Costco Breadmaker - Kaiser BM1129

[Mawvellous]

I picked up this machine from Costco a few weeks ago. However, to my increasing frustration, I have been unable to make a decent loaf so far. The loaves that come out are very short and doughy - I guess it might be a problem with the yeast.

I have been mostly following the recipe below - adding the ingredients in the order listed.

Water 270ml (at 40-50 degrees)
Butter 3 tablespoons
Sugar 3 tablespoons
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Bread flour 1 1/2 cup
Wholemeal flour 1 1/2 cup
Milk powder 2-3 tablespoons
Instant yeast 4 1/4 teaspoons (using fermpian brown brand)

Using the ultra fast 2 pound setting (no. 7).
Have also tried variations using the regular setting with similarly disappointing results.

If anyone has any suggestions about what I am doing wrong, I would be very grateful.

[lostinasia]

Probably too obvious a point, but how old is your yeast? The stuff does go stale.

Do the recipes have measurements by weight rather than by volume? By weight can be much more accurate, especially for baking.

[Steviebike]

Could very well be the yeast, we have the same bread maker and no problems.
The fast setting No.7 does actually require fast-acting yeast. As our yeast gets older, we tend to use a little more to counter-act the ageing.
Also we don't use the fast setting...

[Mawvellous]

Thanks for the replies!

Lostinasia - the yeast was only purchased a few weeks ago. The production date is listed as March 2011, expiry date March 2013. We have been keeping the yeast in the fridge.
Have been measuring by volume - maybe buying some scales and measuring by weight would help.


Steviebike - have tried using the regular setting as well, but the result is the same. Do you use any of the recipes from the instruction booklet, or can you recommend any recipes that work well with the machine?

Maybe I should try some different yeast. Do you recommend instant yeast or dry yeast?

[Steviebike]

We (when I say we I should really say my wife, I just hand her the ingredients as the 2nd chef ). We use dry yeast and just keep it in a dark cool place (as can be in Taiwan). No problems. Our first Kaiser was actually broken! The mechanism was broken. Wondering if you have some mechanical or electrical problem? The 2nd one is perfect.

We also use the cake recipes - last one we made was carrot cake, came out just fine. We did however add slightly more yeast (than stated). The fast bake loaf is 3.5 tps of yeast right? How much you using on standard setting?

[Mawvellous]

We (when I say we I should really say my wife, I just hand her the ingredients as the 2nd chef ). We use dry yeast and just keep it in a dark cool place (as can be in Taiwan). No problems. Our first Kaiser was actually broken! The mechanism was broken. Wondering if you have some mechanical or electrical problem? The 2nd one is perfect.

We also use the cake recipes - last one we made was carrot cake, came out just fine. We did however add slightly more yeast (than stated). The fast bake loaf is 3.5 tps of yeast right? How much you using on standard setting?

Fast bake is 4 1/4 tsps of instant yeast or 8 tsps of dry yeast. Regular is 2 tsps of dry yeast, which I guess is equivalent to around 1 1/2 tsps of regular yeast.

Machine seems to be turning okay, will watch it more closely next time.

[Belgian Pie]

Be careful with yeast and salt and sugar ... they can kill the yeast if mixed wrongly ... it kills is by osmosis, rupturing the yeast cell and dehydrating it effectively killing it.

Remember that dry yeast must first rehydrate (in your dough mix or in water) before it can start it's job ... you can test the yeast by using a little sugar in water adding the yeast and wait until it starts bubbling.

Yeast is killed at temps. over 42 C

BTW, there is no 'fast' bread baking in a baker's dictionary ...

[Mawvellous]

Be careful with yeast and salt and sugar ... they can kill the yeast if mixed wrongly ... it kills is by osmosis, rupturing the yeast cell and dehydrating it effectively killing it.

Remember that dry yeast must first rehydrate (in your dough mix or in water) before it can start it's job ... you can test the yeast by using a little sugar in water adding the yeast and wait until it starts bubbling.

Yeast is killed at temps. over 42 C

BTW, there is no 'fast' bread baking in a baker's dictionary ...

Can I still use the instant yeast on a regular setting? I have a whole pack sitting in the fridge.

Have been careful not to let the yeast come into contact with any sugar or salt. I put the yeast in at the end in a little hole I make in the flour.

[Belgian Pie]

Wrong ... put the salt last ... sugar can go in between, but in a non-sweet bread you can not use more than 2% sugar (of the flour weight) ... in a sweet bread there is loads more yeast in ...

Yeast needs 'sugars' to live and multiply ... but not too much ...
Hold the salt on the side rim ... until most of the flour is mixed in ...

And really, to get a flavorful bread it can not be done quickly ... a quick bread is made without yeast, other leavening agents are used ...

[Mawvellous]

Wrong ... put the salt last ... sugar can go in between, but in a non-sweet bread you can not use more than 2% sugar (of the flour weight) ... in a sweet bread there is loads more yeast in ...

Yeast needs 'sugars' to live and multiply ... but not too much ...
Hold the salt on the side rim ... until most of the flour is mixed in ...

And really, to get a flavorful bread it can not be done quickly ... a quick bread is made without yeast, other leavening agents are used ...

So you put the salt in after the yeast?