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Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 09:43

Hi Everyone,

I bought a 1KG bag of Hovis Granary Bread Flour and Hovis Fast action yeast, it has the recipe on side of packet to make a 2LB Hovis Granary loaf.

I have one or two questions thou that i would like to ask.

First of all here is the Ingredients:
500g/1lb 2oz Hovis Granary Bread Flour
25g/1oz butter
1 1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Hovis Fast Action Yeast
275ml/9floz Warm Water
2 tsp Sugar to give added flavour and thicker crust (optional)

Now to make it says:
1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, (optional sugar) and salt, rub in the butter and then stir in the yeast.

Q1) I dont like to taste sugar in my bread but how much should i put in but not enough to taste?. Reason why i want to put in sugar and not leave it out is because it will feed the yeast. Also some say use a wooden spoon but some rub in butter. Would i be better rubbing in with fingertips and lifting the flour out of the bowl to incorporate air, but before i do that use a rounded blade knife to mix ingredients then use fingertips (bit like making shortcrust pastry method)?

2. Stir in the water and mix into a soft dough by hand.
Q2) It says stir in the water should i use my finger-tips or a round bladed knife to cut into the mix before using my finger-tips or a wooden spoon be better?

3. Knead for 5 minutes in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, or turn out onto a floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes by hand.

Instruction three i have no problems with.

4. Shape the dough and place in a greased 2lb tin or on a baking tray. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel (this stops the dough drying out), and leave in a warm place until doubled in size (1 1/2-2 hours).

Q3) Now this bit i was rather shocked at. After kneading dough it says as you can see from above put in 2lb loaf tin and leave etc. Now would i be better off putting in a bowl to double in size and lightly oil some cling film and put on top? then when doubled in size knock it back for about 10 minutes then put in a loft tin and leave it prove until it start to swell? Reason why, i thought knocking back would have been essential after leaving it to rise. but it says put in 2lb tin and once rised just cook it without knocking back and proving it.

5. Uncover and bake in an oven pre-heat to 230'c (450'F, gas mark 8 for 30 - 35 minutes. The baked loaf should sound hollow when tapped underneath.

No problems with this bit

6. Take the loaf out of the tin and cool on a rack.

Sorry for asking so much but it will be my first time of making bread and want to get it as perfect as i can.

thanks for any help and advice. Will be appreciated.

Mat

Replies

By iliketobake: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 09:47
Also should my butter be at room temperature for making my loaf of bread as it does not say?

By jeni_hope: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 12:14
Hi Mat,
I've not used Granary flour - I just chuck a load of diferent seeds/grains into an ordinary mixture - but I have a couple of observations
Yes you need a little sugar to fee the yeast, I find 1 teaspoon plenty for bread - I don't find it makes it sweet, you'd need a LOT more for that. There is so little buter that the temp. can hardly make adifference, whatever you find esier to handle. I never use butter, just add a dollop of olive oil or grape seed oil with the liquid and it mixes OK.
I also find Reg. 8 much to hot and the top of the loaf burns. I use Reg. 6 fpr 30 mins and then check for cookedness by taking out of the tin and rapping the base with mu knuckles. If it sounds hollow - it's done - if not pop,it back for another3-5 mins, doesn't need to go back in the tin for this.
I always knock back, but that obviousy dosen't happen to dough in a bread machine, so can't be absolutely necessary. Maybe it's just a fail-safe - to prove (again) that the yeast is working.
I never used oiled film, when I first made bread film wasn't even dreamed about. I take a clean teatowel out of the drawer and drape it over the bowl (dry) then afterwards it gets used for drying stuff!!
Hope this is sone help

By jeni_hope: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 12:23
PS
The received wisdom when I first made bread was that it HAD to go into a very hot oven to quickly stop the action of the yeast - the ONLY instance where a hot oven was actually essential. That obviously isn't the case as breadmakers heat up the risen dough from cold so I don't know why it was considered so important. I've always done it though, rather than risk a mistake.

By Merrie: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 12:26
Mat, as jeni says, a teaspoon of sugar will be OK. I must say I leave mine to prove in a bowl for about an hour or til doubled in size, then knock back and put in tin to rise again. they appear to have missed out the first proving I think. I use teatowel too over my bowl.
M x

By Biggles: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 12:39
Hi, I don't like to use all granary flour, bit too dense for me. I replace about a third with some extra strong white flour. I never use sugar when using dried yeast, only with fresh.
Why don't you make the loaf as directed by Hovis and then decide what you do / don't like and play with future loaves. I have found that by kneading in a different manner my loaves are different and now I trap more air into the dough when I'm kneading. I use more water than your recipe suggests, so you might consider adding a little more, if you think it is needed. I make a wetter, rather than dryer dough.
I agree with Jeni that the cooking temp and time may be a bit fierce. I used to make a larger loaf than your are proposing (only by 6 ozs of flour) and it cooked in 26 -30 mins. Obviously a lot will depend upon your oven. I have a really naff oven at the moment so cooking is a bit trial and error.
I do oil the bowl but just use cling film over the top. If the dough makes contact with the film I just give it a knock so it comes unstuck, when I'm ready to make the 2nd prove.
Happy kneading. Biggs

By iliketobake

Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 12:51

This community is great. Lovely people, very welcoming, always at hand to help. Thanks everyone for all your advice.

I will have a go and see what happens but i will use a teatowel like you said and will knock back after first proving then put in tin then allow to prove until it just rises above the tin.

Will post back and let you all know how it went.

By gerry: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 15:03
jeni_hope, cooking isn't a very exact science, is it? I always heard that some of the loaf's rising should take place in the oven.

By iliketobake

Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 15:09

So what temperature shall i cook my bread at ? and approximate time?
As i dot want to open oven if i think it is done just incase it sinks or something, as time i check that it hollow by using knuckle to tap bottom of loaf it might then be to late.

I have a Fan Electric Oven. i only understand degrees celcius aswell.

Just incase someone makes bread and have the same cooker as me i have a Hotpoint EW74

By iliketobake

Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 15:13

Please read above post aswell.

I was thinking heat it up first to 220oC then reduce it to 190oC when i put bread in. Does that seem ok or to high to low?

By Biggles: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 16:32
Hi, me again. I used to cook my granary loaf at 200 degrees fan, it was a bread cooking fuction on the oven, for the period. Now, with no fan oven, I'm starting off at 240 degrees for 15 mins and reducing the heat to 210 / 220 for 15 mins. I always have the oven very hot to start as the bread does continue to rise after it goes into the oven. Biggs
PS My nose tells me when the bread is nearly done, there is a wonderful aroma coming from the oven.

By iliketobake

Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 17:28

Well i just took out my loaf from the oven. It feels lovely and light and very hollow. I am going to wait until it cools down and have some with my tea.

I cant wait to see the inside. Will let you know later. Fingers crossed it will ok inside like the outside. So far so good :)

By iliketobake

Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 19:56

Well .... Verdict Is......

Fantastic

Just like the shops but i would say better because i made it which gives me more pleasure in eating it. It was lovely and light and nice crispy top.

I am going to start making all my bread myself now as it was my first time and it was brilliant, well worth the time and effort. No more paying £1.09 per loaf for me anymore. I am hoping it lasts at least a day more than the supermarkets bread as when i buy bread from supermarket it is stale usually within 24 hours, never was like this but last several months it has terrible to keep fresh.

Anyone know what would be the best way to store homemade bread?

Thank you all for your advice. :)

Regards,
Mat

By jeni_hope: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 20:15
Glad you're pleased with your bread Mat. Nothing like home made bread is there?
Just one thought, Don't worry about opening your oven during cooking, especially near the end of cooking. It won't spoil, it's not like a souffle.
I've got a crockery bread bin, nothing special because we eat it up fairly quickly.
You might not find you'll save money though because you'll eat more of it!!

By jeni_hope: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 20:17
And Hello gerry,
Yes, it does rise some more in the oven doesn't it? I don't know where that 'put in a very hot oven' comes from - but it was what I was taught so I alays do it, and for sponge cakes, but I don't always bother with other things.

By jeni_hope: Re: Hovis Granary?
10 May 2008 20:28
I'm back again.
I've just found the following in Margaret Costa's Four Seasons Cookery Book; bread section.
'And you can save time, especially if you don't mind a more open texture, by kneading the dough only once and putting it straight in the tin to rise.'
Also for a crustier crust brush the loaf with cold water (immediately on coming out of the oven I presume) and for a softer crust wrap loosely in the clean tea towel while cooling.

By Merrie: Re: Hovis Granary?
11 May 2008 09:30
Well done Mat, it is great to do your own bread. I usually have to freeze half my loaves as we don't eat much really. Keep the other half in a bread bin. It keeps quite well, wrapped in greaseproof paper. Do find that no two loaves turn out the same tho. Probably depends on the flour so experiment with different flours.
M x

By Biggles: Re: Hovis Granary?
11 May 2008 12:27
Well done, home-made bread is lovely, isn't it. I store mine in a plastic bag, loosely tied, to avoid condensation, and then in the bread bin (if it gets that far).
I made 2 loaves the other day and the 2nd loaf was with a new bag of flour. 2nd loaf did not need as much water as the first. It would seem that all things are variable :0) Biggs

By iliketobake

Re: Hovis Granary?
11 May 2008 14:46

Thank you for your compliments.

I am in the middle of making homemade tea cakes and i used different four of course for those and i was extremely sticky the dough so i added more flour but let it still have some stickiness and wetness. They are currently proving at the moment. Once they are cooked and hopefully they are as good as my granary loaf i will go on and make a 2lb Bara Brith loaf.

I am doing so much baking and i got to be honest all my cakes, bread etc and fillings are great so i am thinking of going to a car booty and start selling my cakes etc. I have been baking for a while now about 7 years but only on and off and over last several months have started to do it all the time. Everyone who tries my baked stuff says they are great and as i bake alot and usually give all what i baked away to my family and friends as i very rare eat any of it myself i thought i could bake and sell my cakes etc on a car booty to earn a few bob as a hobby. I don't know why but i love baking and giving it to people and letting them here what they got to say about it.

By Flapjack

Re: Hovis Granary?
11 May 2008 18:19

.........Keeping busy with your baking Matt.

Did you try the vanilla pastry cream I suggested in your previous post! It has inspired me to have a go as baking ready bought puff pastry isn't such a chore!

Home baking certainly is particularly satisfying for those of us who love to cook - if only I had the time these days!