I've run out of bread flour - can I use plain in my breadmaker?

[HettiePetal]

Have all the other ingredients, including yeast - just not the strong bread flour.

Thanks.

[hermioneweasley]

No, it won't have a high enough protein level

[MyCatLovesMeSometimes]

No not enough gluten in it (I once mistakenly put some in and it was terrible).

[ZingWantsGin]

no. it won't work because the gluten level is not high enough.

[KirstyJC]

You can do half normal plain flour and half bread flour (Hugh's magic dough recipe does this and it's fine) but not all normal plain.

[PacificDogwood]

Works fine for me.

[HettiePetal]

Four no's - one yes.

What make do you use, Pacific?

[ZingWantsGin]

Pacific do you make it on your new gadget?

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

I often use any old flour,

was that wrong?

[Pachacuti]

If you've only got plain flour and want to make bread you could make soda bread (which doesn't need the extra gluten) -- but I don't think you can do it in your breadmaker (it takes about ten minutes and then 45 minutes cooking time if you do it by hand, though. Add on another 15 minutes if you don't have buttermilk and need to curdle some regular milk first).

[JohnnyDeppsfuturewife]

I've done it in the bread maker with plain flour by mistake. It was slightly heavy / dense but edible as toast.

[HettiePetal]

Panic over. Have found some brown bread flour in the back of the cupboard that I'd forgotten about.

But, for future ref could I use half plain/half bread then? Bread flour is quite pricey.

[HettiePetal]

Thanks, Pachuti. I do keep meaning to have a go at soda bread. Might give that a go tomorrow.

Anyone ever made cornbread?

[breatheslowly]

Could you make soda bread instead?

[mrsminiverscharlady]

I usually use a mixture of bread flour and plain flour and it's fine. Have also used just plain (although I make by hand rather than machine).

[PacificDogwood]

Nope, no experience of cornbread.

I often make bread with whatever happens to be lurking in the cupboard, flour-wise. Rye, spelt, plain wheat or any combination of the above. It all seems to work and gets eating fast enough for nobody to ever notice if anything is 'wrong' .
But then again I also use the same haphazard combination of random flours to make eggy pancakes, so maybe you should take my advice with some caution...

I do have a very nice, shiny new tin and paddle for my rather ancient bread maker I find the laptop makes rubbish bread.

[ZingWantsGin]

[ZingWantsGin]

and too little too late