To make bread or to not make bread

thehappybutterfly

lindseykim13 wrote: »

Unless you really only need 2 slices at a time there is no reason why you can't freeze the whole loaf, thats what we do. Buy it reduced then bung in the freezer, i take it out in the morning or the evening before and it's fine for lunch and lasts a day or 2.
I have just sold my breadmaker as the loafs aren't nice when you cook it in there and i was just using it for mixing the dough and cooking in the oven. Making your own basic bread is not cheaper at all if you like the fancy stuff, seeded/sour dough ect then it may work out cheaper-i make this in the oven if i ever fancy it.

I only use a slice at a time and I bung the whole loaf in. I just take a slice out in the morning and throw in the toaster. I've never split them up! Sometimes, depending on how carelessly the loaf has been stored, I need to wrestle a couple of slices off!

On a related note, I made bread for the first time today but this was a non-knead recipe. It's in the tins proving just now but it's taking ages. Maybe the house is just too cold.

honeythewitch

peachyprice wrote: »

I doubt it's the recipes, HM bread is far less fussy when it somes to ingredients. I think it's because Kenwood/hand made bread is a longer, more natural process that allows the dough to develop slowly and fully, a BM forces the process by heat & humidity. HM/Kenwood bread keeps fresh even longer if proved overnight in the fridge, the longer the better. I have bread I proved for 18 hours on Friday night thats still fresh. No way would BM or rushed HM bread last that long, it would be like a brick.

Mine is usually very basic and i am very lazy and a cheapskate, so sometimes i leave it proving all day, sometimes all night, until I am ready to fill the oven, or sometimes I dont wait and give it a quick prove and sling it in the oven, and there is still no difference in how long it lasts for me, but i suppose a lot depends on room temperature or fridge

I dont think it is possible to generalise with breadmakers because they vary so much. Some will make a loaf in one hour, which is quite a lot different to mine, which has most programmes between four and six hours long, and gives results just as good as in the oven, and that is all a breadmaker is really, a much smaller oven.

I do agree that there is no need for a breadmaker if you have the oven on every day, or can afford to put it on especially, because it is very easy even by hand.

oly2c

Definitely cheaper, particularly using own brand flour and free fresh yeast. Most in-shop bakeries in supermarkets are happy to supply fresh yeast free. I weigh it into 15-18 gm portions and foil wrap to keep in the freezer.
I get good bread from my cheap Lidl bread machine bought 6 years ago. I use no preservatives, no sugar and no salt. No butter either as I substitute olive oil, reducing the water content to compensate. I suspect that the reports of better bread from the oven stem from using an express programme on the machine. Mine takes 3hr40 for a large wholemeal loaf.
I remove the paddles after the final kneeding process to avoid tearing the bread after baking.
I can't see how oven baking makes a significant difference to taste using the same ingredients, the machine is only a minature oven, but if you must use the oven using the machine on a dough programme does away with the messy mixing and kneading processes prior to oven baking.
I can't comment on freshness as living alone I slice the bread with a machine and freeze it to preserve. No doubt I'll be told how badly that affects the taste.

bearcub

Ah, Honeywitch, I got it now! French bread, pizza dough and unleavened bread recipes rely on the natural yeast already in the flour from the grain. They start to break the flour down into sugars, but you get a minimal rise. 'Commercial' yeast needs sugar to make it work to get a bigger rise. Sorry, it's the chemist in me that couldn't work out how you got a 'normal' rise without sugar.

marmitepotato

Kenny bread wins hands down over BM bread. I have both and have tried many recipes with both. BM bread is ok but there's too much faffing about with it and far too many ingredients for basic plain white bread. Kenny bread is simple, less ingredients and I can cook four loaves in one go.

I have a redundant BM to get rid of at a booty this year. I am wondering how much to ask for it.

peachyprice

oly2c wrote: »

I can't see how oven baking makes a significant difference to taste using the same ingredients, the machine is only a minature oven, but if you must use the oven using the machine on a dough programme does away with the messy mixing and kneading processes prior to oven baking.

It'snot the baking that impoves the flavour and keepability, it's the long, slow, cool, proving, which you just don't get with any BM.

I never used an express program on the BM, always the 3hr 40mins one, still didn't like the bread. Even the exact same recipe dough for rolls that took 1.5 hours in the BM for knead and first rise taste completley different when made in the Kenwood and left to rise in the fridge overnight, same recipe, same ingredients, only difference is the prove is not forced.

TBH, I didn't believe it would make any difference until I tried it, but I was astonished in the difference in the colour, depth of crust and texture of the bread, it's much more 'rustic' and from the exact same recipe tastes and feels like expensive artisan bread.

livalot

I am a little confused. If I use exactly the same recipe in both a breadmaker and a Kenwood chef, let resulting dough rise naturally and then bake both doughs in the oven what the difference would be???? How does the kenwood differ, does it do all the proving for you several times? :question:::huh::wall:

Nodette

I used to have a Panasonic breadmaker but it gave up the ghost after 6 years. So I tried doing it by 'hand' (eg Kenwood) and I much prefer it.

I simply use 12oz wholemeal bread flour, 4oz white bread flour, 1 teasp salt and a 7g sachet of the quick yeast. Mix it all in with 300ml warm water. (Yes, I'm very naughty in mixing old weights and metric weights - but it works for me!)

Let the Kenwood knead it for 5 mins.

I then let it rise for at least an hour (standing by the radiator) before knocking it back. Then I form it into a ball, put it on a baking tray and let it rise again.

Usually I brush a wash of salt and water over the top (makes a nice crust) and sprinkle with rolled oats before putting into the oven at Gas 8 for 10 mins and then turn down to Gas 6 for 20 mins.

Makes lovely wholemeal bread and it's brilliant for toast too. It lasts for 3 to 4 days (we've usually eaten it by then so I don't know if it would last longer).

I never seem to have much luck using a loaf tin - for some reason it sticks unless I use an obscene amount of lard or something to grease the tin. Any tips for using the tins? Not that I mind the free-form style, but it would be nice to have a different shape every now and then!

honeythewitch

livalot wrote: »

I am a little confused. If I use exactly the same recipe in both a breadmaker and a Kenwood chef, let resulting dough rise naturally and then bake both doughs in the oven what the difference would be???? How does the kenwood differ, does it do all the proving for you several times? :question:::huh::wall:

No difference that i can see.
The kenwood mixer just kneads the bread for you. It isn't automatic so you need to be on hand to knock it back and let it rise again.
The kenwoods and kitchenaid mixers have a particularly good kneading action but any mixer does the same job, even hand held, or you could do it completely by hand.

livalot

honeythewitch wrote: »

No difference that i can see.
The kenwood mixer just kneads the bread for you. It isn't automatic so you need to be on hand to knock it back and let it rise again.
The kenwoods and kitchenaid mixers have a particularly good kneading action but any mixer does the same job, even hand held, or you could do it completely by hand.

Thank you so much for clearing that up for me, was beginning to think that I was missing out or something!

Just to let everyone know I thoroughly recommend a breadmachine. I have had a panasonic breadmaker for over 10 years. I love mine to bits. It produces very good bread. I have reduced the amount of salt and sugar I use to tiny amounts (through trial and error:rotfl:) . I use my breadmaker practically every day. Some days I make bread in there but just as often use it to make my dough for rolls, pizza or ciabatta . I often use the 5 hour wholemeal programme to produce 70% whte 30% granary loaf. Absolutely delicious.

The only difference is that the bread that comes out of a breadmaker will be softer than when cooking in the oven. I just leave mine to cool for at least an hour so it crisps up a bit before cutting it