Breadmaking - recipes, hints, tips, questions

Magentasue

My bread sometimes came out less than perfect in my old breadmaker, haven't had a bad loaf out of my new one so I wouldn't buy dough enhancers. Mostly because one of the reasons for home made is to avoid additives.

Curry_Queen

Hear hear Magentasue ... no additives going in my bread either

elona

Well said - I am trying to avoid additives as well.:j

Magentasue

elona wrote:

Well said - I am trying to avoid additives as well.:j

Although I'm more than happy to have something added to my empty glass of an evening.:D

elona

When my breadmaker was on order I bought several "proper bread mixes for breadmakers" as I was sure I could not make bread!

Since getting the breadmaker the only loaves I have been disappointed in are the "mixes" - when i measure stuff myself - it is much better - even wholemeal - if I add a crushed vit C tablet then it is fine!

Is it just me ?

Queenie

I've had no successes to boast of when using "Mixes" LOL so I can agree with you on that one elona
Never used a Vit C tablet though.
I've had great success with the recipes I've followed and some successes with my own adaptations of recipes.

Really and completely wrecked an adapted fruit cake/loaf style thingywotsit but then I recycled it as a sort of bread and butter pudding, hid it under some hm custard and the family responded: "Wow! That was GREAT!! You can make *that* again"
:wall: (I couldn't if my life depended on it!! LOL )

Str4berr3

Thanx for all advice on the ebay link, i dont think i will be wasting my money on buying this then.
I am currently burrowing my mums braedmaker to see if its worth me buying one, and now i do want one,which one would you recomend? i was thinking of getting one of those Morpohy Richards Fastbake Ranges. Preferbly with alot of settings and timer. :j

Magentasue

Str4berr3 wrote:

Thanx for all advice on the ebay link, i dont think i will be wasting my money on buying this then.
I am currently burrowing my mums braedmaker to see if its worth me buying one, and now i do want one,which one would you recomend? i was thinking of getting one of those Morpohy Richards Fastbake Ranges. Preferbly with alot of settings and timer. :j

There have been a coupleof threads about breadmakers and people who have the Morphy Richards seem pleased with it.

I had a breadmaker from Asda (Schneider) and although the bread was OK, the white bread wasn't brilliant. When the lid 'broke' I had to weigh it down and this gave me the excuse to buy a Panasonic. I've had this about a month now and it's brilliant.

The bread is sooo much better than the loaves I used to make. Even the white loaves come out like Asda's bakery bread. Since buying it, I haven't bought a loaf becuase it is so good.

I bought mine graded (meaning a customer return or not perfect) here and it arrived in a taped up box but looking perfect otherwise. Curry Queen got one and sent it back so it is a bit of a risk.

Mine is the SD253 with fruit dispenser. I do use this once a week to make a spiced fruit loaf but it's not essential. You can just add the raisins when you hear beeps from the other model.

Before I got this model, I would have thought the bread quality was mostly dependent onthe ingredients used. Now I think there's a big difference in the breadmakers and recommend the Panasonic. Someone here pointed me in the direction of the customer reviewson Amazon, and I have to echo what they say.

squeaky

Pita Bread - Pitta Bread

1 1/4 cups water
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons instant yeast

Place all of the dough ingredients into your bread pan according to the manufacturer's directions. Set on dough cycle. When the cycle is finished, remove dough to floured surface and punch down before shaping.

Shape the dough in to a single smooth ball and divide into 8 equal pieces.

Shape each piece of dough in to a smooth round ball and then flatten in to a disc about 1-inch thick. Cover the dough with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to gas mark 9 (475F 240C)

Place baking stone or cookie sheet in oven while it's heating.
Flatten each piece of dough out into a circle that is about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thick.

Using a spray bottle filled with water, spritz the 475 degrees F oven and quickly place the first round of dough on hot cooking sheet or stone. Reduce heat to gas mark 8 (450F 230C) and bake for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Repeat the entire procedure with each piece of bread. If baking surface is large enough, 2 pieces of dough may be done at the same time - as long as they are not touching each other.

Do not wait for the dough to brown as it will dry out too much. The dough after 3 minutes should look like a big balloon and still be white in color.

After the baked pitas have cooled and deflated, cover them with a damp towel. When all pitas are baked and completely cool, place them in a freezer zip-lock bag for storage.

Use within a day or two as they dry out fast. When you cut the pita in half you should have no trouble separating the two sides of the dough to form your pocket.

little_lil

Got my new breadmaker yesterday, followed the recipe for a brown loaf using wholemeal bread flour. It was nice but a bit heavy/dense and i was wondering whether any experts out there could give me tips on what to try before i do the next loaf.

I did note in the book that came with it that the wholewheat breads use a vitamin c tablet - should i try that with the wholemeal bread?

Am making pizzas with my son (aged 4) this afternoon, i don't know who is more excited me or him