Beginner problem with a diabetic friendly bread being wet
I am using a Zojiroushi machine and trying to make a diabetic friendly bread. I found a recipe that works well, but the taste is not very good so I have made some changes. The problem is that no matter what I seem to change, it comes out too wet inside (especially near the bottom center) and dense. Dense is not horrible but the wetness is. I have to lightly toast every slice to dry it out. This last loaf tastes great and is a bit better, but still too wet. (I had cut the water by 1/4 cup and the the oil by 1 tablespoon to get the recipe shown below which I just used.) I am almost ready to give up. To help, I use the regular cycle with a medium crust. (the Whole wheat cycle always comes out worse.) Not thing I notice is that the dough ends up in a ball which, I question if it is getting kneaded enough. The recipe is basically this:
1 1/2 c water
3 eggs
1T butter
1T olive oil
5 T Splenda
1t sugar
1t salt
3/4 c soy flour
3/4 c dark rye flour
1 3/4 c vital wheat gluten
1T each Flax seed meal, chia seeds, caraway seeds
2 t lecithin
1 t lemon juice
1/2 vitamin C pill
1 packet of yeast (SAF or Red Star)
pinch of ginger
It equals the volume of the low.no gluten, soy and rye flour combined....As for the wet inside I would say to bake it longer with a Zo setting that accomplishes that or finish it in the oven when the Zo is done.
1 3/4 cups of bread flour would have about 28 g of gluten in it if all the protein was gluten - which it isn't 1 3/4 C of VWG at 65% gluten has about 140 g of gluten in it.so you are putting 5 times more gluten in the dough than a good wheat bread flour would have. I have no idea how that would effect the crumb of this mix or if it would reatain more water or not..
The original recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups of VWG and no rye flour. (It is really a help for diabetics.) When made the original way there are a few other changes and it comes out fine to an extent, but not tasty at all.
Is it length of baking time that would affect wetness or doughiness or is it temperature? I know I can custom set the Zo for time and kneading but temp is a different story and may require, as you said, putting it in the oven after, for such an odd recipe.
...since 'gluten' bread was recommended for diabetics. I'm type 2 and am currently eating, and making, sourdough bread, either white or better still, oatmeal. I believe it is possible to make sourdough bread in a machine, but not owning a machine, someone else would have to tell you about that.
With the Zojiroushi machine they have sourdough recipes and directions on how to create the starter which seems quite involved, but the starter is also sold, pre-made. I have thought about it but not yet tried. Hopefully someone else can help more.
I have a Zo, which I use for my whole wheat and sweet breads, and then I make sour dough. I have not been able to make a tasty sour dough bread with the ZO, but I CAN use it for making the dough, I just wouldn't bake in it. Rye is highly recommended for diabetics, as it helps to control blood sugar spikes. Sour dough is also good for diabetics (though I forget exactly why- but I recall reading this when searching for options for my father). The other thing to remember (not knowing all the details about your health, of course, this is just general teaching knowledge I share with my patients) for eating with diabetes: ALWAYS eat protein with your carbs. ALWAYS. even just a tiny bit. The protein keeps glucose levels even and prevents the spikes and dips which are the trouble makers. and check the serving size.
Making a good starter is not all that hard (though some recipes make it appear to be) and some of the recipes for sour dough bread are quite intimidating. I had terrible luck until I chilled, stopped trying to do anything fancy , and simply baked bread- now I have relatives and co-workers begging me to make bread for them. I think my sour dough bread is actually less complicated than any of the standard bread recipes, and certainly involves fewer ingredients than regular bread.
I have successfully made starter with a packet and by simply "catching" yeast in my flour/water mixture. Good luck!