Bread

loveka

We had a breadbasket for 10 years and used it all the time. We used the dough only setting then baked it in the oven. Not only bread, but pizza crust, brioche, hot cross buns etc. It works out as pennies, and no additives.

It broke the same week I bought a kitchenaid mixer. Now I make the dough in that. Just chuck the ingredients in and turn it on for 5 minutes to knead. Then I leave it in the bowl for an hour or so before shaping it. It really is no more trouble than using the bread maker on dough only.

Whichever way I cannot recommend making your own bread highly enough.
I have just made and eaten homemade pitta bread. It was lovely!

Herbyme

I used to have a breadmaker and went off it because the loaves were a funny shape and hard to cut, as well as having a hole in the bottom where the paddle was.

I use a recipe for white and another for wholemeal which I got from a supplement in a newspaper. They take almost no kneading (1 min max) and are very easy and foolproof. They do require you to be in the house and to do a tiny bit of doing now and then. I reckon a big loaf (made with about 1lb flour) costs me about 90p plus oven heat, but of course you can do something else at the same time. Happy to post recipes if of use. And I agree, freeze (sliced) what you won't use within 2 or 3 days, when defrosted it's as if it was fresh.

SailorSam

I have a breadmaker, i'm here by myself so slice the newly baked loaf before putting it in the freezer then get out just a couple of slices at a time.
I was in Lidl at the weekend and got wholemeal breadflour for 75p, much cheaper than any of the other supermarkets.

SandieB_2

I'm on my own and use my breadmaker quite often. I don't have a lot of bread in my diet if I can help it as I'm type 2 Diabetic, but it is so much nicer than shop bought. I mostly use it on the dough setting, and then just a couple of kneads and another rise, and cook it in the oven That way I can make whatever I want....rolls or two small loaves which is handy as it makes it easier to freeze as well....I'm terrible for cutting doorsteps from a large loaf!

SailorSam

SandieB wrote: »

...I'm terrible for cutting doorsteps from a large loaf!

If you get yourself an electric knife it's much easier 'cos you don't need to put any pressure on it when cutting. To save having doorsteps i cut about 1" then turn the loaf and cut another 1", and again and again so i've got my 4 cuts lined up.

SandieB_2

Clever idea....hadn't thought of that!

jackel

Two OAP's here.We have an oil range cooker so make 6 loaves together in the winter and freeze 4 keep two out to use. We always use wholemeal flour. Too hot in the summer. We had a breadmaker (cheap) and didn't like it one bit. Bought a Panny last summer and love it. We do, however still prefer the more solid handmade loaves to the 'fluffier' breadmaker ones-most people would probably prefer the breadmaker result.jac.xx

freeganneist

I know that making it by hand is easy, but I love the regular loaf I make in my panasonic so I stick to that. I have plenty of other things to do with my time, and it's a faff finding space in a small kitchen for kneading and proving and all that. I use 200gms of Tesco's wholemeal bread mix, 200gms of their white mix, throw in plenty of fennel seeds and poppy seeds, add warm water and put it on the rapid cycle for 1hr 55 mins. So all-in-all it takes less than 2 hours. I've experimented with lots of flavours and ingredients and recipes but this is still our favourite - it lasts for days so I rarely need to freeze it (we're also a household of two).

I only started using bread mixes because I initially found all the normal recipes too sweet - then discovered my jar of salt was actually sugar...

Anyway, if you're not too confident about making bread by hand, and can afford a panasonic or another decent brand, you can always start off with a machine and see if it leads you to making it by hand. Good breadmakers have a great resale value on ebay so you wouldn't lose out much by trying them out.