> From: bread-bakers-errors@lists.best.com
> Subject: Digest bread-bakers.v096.n050
> To: bread-bakers@lists.best.com
>
> From: FORD_KAREN/TUC_06@burr-brown.com
> Subject: Yeast, Fruit and Nuts
> Date: Mon, 21 Oct 96 10:08:00 -0700
>
> Hi All,
[deleted]
Another question about yeast. I was in Walmart the other day and
> noticed that they were selling a jar of Red Star yeast "for bread machines".
> Supposedly it makes your bread rise high although you use 33% less than you
> would of regular yeast. The price was $6.88 for 7 oz ( a bit high) and I
> believe it said it made 23 loaves or something like that. Has any one used
> this type of yeast and if so, is it worth the extra money? Right now, I am
> buying an unknown brand from a local health food store in 1lb. packages and it
> works fine, but I was just curious.
I use Red Star instant active dry yeast. I buy it at Sam's Discount Club and
pay about $3.00 for 2 POUNDS of it. It works great, and I keep a small jar in
the refrigerator for current use with the remainder in the freezer.
> Also, I made really good raisin bread over the weekend that I got a
> few weeks ago from the Digest, however even though I added the raisins
> and chopped nuts 2-3 minutes before the "add fruit" signal, I still had
> more on the outside than on the inside. Is there a problem with
> adding the fruit and nuts even earlier---maybe at least adding the
> raisins with the rest of the ingredients at the start?
>
> Karen in Tucson
>
If you add the fruit sooner, there is a pretty good chance it will just be
pureed by the mixing process. The only problem I have with my Regal is that it
does not mix fruit into the batter well, just as you have described.
To help alleviate the problem, flour your fruit. I make quite a bit of raisin
nut bread, and will mix about 1 Tbs of flour with the raisins and stir them
well before putting them in the pan at the chime. I also manipulate the dough
ball some by hand while the machine is running to help mix in the raisins.
Works pretty well.
My sister has a Zojirushi model 15a, and while she flours the raisins, the
machine mixes everything in quite well. I suspect that your problem and mine
is just the design of the pan/paddle in our models.
Regards.
Bill Hatcher
bhatcher@gc.net
Southampton County, Virginia, USA