Bread maker or Shop bought???

sonastin

I don't have a timetable that suits (spending 20 min prepping bread and then being available for another 20 min 2 hours later when its ready for baking) with sufficient regularity that I can keep stocked with fresh home made bread. As I said before, my reason for the BM was so I can store flour in the cupboard and free up freezer space so don't go telling me to make several loaves at once and freeze them. It is much more convenient to spend 5 minutes putting the ingredients into the BM and then rely on the timer to ensure its ready at a time I know I'm going to be available again. There might be a compromise on quality in using a breadmaker but the convenience is worth it.

honeythewitch

sonastin wrote: »

I don't have a timetable that suits (spending 20 min prepping bread and then being available for another 20 min 2 hours later when its ready for baking) with sufficient regularity that I can keep stocked with fresh home made bread. As I said before, my reason for the BM was so I can store flour in the cupboard and free up freezer space so don't go telling me to make several loaves at once and freeze them. It is much more convenient to spend 5 minutes putting the ingredients into the BM and then rely on the timer to ensure its ready at a time I know I'm going to be available again. There might be a compromise on quality in using a breadmaker but the convenience is worth it.

I dont think you need to compromise on quality with a bread-maker if you get a decent one.
Going by comments on this and other forums the top brands seem to be Panasonic (i have the latest one and it surpasses all my previous ones) and also Morphy Richards and Kenwood.
There would be no point at all in saving money by baking bread if you spend all you save on electricity for an oven with one loaf in it.
The bread-maker takes only a minute of preparation for hot fresh bread whenever you like.

pixnmix_2

I use a breadmaker that was given to me second hand by a friend who was replacing all his appliances from steel to white ones (no idea why, but I benefited so fine with that).
My bread maker is a frigidaire one. Its straightforward to use and makes perfect loaves every time. However I don't think that company make bread makers anymore, as I lost the paddle for it a few months ago and luckily after ages searching for a replacement found one on ebay, from the USA!! It's used A LOT. My partner has a different make of machine and is far more complicated to use, with loads of settings and stuff.
Neither of us would have time to make bread without it.

BitterAndTwisted

honeythewitch wrote: »

I don't think you need to compromise on quality with a bread-maker if you get a decent one.
Going by comments on this and other forums the top brands seem to be Panasonic (i have the latest one and it surpasses all my previous ones) and also Morphy Richards and Kenwood.
There would be no point at all in saving money by baking bread if you spend all you save on electricity for an oven with one loaf in it.
The bread-maker takes only a minute of preparation for hot fresh bread whenever you like.

The absolute truth is, even if your bread-maker isn't a "decent" one: mine is a cheapo bought second-hand, the loaves will surpass anything you can buy in a shop or supermarket by a million miles. Those who are happy to pay three quid for "artisan" bread are welcome to it if they can afford it. I can't but I loathe that steam-baked slices of guff that comes in a plastic bag so I refuse to buy it. Baking bread at home has nothing to do with saving money for me, it's a much better product all round no matter which of the many flours I use.

honeythewitch

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

The absolute truth is, even if your bread-maker isn't a "decent" one: mine is a cheapo bought second-hand, the loaves will surpass anything you can buy in a shop or supermarket by a million miles. Those who are happy to pay three quid for "artisan" bread are welcome to it if they can afford it. I can't but I loathe that steam-baked slices of guff that comes in a plastic bag so I refuse to buy it. Baking bread at home has nothing to do with saving money for me, it's a much better product all round no matter which of the many flours I use.

Yes, even a loaf made from plain baking flour in an emergency is better than a cheap shop loaf.
I think it is worth getting the best machine you can though, especially as there are so many hardly used bread-makers for sale.

ukclare

Cliecost wrote: »

Standard white loaf:
Prep 20 mins, Cook 25 - 30 mins, Plus 2 hours proving.

There's my reason for not doing it. If you're a stay at home parent or unemployed, then there's no excuse.

For everyone else, there is an excuse :rotfl:

You can leave bread dough to prove in the bottom of the fridge overnight (or during the working day) to cook at breakfast time.

Take it out, to warm up a little when you get up and preheat the oven. Then bake as required - could be as little as 15 minutes or so and you have a lovely fresh loaf by the time you get out of the shower!

The cool fridge slows the rising process and is supposed to give a better developed flavour. I do this often but it is best to experiment first in case the loaf/recipe still decides to rise quickly and you end up with the bottom of the fridge covered in dough!

Where there's a will there is a way!!!:D

citygent1911

Cliecost wrote: »

Standard white loaf:
Prep 20 mins, Cook 25 - 30 mins, Plus 2 hours proving.

There's my reason for not doing it. If you're a stay at home parent or unemployed, then there's no excuse.

For everyone else, there is an excuse :rotfl:

It's already been said, but.....

you don't just stand in the kitchen for 2 hours!

I can only make bread on a weekend, so I make enough dough for 3 loaves, then leave it to prove while I'm doing other jobs in the house.

Then come back and bake 3 loaves - 2 go in the freezer, and the other is lucky if it lasts an hour!!:D

joedenise

I proved my dough overnight in the fridge on Friday night and cooked it late Saturday morning so had lovely warm, fresh spelt bread to have with HM "bottom of the fridge" soup!

Have still got some left which I think I'll toast for breakfast this morning.

The slow proving definitely gave a lighter loaf than when I've made it previously with a couple of hours prove.

Denise

LandyAndy

I'm another who gave up on my breadmaker because it was more effort and gave worse results than making by hand.

The basic tin loaf I usually make takes 15 minutes to prepare and knead, rises once and then has to be placed in the oven and taken out. The washing up is less than for the breadmaker - a bowl and a loaf tin are easier than the bowl and paddle - and you dont get the hole in the bottom of the loaf.

PudseyDB

LandyAndy wrote: »

I'm another who gave up on my breadmaker because it was more effort and gave worse results than making by hand.

The basic tin loaf I usually make takes 15 minutes to prepare and knead, rises once and then has to be placed in the oven and taken out. The washing up is less than for the breadmaker - a bowl and a loaf tin are easier than the bowl and paddle - and you dont get the hole in the bottom of the loaf.

Would you be willing to share the recipe by any chance?