making your own bread at home

ravilious_fan

I am about to (re)enter into the foray of bread making at home and I wondered if anyone on here could provide any tips or advice? For example do you let the dough rise overnight and then knock it back and reprove in the morning, or do you start the whole process in the morning (as I have done in the past) and eat the finished bread later in the day.

I am not completely new to bread-making, but am very out of practice now. I will be making it by hand, rather than in a bread machine. Also, I tend to work with dried yeast as I can't get fresh yeast to work!

I would love to hear from anyone who makes their own bread, - what works for you, what to avoid, and so on.

Thanks

mardatha

Following this as I've just decided to do the same

Mr_Singleton

ravilious_fan wrote: »

I wondered if anyone on here could provide any tips or advice?

That's a tough one. What are you trying to achieve?

I've an aunt that goes to Waitrose buys a bread mix and throws it into her bread maker to make a loaf. At the other end of the home bread baker scale we could talk about pre-ferments, hydration % and flour mix's etc.

Personally my favourite method for is "White bread with 80% biga" contained in Ken Forkish's book "Flour Water Salt Yeast". I also make "Field blend 2" from the same book.

ravilious_fan

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

That's a tough one. What are you trying to achieve?

I've an aunt that goes to Waitrose buys a bread mix and throws it into her bread maker to make a loaf. At the other end of the home bread baker scale we could talk about pre-ferments, hydration % and flour mix's etc.

Personally my favourite method for is "White bread with 80% biga" contained in Ken Forkish's book "Flour Water Salt Yeast". I also make "Field blend 2" from the same book.

At this stage I would like to keep it fairly simple, and hand-bake a loaf with quality flour and dried yeast. I was inspired to have another go at making my own bread because I don't really like the shop-bought ones.

I've got my bread tin ready, and the yeast. I'm hoping to get the flour this week (unbleached white bread flour).

I will check out Ken Forkish, thankyou. I've not heard of him before!

Living_proof

I make all my bread now, albeit in a breadmaker. Although it's lovely to wake to the smell of bread baking, using ultra fresh is not ideal as it's difficult to cut into anything other than wedges! I now tend to make the bread at night so that it has time to rest overnight. I use 2/3 white and 1/3 wholewheat with dried milk powder, salt, sugar and dried yeast. Fat is either soft margarine, butter, olive or sunflower oil, depending on what is at hand. Also add 5 tablespoons of mixed omega 3 seed to add textural interest and nutrition.

sistercas

I love making bread and use my k3nwood chef with the dough hook attachment , it's so quick
Depending on when I want the bread as to when I make it , I usually make it in a morning and it's ready for lunchtime , but sometimes if I need it in the morning I make the dough and prove it in the fridge overnight , whack into whatever shape I want in the morning , prove it whilst I'm getting ready and bake , I usually make rolls as it only takes 10 mins to cook

FairyPrincessk

I find that if you want regular fresh bread it helps to make the same recipe or two over and over again. Once you've got a product you're happy with, get into a rhythm. I don't bake weekly--we don't eat that much, but when I do, I start my yeast off when I go down to make breakfast. By the time I'm finished its ready to mix into the flour and do the first knead. I let the first rise hang around until I finish work and then knock it back for the second rise. It then bakes while I cook tea and is ready. If I want it for earlier in the day I can either do the first rise before bed, pop it in the fridge, put it out at breakfast, let it warm up, knock it back and second rise in time for mid-day.

I think the key is to find a consistent recipe and to just 'know it'--know if something feels off, know how much you use etc.

mardatha

I used to have a Panasonic BM but got fedup of it taking up space and put it on freecycle, then we made bread by hand for a while but seem to have stopped it. I'd like to start again but wanted to try sourdough.. if anybody has any tips.

marleyboy

I usually start it off in the morning, leaving the rest of the day with the house smelling of lovely, freshly, baking bread. We usually cannot wait for the bread to cool enough before we devour it.

Have used bread makers in the past, but nothing beats the traditional oven baked bread.

Lizling

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread, but I could use some bread making advice too. Can anyone suggest how I could make my bread a little bit LESS crusty? I love a good crust, but mine always comes out so crusty it's very difficult to cut.

I use a fairly standard white bread recipe, no machine, and put a tray of water in the bottom of the oven.

Thanks!

SailorSam

I use a Panny. Just wish they could make one so that the bread came out sliced.