to make my own bread or not?

mandy_moo_1

thriftlady wrote:

For one 2lb loaf(I always triple up and make 3 large or 4 smaller loaves)

1 1/2 lb white bread flour(or 1 lb white and 1/2 lb wholemeal or all granary flour)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp easy-blend yeast(the kind recommended for bms0
3/4 pint(15 fl oz)
hand-hot water

QUOTE]
hi...i really fancy having a go at making my own bread this way, but i've never understood....how hot is HAND HOT water? as warm as you'd wash your hands in? tepid? and shud it be out of the tap or a cooling kettle?

thriftlady_2

Hi, Mandy,
I use water hot from the tap, and my tap water gets very hot.I think really it shouldn't be so hot,but it works for me;) .Boiling water will kill the yeast.HTH

culpepper

I go to the bread baking section at the back of Asda where you ask to get loaves sliced and just say can I get some fresh yeast here please? The first time, I just asked how much it was, once he had fetched it and he said it was free.
You can use fresh in a bread maker but you have to put it in as you are making the bread so it cant be used on an overnight timer.
I use 1/6th of an ounce per loaf,mix it in the bowl with the usual amount of luke warm water,then plonk the flour on top and a pinch of salt on top of that and turn it on.

mandy_moo_1

thriftlady wrote:

Hi, Mandy,
I use water hot from the tap, and my tap water gets very hot.I think really it shouldn't be so hot,but it works for me;) .Boiling water will kill the yeast.HTH

thanx for that thriftlady x

choccyface2006

I use a bread mix and do it by hand, I use the Wrights mixes (available in most supermarkets), you just add water to them or sometimes Asdas own brand, the ciabatta variety is gorgeous and lighter than the white crusty, you just add water & olive oil and it needs a little extra kneading. The multigrain mixes are delicious too.

Warm and crusty with butter......Mmmmmm!

Sarah

mirakl

sophistica wrote:

You can do all of that in a bread maker as most have a dough only setting which enables you to finish off rolls etc in the oven.

I've just discovered this! It's brilliant - a loaf from our bread maker takes about 3 1/2 hours and it's just ok. When I use the dough setting I make lovely rolls which take 1 1/2 hours for dough and just 20 mins in the oven. They're far nicer for sandwiches and burgers etc. The one thing I found was I bought a £20 Lidl breadmaker and the recipies are terrible. I bought a bread book in a discount (of course ) bookshop and it's got far better recipies!

Queenie

mandy_moo_1 wrote:

hi...i really fancy having a go at making my own bread this way, but i've never understood....how hot is HAND HOT water? as warm as you'd wash your hands in? tepid? and shud it be out of the tap or a cooling kettle?

Tepid

Or, 2 parts cold: 1 part boiling from kettle.

Kazonline

Oooops, a breadmaker has just slipped onto my Amazon wish list - best hide the credit cards!!! Great thread - can't wait till Monday to see if our Superdrug have the BM on offer....

taplady

Queenie wrote:

Plus there are the *hidden* charges which are incurred when you buy bread

I've never priced up how much each trip to the shop for bread has cost in terms of petrol, time and the oh-I'll-grab-that-while-I'm-here-too purchases.

The only thing I do know from my personal experience:

~ I impulse buy far less (less trips to store)
~ I *know* what is going into my HM bread (less fat, salt, sugar: healthier)
~ I don't have to get showered/dressed/kids into car to get that early morning fresh baked bread aroma (pumped through store vents!)
~ HM bread is more filling and tasty than store bought 'pap'


You don't have to have a bread machine (BM) to make hm bread - but it is more convenient insomuch that you fill it, turn it on, leave it.

I bought my BM in a sale last year, I only bought it because it was cheap and I didn't want to invest much money incase I didn't use it/like it/benefit from it's full potential. Well, it's still working like a dream and it didn't take me long to start tweaking recipes to suit my needs/tastes. Wouldn't be without it now.

I agree with you Queenie I very rarely buy bread now - only if I'm working a lot and havent had time to put the machine on or been there to get the bread out. I too like knowing exactly whats in my bread, no additives etc and the taste of lovely HM bread toast is FAB!:D my boys only ever want my bread now. i make a loaf most days as it never lasts long in our house. I try and use organic flour and sometimes add seeds to make it even healthier!

Debt_Free_Chick

mirakl wrote:

I've just discovered this! It's brilliant - a loaf from our bread maker takes about 3 1/2 hours and it's just ok. When I use the dough setting...

On the odd occasions that I use the BM, that's what I do ... just use the dough setting, punch back the dough, put it in the tin and leave it to rise .. then bake.

I also do a "cool rise" ... leaving it in the (unheated) utility room. This seems to produce a more dense bread, which we prefer