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The price of a loaf of bread

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  • nick_b
    nick_b Posts: 219
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    paulwf wrote: »
    I use the small tins of Hovis or Allinson dried active yeast...Allinson is 64p for 125g in Sainsburys for example.

    Apologies if you already know this but some people don't realise that yeast is a living organism - a type of fungus - so you have to treat it with a lot more TLC than chemicals such as baking powder.

    With the dried active yeast (as opposed to the sachets) the yeast needs to be activated by being in water at blood heat and with an energy source i.e. sugar for about 10 minutes so that it can reawaken and start doing its magic. 1 teaspoon in 300ml of warm water and 3 teaspoons of sugar works fine.

    The reason for mentioning it is a living organism is that you can't put the yeast in a jug then add boiling hot water then cold...the boiling water will most likely kill it. Also you can't leave out the sugar...that is what the yeast feeds on.

    I never use sugar in my bread. Wheat flour contains enough sugars for the yeast to feed off. Also, I use the overnight sponge method, as mentioned in that Andrew Whitley blog. You don't need to use warm water; room temperature is fine, as you are relying on time in order for the yeast to multiply.
    0_o
  • Hi,

    I store a lot of flour in the kichen and the only place that's beaten the weevils is the freezer, I use the bottom drawer of my chest freezer exclusively for flour, icing sugar, stuffing, lentils and pearl barley...those little devils get into allsorts...just take your flour out to get to room temperature before use...and it can be refrozen afterwards.
    Ive found it doesnt rise as much if used direct from freezer, but at room temp works just as well.

    I looked up the weevilly things a while ago and found "confused flour beetle" as a likely name for them..anyone else looked them up?

    I tend to make 2 pizza bases, 6 loaves and 24 buns each saturday morning to freeze for the week ahead, and it works out so much cheaper even using wholemeal flour.

    Regards, Denise
  • paulwf
    paulwf Posts: 3,269 Forumite
    nick_b wrote: »
    I never use sugar in my bread. Wheat flour contains enough sugars for the yeast to feed off. Also, I use the overnight sponge method, as mentioned in that Andrew Whitley blog. You don't need to use warm water; room temperature is fine, as you are relying on time in order for the yeast to multiply.

    The sugar is just if you use the loose dried yeast that you activate in water, not the sachets you add directly to the bread. The yeast needs an energy source otherwise it won't be able to do much in the water until it is added to the flour. Most of the sugar will be used up and it is only a small amount anyway so won't alter the taste of the bread.

    Yeast will multiply fastest around 30-37C depending on the species, so it is dependent on temperature as well as time.

    If the yeast is cold and hasn't got an energy source your bread will take a lot longer to prove. It isn't the end of the world as you just have to wait a little longer but you might as well give it a helping hand to save a little time.
  • Gigervamp wrote: »
    It's cheaper to buy large packs of yeast. I get the Doves Farm yeast which is about 99p. If you use 7g per loaf, there's enough in the pack for 17 loaves. A far sight cheaper than 37p for only two loaves!

    The bread tastes better and keeps longer if you use less yeast - 4g is enough for 400g flour - even more of a saving. Make sure you seal the yeast bag up after use though as it starts to lose its potency after a few months.

    Sourdough bread - no yeast required, just lots of time.

    If you like wholemeal bread and are ever in the West Sussex area, the Weald & Downland Museum at Singleton sells the most wonderful wholemeal flour ground in their mill - a 10kg bag for less than £8 - good value and it makes a really tasty bread. Just made some using the Delia Smith 'Grant loaf' recipe - delicious, think I'll have another slice...
  • fruugal
    fruugal Posts: 22 Forumite
    I've been doing this for years having been shown once by a master baker who filled my kitchen with great bread one Saturday.

    If you want to then buy a machine. They are good. The only naff thing is the hole in the bottom of the loaf which is made by the paddle.

    Otherwise, in weather this warm you can make great bread well. Loads of recipes on the web and in books.

    Dried packet yeast is great.
    Strong plain flour with or without some spelt flour or wholemeal depending on what you want.

    If you have a food processor then use the blade bowl and put the salt in to the bottom. Add a little warm water.
    Weigh out the flour
    Add oil or butter
    Add an egg or not depending on your preference - makes a softer richer bread
    Add the yeast
    Add 1tsp sugar with the yeast
    Add some of the warm water or milk

    Whizz up and add more liquid if needed. The dough needs to be a bit sticky but to have got together into a ball. If it looks dry add a little more liquid.

    Leave the top on the food processor and leave the dough to rise. It will fill the whole thing and start lifting the plunger up too.
    After about an hour, when it has doubled in volume, turn it out onto a floured worktop and knead it.
    Push away from yourself with the heel of your hand.
    When it is good and springy form it into round loaf shapes to cook on a flat tin or put into loaf tins, or be mega adventurous and make a small loaf and a batch of rolls.

    Put the prepared dough on to a greased and floured baking tin and cover with a clean but slightly damp tea towel for another 40 minutes to an hour.

    Heat the oven to 200deg C. Put a shallow tin in the bottom of the oven. Put the kettle on.

    When the loaf, rolls or whatever you have chosen to make are double the size put them in the oven and tip a cup full of hot water into the shallow tin at the bottom of the oven. The steam makes the bread rise.

    Rolls take 15 minutes. A loaf will take a good half hour.

    You can tell if they are done if they are brown on their bottoms and sound hollow when you tap their bottoms.

    Magic stuff!:j
  • silligilli
    silligilli Posts: 43 Forumite
    edited 21 July 2010 at 5:54PM
    I wonder if anyone has a solution to a small problem I'm experiencing. I've just started making my own bread again and on the whole it has been a success but my last couple of loaves have tasted quite 'yeasty'. What, if anything, am I doing wrong or is it just the taste of real bread rather than shop bought?

    BTW I use dried yeast.
  • razzyb
    razzyb Posts: 5 Forumite
    I have also joined the home baking revolution-
    I've been doing sourdough for the last few years- mainly because of the additives that are put in shop bought bread, (and that I don't want to pay for this poor quality rubbish anymore.)

    Sourdough is very easy once you have made a starter and with good quality ingredients it costs around 40p for a large loaf. I make a loaf every 3 days and it usually feeds me, kids and some left over for friends/ other recipes. It toasts well up to 4-5 days old and freezes.

    If I go away for a few days the starter just goes in the fridge to sleep until I need it again. No need for yeast- just flour water and salt!

    My recipe is adapted from a Betty's one- you can have it if you'd like to have a go.

    I also make other bread- but usually go to local tescos who give me free yeast in small amounts. Sainsburys usually charge 16p! Fresh yeast does taste much better and makes bigger airier loaves.

    We need to go back to these important basic skills and pass them on to our children too! Power to the people.
  • fyrynys
    fyrynys Posts: 10 Forumite
    Why buy yeast?
    In our Tesco they will GIVE you fresh yeast if you ask at the bakery! It can be frozen though it can be a bit slow to activate when thawed. Use a matchbox sized piece for 1 1/2 lbs flour, 1 tsp salt and 3/4 pt water. I find lard gives a good texture, use a matchbox sized piece, melted. A couple of tablespoons of sunflower/pumpkin seeds mixed in with the flour make it more interesting too.
  • ceridwen
    ceridwen Posts: 11,547
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    razzyb wrote: »

    My recipe is adapted from a Betty's one- you can have it if you'd like to have a go.

    Yes please:D
  • hermum
    hermum Posts: 7,123
    Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary
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    Why did people on here mention a grain mill? I now think that I've discovered what I'm lacking to make my life complete., yep, one of those mills. I have so far put one in my basket, along with the drawstring, potato, cheese & mushroom bags, 3 for 2 & the stayfresh bags, my Aunt swears by these. Finances are so darn tight though, will it get used or be something littering up the kitchen?
    Does anyone here yet mill their own? Presumably you can set it so that it's quite coarsely milled. Full of flavour, goodness. I'm talking myself into it.
    I already make my own bread, occasionally I falter, usually when my Mum's got my shopping for me & picked me up a loaf, as a treat. I hate to tell her that I prefer HM.
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