It's one of the questions we receive most often:
"Can I use Panda Flour in my bread maker?"
The honest answer is:
Possibly... but we generally don't recommend it.
The reason isn't because Panda is difficult to use. In fact, it's quite the opposite.
Every bread machine is different
Different bread makers use different:
- Mixing paddles
- Mixing times
- Proving times
- Baking temperatures
- Program settings
This makes it almost impossible for us to recommend a single setting that will work for everyone.
A programme that works in one machine may produce very different results in another.
Panda behaves differently from traditional bread dough
Most bread machines are designed around conventional doughs that rely on:
- Gluten development
- Long kneading periods
- Extended proving times
Panda works differently.
Our fibre-first system doesn't rely on gluten or gums to create structure, which means the dough behaves very differently during mixing.
Mixing can be difficult inside a bread machine
Because Panda doughs don't stretch and develop like traditional bread doughs, they often require a little encouragement during mixing.
Many bread makers have relatively small mixing paddles which can struggle to pull the dough together effectively.
This can result in the mixture sticking to the edges of the bowl rather than forming a consistent dough.
In many cases, constant intervention with a spatula would still be required to bring the mixture back towards the centre.
At this point, much of the convenience of the bread machine has already been lost.
Panda generally doesn't require proving
Traditional bread programmes often include proving periods of an hour or more.
Panda bread recipes are much simpler.
In most cases, the dough simply requires:
- Combining the wet and dry ingredients.
- Resting for around 10 minutes.
- Shaping.
- Baking.
No complicated kneading.
No lengthy proving periods.
No bread-making experience required.
This means many of the functions built into a bread machine simply aren't necessary when baking with Panda.
The easiest way to bake Panda bread
For the best and most consistent results, we recommend:
- Mix the ingredients by hand or using a mixer.
- Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
- Shape your loaf or rolls.
- Bake in a conventional oven.
This simple process gives you complete control and generally produces more reliable results than using a bread machine.
Of course, if you'd like to experiment...
Some pioneers may find settings that work with their particular machine, and we're always interested to hear about successful combinations.
However, because every bread maker is different, we cannot currently recommend specific settings or guarantee consistent results.
Sometimes, the simplest approach really is the best one.
Welcome to the world of Panda.
