Bread Maker - worth it?

jonni3000

Stroppyjock wrote:

Does it work out a lot cheaper making your own bread?

I gave up on the breadmachine as it turned out too many 'bricks' and just use the kitchen-aid now to mix with and eyes to check the rise.

The basic recipe I use is this (with costs etc in brackets):-

500g bread flour (20p - Tesco white bread flour is 61p for 1.5kg)
9g quick action yeast (7p - Doves Farm quick yeast £0.99p for 125g Tesco)
50ml vegetable oil (4.5p - Tesco veg oil £2.55 for 3ltrs)
approx 330g of warm water ( nominal, say 1p)
tsp of salt (nominal, say 1p)

Total is 33.5p and say 3p for electric. This fills a 12" loaf tin when fully risen. I haven't bought bread for a few years now so I couldn't say how much it costs for an equivalent loaf.

HTH

rendez2k

Just bought a Panasonic SD-254. Its almost finished its first bake and I can hardly smell any nice baking bread smells! Is that normal? Not the end of the world but it would be nice!

Debt_Free_Dreamer

I bought a Panasonic SD-255 a few weeks ago and I have used it almost every single day. We don't buy any bread anymore, I just chuck the ingreedients in the night before, set the timer and wake up to fresh bread.

I have a loaf baking now..

Farway

rendez2k wrote: »

Just bought a Panasonic SD-254. Its almost finished its first bake and I can hardly smell any nice baking bread smells! Is that normal? Not the end of the world but it would be nice!

The bread baking smells in supermarkets are just scents in the air systems, not real baking

Home baking smells are not as in your face as them, but the result is much much better

rendez2k

Farway wrote: »

The bread baking smells in supermarkets are just scents in the air systems, not real baking

Home baking smells are not as in your face as them, but the result is much much better

Thanks! A little disappointed with the smell but its got better on further use and it appears you only really get it in the last 30 mins. Lovely bread :-)

rendez2k

Another question: has anyone tried the Lakeland Evenslice (sorry, can't post a link as a new user!). I'm wondering how good it is and could it be used with an electric knife?! Its driving me mad trying to cut even slices!

MrsE_2

rendez2k wrote: »

Another question: has anyone tried the Lakeland Evenslice (sorry, can't post a link as a new user!). I'm wondering how good it is and could it be used with an electric knife?! Its driving me mad trying to cut even slices!

I've got the other one

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/bread-keeper/F/C/storing-preserving/C/storing-preserving-food-storage/product/5052/pgs/66

Its hopeless:mad:

one gap is too thin, it ends up holey & two is too thick, I can cut doorsteps on my own :mad:

Be interesting if anyone has good reports about the even slice.

wssla00

I ended up getting a mechanical slicer and that is brilliant worth the money if you have to buy one but I would ask on Freegle as that's where I got mine from. perfect even slices of bread, not to mention gammon for sarnies!

rendez2k

Thanks guys - MrsE: does the other lakeland gadget actually keep the bread fresher?

And wssla00, which cutter did you get?

My bread was so soft this morning it was near impossible to cut. Ended up with a massive door wedge!

wssla00

It was one like this http://www.lakeland.co.uk/my-kitchen-electric-slicer/F/C/preparing-food/C/preparing-food-graters-peelers-slicers/product/13665

but to keep my bread fresh I get the bags from lakeland which are £2.99 for about 12 i think. I reuse them but they are very useful, and last a long while.