set my Sunbeam BM005 convection ABM to basic white 1Kg (2lb)

Result. The bread was moist, well risen and aerated with a very light
top crust which falls in slightly during baking.


Geoff from Oz.
Remove 'REMOVE' if replying by email.

VerusEx

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Jan 21, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/21/00
to
I haven't used an improver, but I don't understand all the concern about using
it. If you pick carefully, for example "Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten",
there is nothing in it except wheat gluten. It's certainly better than the
bromided white flour that most bakers use.

Alan Zelt

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Jan 21, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/21/00
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Why are you using bromated flour?
--
alan

Eliminate FINNFAN on reply.

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the
people, you might better stay home."
--James Michener

VerusEx

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Jan 23, 2000, 3:00:00 AM1/23/00
to
I'm not using bromated flour, but that is the most common method to produce
white. Even King Artur bromated their pastry flour.

My point is vital wheat glutten sounds pretty harmless.

P & J

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Feb 8, 2000, 3:00:00 AM2/8/00
to

Maria wrote:
>
> If you want to make your own improver I found this one, Kathy G's Dough
> Magic http://countrylife.net/bread/recipes/703.html . I haven't tried it
> myself yet, as I'm still getting all the ingredients together.
>
> Good luck
>
> Maria

I mix up my own Bread Improver. I use equal parts of gluten, potato
flour, pumpernickel, powdered milk or whey powder, with a pinch of
ascorbic acid. I then use 1/4 cup per loaf of bread. I sometimes do
not mix in the gluten, it depends on the mood I am in at the time of
preparation.

I started with using a cup of each but now have gotten to the point of
mixing up large batches and storing it in a 2 gallon container.

J9

calder...@gmail.com

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Jul 29, 2015, 2:24:38 AM7/29/15
to
LOWAN Bread Improver was called ib the 90's Leximax. Why? no idea

Because I only had to use 1 healed teaspoon dor 4 pizza bases, Leximax went out of date.

Haven't done pizza for years.

I hope they have just changed the name as my pizza crusts were , at the time, my 90's home cooked pizzas were something my friends love. I'd lay a base and they would pile it with toppings they wanted. I knew exact time and temp (temp = highest"

Past times lost
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