Whilst it has become rather fashionable to promote one’s Sourdough credentials.., I know full well that many of our customers enjoy The Prior’s Flours in a breadmaker. I am also aware that it can take a little adjustment of the programmes and recipes provided with the breadmakers to get the best out of stoneground flours.

Why is this? Well, there are three main reasons – a) stoneground flours absorb a different amount of water to the ‘typical’ roller milled commercial flours that breadmaker recipes are created for and b) there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ stoneground flour, so each harvest / parcel of wheat we use is subtly different – as many of you will have worked out. And.. c) unless the timings of your breadmaker are adjusted, the dried / fast acting yeast gets very little time to get to work on the ‘heavier’ stoneground flour – there is more bran remaining in your lovely, tasty, quality Priors Flour!!

Hand bakers get used to adjusting the amount of water and times for dough proving because the results are visible and ‘touchable’ – you feel the differences when you work the dough. For our breadmachine colleagues, it is a little more difficult to work out when and how to adjust timings and quantities of water.

I have to confess that I have very little experience with bread machines myself, yet am often asked for advice. So, I have decided to turn to you, my wonderful customers to ask you to share your experiences!

Hanna, one of my customers has offered to share her tips and I would be delighted if you would do the same – if you’re happy for me to share them. Please share your top tips

Working with the Panasonic SX2550

Hanna uses Catherine Atkinson’s book “Brilliant Breadmaking” She tells me:

It is called a Malthouse loaf. The recipe calls for 500 gr. of dark malted bread. I chose to mix the The Prior’s Malted Multiseed and The Prior’s Dark Malt Flours:

1 tbsp malt extract

325 ml lukewarm water

25 gr. butter, at room temperature

250 gr malted multiseed priors flour

250 gr dark malted priors flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 fast action dried yeast. (I just use what i have dried yeast)

Wholewheat setting and medium crust.

The crust stays crispy which is also pretty fantastic.

Thank you in advance and thank you to Hanna for sharing her experiences!

With the John Lewis Christmas advert well and truly launched and high streets up and down the country decked in Christmas lights, the Prior’s Flour Team are now in full swing packing our Christmas Boxes and Gift Vouchers.

Bread Bakers Delight

For the discerning baker, why not buy them a selection of our finest bread flours along with a Traditional Cornmillers Guild Recipe Book all finished in a box, packed with straw and a gorgeous Christmas Card!

Foodies Delight

For the Foodie in your life – buy them a delicious range of provisions – from breakfast cereals to store cupboard staples such as Plain & Self Raising Flour, all finished in a box, packed with straw and a gorgeous Christmas Card!

See our webpage for more information and to purchase!

Further to our last post, we’d just like to let you know that the team are back, refreshed with the wind in their sails! And, at last, the wind is actually blowing so flour production is in full swing.

We continue to mill our highly regarded 2019 harvest Mulika from Adrian Steele’s farm in Worcestershire and will have stock of this wheat to take us into December. Our rye is from Wimpole in Cambridgeshire and our Spelt from Bradenham in Norfolk. Don’t forget you can also buy our grain direct if you have a home mill.

Thank you to all those who patiently waited for their orders to be fulfilled whist the team were away – we are almost through the backlog and so, please do send your orders through.

At least we’re not affected supply chain issues at the mill!

Due to staff holidays, orders made online from the 14th September will be processed after the 28th September as some of our team are taking a well earned break!

Please continue to order online, but note that it will be after the 29th September before you receive a confirmation date for delivery (which should be later that week)

The Mill Shop remains open as usual.

We thank you for your patience!

In our last blog post, I commented that one of the joys of being part of the heritage of traditional milling is that it is possible to experience the evolution of the craft. Another joy is sharing recipes with customers, especially when those recipes have been handed down the generations and tell something of the traditions of different cultures and our collective heritage of bread baking.

I was therefore delighted when Dr Chris Thomas of Milton, Cambridge (one of our regular customers who I know knows a thing or two about rye flours) told me about a recipe he uses which he learned from his mother, who in turn had picked it up from her relatives. His family comes from Scandinavia!

Chris has been kind enough to write up his recipe and has offered it for me to share with you all! I hope this will inspire you in turn and if you have family recipes, please do get in touch!

Thanks once again to Chris and do let us know if you try the recipe and how you get on! We love to share images and stories of our customers both on the Blog and on our Social Media channels!