How do you manage your breadmaking?

Mrs_Cupier

Addiscomber wrote:

I wonder about having one, but I have heard that the loaves have a hole where the mixing bit goes, and we don't fancy that much. Also that the loaves arn't a regular shape. Anyone??

That was what we didn't like about the one we borrowed - a hole in the bottom of the loaf (makes sandwiches a bit tedious, we found) and loaves were what my grandmother used to call 'a half-loaf' - not the size of a usual 2lb loaf. We found we were running it twice a day sometimes. Also, they all came out very heavy, despite trying new yeast, fresh yeast,more yeast, less yeast, more water, less water, magic dust, shouting at the machine, etc etc. It sounds as if the Panasonic is a good buy, from what everyone else has said, though.

Thanks very much for all the other tips - as I feared, I'm just going to have to get organised <sigh>. I like the idea of a mixer with the dough hook, though. Guess what I've just found in the 'strange kitchen implements' box in the garage.....?

seraphina

There are only two of us so I guess we won't eat as much bread as your family but we make all our bread by hand.

I make as much bread as possible at once - my standard bread run uses 2.25lb of flour which gives us 1x 1lb loaf and 1x 2lb loaf. We mainly use it for sandwiches - the 1lb loaf goes in the freezer and we start on the 2lb loaf. I use Delia's white bread recipe

Dough rises perfectly fine at room temperature so don't worry about putting it someplace warm. Use the "poke" test to see if it's risen enough - poke it with a finger, if it springs back immediately, it's not done rising, if it springs back slowly, it's ready, and if your finger leaves a mark it's over-risen.

Also don't forget about "quick" breads - soda/wheaten breads don't need to rise as they don't use yeast.

You can also do the first rise overnight in a refridgerator, before leaving the dough to return to RT before you knock it back. If you're at home all day then it's easy enough to fit in breadmaking around other stuff - it' only takes a few mins here and there.

stefejb

I know what you mean about the shape of the bread and the hole. i was making a loaf every night by hand which i found tedious in terms of the timing etc. now i set the breadmaker on dough at a time convenient to me and then shape, rise and bake - makes my life much easier and i can time it for when other stuff is going into the oven. If space is a problem you could have it upstairs in a bedroom for instance - just take the pan down to the kitchen

stef

thriftlady_2

I make about 8 loaves a week by hand for my family of 5.
I've tried a bm, but didn't get on with it - didn't like the hole either and you can only make one loaf at a time.
I do 4 at a time as I can get 4 2lb loaf tins in the oven at once.I use Delia's recipe for white bread, usually I sub a third of the flour for wholemeal and I make a triple quantity(4 1/2 lb flour) which I split into 4 for a smaller loaf -it goes further and is easier to cut for sandwiches;) I put them in plastic bags and bung them in the freezer.

I usually bake on Saturdays and Wednesdays. I don't work so that makes it easier. I mix everything in a big bowl- 3-5 mins, knead for 4 mins, leave to rise at room temperature for 2 hours - there is no need for a warm place unless you are in a real rush. After 2 hours I knock back, give it a quick knead and divide into 4 and place in tins - about 5 mins. Then I leave them to prove for about 45 mins, and bake for 40 mins. That's about 20 mins of hands on time and 2hrs 45 of hands free time.

I also make rolls and sometimes sweet breads during the week.I can also recommend the Grant Loaf that Rhubarbs mentions, that is really delicious and very quick - a good one for kids to have a go at.
HTH:)

Thistle-down

Mrs_Cupier wrote:

Thanks very much for all the other tips - as I feared, I'm just going to have to get organised <sigh>. I like the idea of a mixer with the dough hook, though. Guess what I've just found in the 'strange kitchen implements' box in the garage.....?

What what WHAT did you find???? I can't stand the suspense. A Kenwood Chef with a dough hook?

PoshPaws_3

I have a Morphy Richards Bread machine and I can understand your frustration at the hole the mixing paddle leaves. However, I've discovered that if I take a sharp vegetable paring knife and cut around the paddle - pushing the knife right alongside it, so as to loosen it from the bread, then carefully prise it out without twisting, it leaves a far smaller hole. The object of the exercise being, of course, to leave as much of the loaf's "innards" inside, as possible. In some cases, the hole even seems to close back up a bit as the bread is still hot and not quite formed.

kethry

the warmth factor:

bread will rise almost anywhere - fridge overnight - if left for long enough. if you want it to bake within 2 hours tho it does need to be room temp.. and room temp depends on how warm the ambient temperature is, of course. if you have cold house its going to take longer to rise than if you have a warm one. In addition, things like seeds are heavier so it makes it longer to rise, and the amount of yeast that goes in - i make a relatively small amount of pizza dough with 2 packets of yeast and that rises so fast, compared to the bread - 2 1lb loaves with 1 packet of yeast - but thats no bad thing, necessarily, because too much yeast isn't good for the body (sais she who OD's on GMK and Diet Doctors.. lol).

rising in the fridge is fine, if you're planning on it rising for that length of time... if you're planning on knocking back the bread in 2 hours then its a bit frustrating to find that it hasn't risen and you got stuff to get on with that you're prevented from doing because of the bread... hence why most people say - to be sure - put it in a warm place.

this site has lots of information about bread and breadmaking.. hope its of use to someone!!

keth
xx

rainbowrisin

fudgem wrote:

I'm a bit puzzled about the references to needing warmth to help the dough to rise, since I put mine in the fridge overnight and it rises beautifully.

There are some great tips in this thread though:T

The yeast works faster if it's at room temp or slightly warmer, that's all. It can still work in the fridge, but is a bit more sluggish. A little like mould really - mould grows faster when it's warm, but things still go mouldy in the fridge (well they do in mine, says she, ashamed), it just takes longer.
It depends how long you want to leave it to rise I guess - if you want it in a couple of hours then the back of the range or the airing cupboard is brill, but if you want it the next day then the fridge is a good idea IMHO.

Mrs_Cupier

Thistle-down wrote:

What what WHAT did you find???? I can't stand the suspense. A Kenwood Chef with a dough hook?

Sorry to leave you hanging there....

No, not a Kenwood Chef with a dough hook, but a hand-held mixer with dough hooks - almost as good. It was a wedding present, and I remember thinking 'Dough hooks? What on earth do I want with dough hooks?' and putting them in the box. I also unearthed the 8" cake tin I thought was gone for good, a bizarre device for making crinkly chips (like a 3" square bit of corrugated iron, on a handle) and the butter-curl-making-device. Not a bad haul all round, I thought.

Off to consider where to fit the breadmaking in the day, now I know it can be done (all you clever people do it). The children are just at that age where I have to take or collect someone from school / preschool every 2.5 hrs, and it makes for a lot of walking about time!

organic_wanabe

What about trying "3 minute spelt bread", which doesn't require you to leave the dough to rise.
You need:
500g spelt flour
10g fast acting dried yeast
50g sunflower seeds
50g linseeds
50g sesame seeds
pinch salt
500ml warm water
Preheat oven to 200C. Mix all ingredients, adding water last. When well mixed put the dough into greased loaf tin and bake straight away for one hour. Remove loaf from oven, take out of tin and put it back in oven (without tin) for another 5-10 mins.