You need some more sugar in there.

Salt provides structure so it doesn't collapse on itself.
Sugar provides food for the yeast so it grows.

Huh? (8-p


Well spotted I meant sugar

One tablespoon isn't enough sugar? How much then - 1.5?

Two teaspoons of salt as well then?

You should use a 1 tablespoon of sugar for every 1 teaspoon of salt as a general guide.

Your yeast amount is usually the same as the salt (in teaspoons) and milk powder the same as sugar (in tablespoons)

e.g.
1 tsp yeast
500g Flour (you can do 50% white & 50% wholemeal if you like)
1.5 tbsp sugar
1.5 tbsp milk powder
1.5 tsp salt
25g butter
330ml-350ml water for a white loaf (depending on your flour), 360ml for a 50/50.

OK, I'll have another go tonight.

By the way, are you using heaped spoonfuls? I'm using levelled off measuring spoons, because I was told to be accurate with the measurements.

Level spoons (using measuring spoons rather that actual spoons)

Made another one last night - Wholemeal again. Absolutely flippin' perfect.

What recipe did you use?

680g strong wholemeal flour
425ml water
2 tsp salt
2 tblspn sugar
7g yeast
30g butter

On a longer, light wholewheat programme. It came out about 30% taller and much better, with a light crust.

The only thing is, I don't know if the better result was due entirely to the slight change in ingredients or the longer programme. I intend to try again with less salt - I'm still blown away by how much salt goes into a loaf of bread.

It isn't that much salt for a large loaf which will do maybe 10 meals so I wouldn't worry too much, although I often don't put any in and it works fine without.

Likewise with the sugar; I often don't add any if I'm using packet "instant" yeast. The recipe on the packet is for 750g of flour and has no added sugar and it works fine. There's sugar in flour already - about 10g in your loaf.

Traditional bread recipes do not have added sugar in. The only important ingredients are water, flour and yeast. The rest is really just flavouring and texture. Added fat gives a crispier crust and moister crumb for example. Using half milk gives a richer flavour, and adding sugar obviously makes it sweeter. There's quite a lot of added salt and sugar in many "brand name" loaves, because people like it.

I suspect it was primarily the longer rising time that gave you the more risen loaf. It's going to make a big difference.

That looks like trying but how big a tin do you use. I have a 2lb tin and from what I can see those ingredients would be too much for the tins that I have.

I have been trying to cut down salt and I guess that I must be getting most of my salt now from my bread!

Strangely enough if you make bread properly (like bakers do) then you can cut down the amount of yeast, salt & sugar that's used.

It's the way breadmakers work (small oven etc) that means you have to add extra in.

How much does your 2 tablespoons of salt weigh?

A 400g loaf with 4-8g salt is "too much".
The same loaf with 2g salt is "low" and best to aim for.

He's making ~800g loaf with ~10g added salt. So that's about 5g total per 400g.

Wow! Didn't realise that - shows how much salt there is in bread. If he can go low sodium, so much the better.

All this talk of bread makes me want a breadmaker but since I've been on this diet, I eat max 2 slices a week.