Is homemade bread REALLY cheaper?

Butterfly_Brain

MrsE wrote: »

Much;)

I never go in for a loaf & come out without spending £10-£20:eek:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Always dangerous going shopping for one thing you always find something else, and something else, and something else.................

jinny

I never by bread flour, too expensive, just use cheap plain flour. I used to watch my Grannie bake bread and cant remember her buying special bread flour. I dont use tins either just roll it out flatish on the oiled baking tray.

scotdebs

I quite like the idea of making my own bread/rolls but am not sure how economical it is against shop bought stuff - I know the taste and quality would be far better (assuming I'm any good at it) but was just wondering if economically it staked up - also any suggest receipes would be great

There_Goes_Trouble

I make all my own bread, by hand. I tried to work it out cost wise once and I think that I get a decent loaf of bread for the price of a cheap one, but maths was never my strong point...

I got a recipe off the BBC website and have adapted it slightly because I use half and half white/brown flour, and I use fresh yeast. I cheat slightly though and use my hand mixer with dough hooks for the first knead, but I knock it back by hand and then shape the dough.

This is my adapted recipe:

9oz Strong white bread flour
9oz Strong brown bread flour
1oz fresh yeast
1 desert spoon honey
9 fl oz warm water
1/2 oz salt
2 fl oz olive oil

Mix the fresh yeast with the honey until it's smooth and creamy, add the water, mix and leave to ferment for 15 mins.

Place the flour (both) in a large bowl. Add the oil and salt. Add the yeast/water mix making sure that it does not touch the salt (I usually bury my salt in the flour to be sure). Mix to a firm dough, adding more water/flour as required. Knead for 10 mins by hand, or at least 7 mins by mixer until the dough is smooth and springy to touch. Cover, and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

Once risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead again (knock back) for 2-3 mins. Shape into either loaves or rolls, leave in a warm place for a second rise, for half an hour.

Preheat oven to 220 deg C (slightly less if fan assisted).

Bake dough in oven, 20 mins for rolls, 30 mins for loaves. Bread is done when it is slightly golden to look at and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

A couple of tips I've worked out over the years:
1. Don't over-bake your bread or it will go very crusty. I usually take mine out the oven on the dot of 20/30 mins, even if it's looking a little anaemic.
2. Don't scrimp on the kneading. Set a timer and really work the dough. The better you knead, the better the texture of your bread.
3. I store my bread in plastic bags as it stops the crust drying out.

Good luck, I hope you are successful! I have made some really bad bread over the years so keep trying until you find a recipe that works for you. I now get consistantly good bread with a good texture and a soft crust but it has literally taken me a few years to find a recipe and technique that suits me. I tend to batch bake it and freeze, if I make loaves I cut them in half to freeze as I don't get through a whole loaf before it goes stale otherwise. I get my fresh yeast from the bread/cakes counter in Sainsbury's, it's 16p for 50g so I do double the recipe above which makes me 3 loaves using 2lb tins, or any combination of loaves and rolls.

zippychick

Hi Scotdebs:hello:

You're not the first person to ask.... There is a whole thread where you can read other OSers ideas and thoughts on the issue. For me, HM bread is cheaper and more tasty hands down:D. I am reluctant to ever buy shop bought unless it is heavily reduced:mad::rotfl:

Is HM bread really cheaper?

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the ideas together:)

thanks
Zip

Tibbie's_mum

Sorry to jump in with another question OP, but does the type of flour make that much difference. I would use just bog standard supermarket bread flour, but lots of people seem to use Doves, which is so expensive; does it really taste that much better?

aliadds

Tibbie's_mum wrote: »

Soory to jump in with another question OP, but does the type of flour make that much difference. I would use just bog standard supermarket bread flour, but lots of people seem to use Doves, which is so expensive; does it really taste that much better?

Personally, and I'm a baker, I don't think there is much difference between an expensive brand or a cheap one other than cost! At home I either use Asd@ or L1dls own brand at about 70p a bag! Works fine for me.:)

angeltreats

aliadds wrote: »

Personally, and I'm a baker, I don't think there is much difference between an expensive brand or a cheap one other than cost! At home I either use Asd@ or L1dls own brand at about 70p a bag! Works fine for me.:)

I think so too. I'm not a baker by trade, just by obsession! But I buy Tesco value (or similar) plain and SR flour and always sieve it, and Lidl bread flour, and have never seen any difference between these and premium brands.

Although there is a small mill in a town near us and I'm thinking about buying my flour from them in future, in bulk. It will cost more (about a pound per kilo) but I'd like to support the local industry.

aliadds

angeltreats wrote: »

I think so too. I'm not a baker by trade, just by obsession! But I buy Tesco value (or similar) plain and SR flour and always sieve it, and Lidl bread flour, and have never seen any difference between these and premium brands.

Although there is a small mill in a town near us and I'm thinking about buying my flour from them in future, in bulk. It will cost more (about a pound per kilo) but I'd like to support the local industry.

That would be lovely to buy it like that angeltreats!
I agree with you, not just about the flour, but ingredients in general. It's what you do with them that counts....not the original cost! I buy mostly 'basics' products these days, but still manage to make tasty dishes from them.:)

cooking-mama

dunno if it makes any difference to handbaking,but ive found better results using the more expensive flour in my breadmaker..I used to always buy Tesco/Morrisons or Asda own strong white flour(im still convinced its the same flour in different coloured wrapper depending on the store label) 61pence for 1.5kg,however for a while now Asda has been selling Allinsons extra strong white bread flour for 90pence 1.kg bag and it definately makes a better loaf.