Marriages Organic Country Fayre Strong Malted Brown Bread Flour 1 kg (Pack of 6)

This produces a granary style malted loaf. A bit brown a bit white, malted, a really good all rounder. I love this flour mix, I usually add more wholemeal or white or different seeds etc but it's good as is if you don't want to fiddle around. I find it to be pretty strong and doesn't need any unusual handling. My only comment with mixes that have seeds in, these can sometimes make the bread more likely to tear in kneading and final shaping. So it can require some more care if you're used to straight white bread. There are a lot of things that effect extensibility, but I've found a good autolyse helps with this dough. An hour to 2, 3. Even left it for 6 once. No need for a really long autolyse but depends on your schedule. I found it really helps with final shaping on this, again due to the seeds (but my method tends to make quite a strong dough). 500g flour 350g water 10g salt 25-150g starter depending on weather etc Mix flour and water, leave for an hour covered. Add starter, mix fully into the dough, then add salt. No knead until it passes the window pane test - added benefit of autolyse is less time kneading and you'll find kneading easier overall. This is all done in one bowl at this point (cleaner and easier). Move to clean lightly oiled bowl and rest for an hour. Then to strength and fold every 45 mins for another 2-4 hours, or more, depending on temperature / weather. Careful not to knock air out. I don't look for it to double, that would be too far. Maybe 50% in size. Final strength and fold then remove to lightly floured surface for shaping. Do a shaping then leave for an hour, covered. Return and do final shaping, and place in banneton. Place covered in fridge over night, bake 12-24 hours later (or even days longer if you want and your fridge is cool). I recommend the Dutch oven method as its almost fool proof and easier / cleaner. I prefer a young, liquid starter as it's comes alive quickly and the gluten isn't degraded. DONT ADD FLOUR WHEN KNEADING! Use a dough scraper, learn how to handle. Light touched, clean hands, scrape to release, no flour needed.

This is fab flour and makes the tastiest bread ever. I’ve tried a few variations in my Panasonic machine, my fave is... 1.25 tsp dried yeast (Allisnsons) 500g flour 1.5 tbsp caster sugar 1.5 tbsp milk powder 1.25 tsp salt 0.25 tsp Vit C powder (Ascorbic acid) 25g butter 350 ml water ...all added in that order, plus... 3 tbsp mixed seeds in the raisin dispenser. Use Bake Raisin, Wholewheat (5-hr), Large-size settings. I leave it for 3 hrs to cool, slice it with an electric carving knife, freeze it in two bags straight away. It either toasts perfectly from frozen or defrosts in a microwave perfectly for ‘fresh’. If I didn’t freeze it I would have to eat it before it lost it’s freshness which would mean I would be huge.

I made my first loaf yesterday evening and it came out great! Since I've been making my own bread in a Panasonic breadmaker machine for the past 3 months. I haven't bought a ready made loaf since - the reason being that I much prefer my own made bread. It toasts super! I've been adding bread improver for about the last 4 loaves and it makes a real improvement. It makes the bread softer and also easily stays fresh for a week, by which time I've eaten it. Once it's cooled down after baking, I put it into an expandable bread container, that i purchased from amazon. Maybe that helps to keep it fresh. Anyway, I'd recommend this flour - although I've seen the cost of flour ONLINE increase dramatically - and that's my only gripe!

This arrived today. I've already made a large loaf. The flour smells gorgeous and mixed to a lovely dough. Loaf made and just about cooled enough to cut. Sandwiches made for lunch box and a slice for us to try. This has to be the tastiest malted grain loaf we've eaten. Full of flavour and texture. Good rise too. Nice and light loaf. I will definitely buy this flour again. I have bought more of this flavour. Results and flavour are consistent Thank you for all the reviews that led to my purchase. Without those reviews I'd still be looking!!!

The product is great, however be aware that it's made from flour from multiple (and unspecified) countries. This is clear on the side label.

I have been using this flour for some time now, in a breadmake . It is very reliable.......previous to trying this brand i'd make a 'brick' every now and then but never since changing to this brand, the white is good too.

This is the best bread flour that I've ever used. Lovely flavour and texture. Good value for money. I found it absorbed more water than white flour. All the family love this bread.

So far I've made four loaves using this flour, using the recipe on the back of the packet, two with the breadmaker and two traditionally in the oven. All four have been delicious, but those I made in the oven especially so. The bread has a distinctive malty flavour without being sweet, and by adding steam to the oven at the start of the baking process the crust comes out nice and crunchy without being toasted., and the loaf has a fine aerated texture without being overblown. Proven in a 10" round banneton and baked in the oven the bread even looks the part, but more importantly it 's delicious. I'll certainly be using this flour regularly in the future.