making your own bread at home

[Deleted User]

SailorSam wrote: »

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

I believe you can buy bread slicer.

[Deleted User]

my sourdough takes at least 72 hours, often more, to make. I take my seed starter out of the fridge, feed it and let it wake up, it has been in the fridge for a month. Then I make a mother starter and so on. I only ever mix gently, stretch and fold. I use steam in my oven and always slash the top. I make a lot in one go and then leave it to mature when baked. I never slice for 24 hours at least and I generally use my andrew james electric slicer for nice even slices, which I then store in zip lock bags in the freezer. Sourdough can be complicated if you let it, lots of info online, don`t let all the technical stuff boggle you, all it needs is water, flour and salt and time. The dough needs to be on the soft side to get a good rise. I never knead and I generally put a little rye flour in when I make my gorgeous boules

My panny has been sitting in a cupboard for 8 months, good for emergencies though. Then I use the french dough setting, switch off and leave the dough for at least 12 hours before continuing. The longer the rise, the better and more tasty the bread, so I let it rise in the fridge overnight

ravilious_fan

Thankyou all for your input, I made my first loaf the other day and it tastes so much better than shop bought. It's more filling, too!

I started it before lunch and it was ready for about supper time. So if I wanted it to be ready in time for lunch, I could knead it in the evening, cover and let it rise in the fridge overnight? Wouldn't the coldness of the fridge kill the yeast?

Lizling, my breadmaker book says that adding milk will soften the crust, so maybe if you've got some Marvel or milk powder in, you could try adding it to the mix?

cat4772

I'm a "by hand" sporadic bread maker! I tend to make a quick soda which doesn't need any rising time. I'll also make pizza dough from scratch. I've sometimes made a dough, proved overnight, knocked back in morning, shaped and re-proved before baking for breakfast (delicious). I've prepped in the morning, proved during they day, shaped and proved to cook with dinner.

It all depends on what time i have and when I want to eat it.

Not tried it, but steam in the oven is supposed to help keep the crust soft and wrapping the baked loaf in a damp teatowel. many experiment; some disasters some phenomenal successes!

Cat.xx

Justamum

I make all our bread - 16/20 loaves a week (there are five of us!) and I make four loaves at a time using my Kenwood Chef to mix it two loaves at a time.

I use the instant yeast, which means that you only need to make it and put it straight into the tin. However I always do a first prove as it makes a much better loaf.

I always use Tesco bread flour and it comes out fine.

For one loaf I would use

500g flour
1 tsp instant yeast
5g salt (most recipes used 10g but I've been reducing the salt in ours so we only use half. Start off with the 10g if you're used to bought bread)
325 ml water
I don't use sugar - it really doesn't need it

I dissolve the salt in a small amount of hot water, then top up the jug with cold fridge water - I don't use warm water for bread because the kneading action of the Kenwood warms it up.

Mix the yeast into the flour, then add the water (none of this nonsense of keeping the salt on one side and the yeast on the other). Knead for 6 minutes in the Kenwood, then leave to rise until it's doubled in size. I like a long rise, so leave it for a few hours, bashing it back every so often if it's particularly warm in the kitchen. In our previous house in the winter I would leave it to rise overnight as it was such a cold house, but our current house is much warmer so I daren't leave it overnight - it would be like The Blob in the morning if I did that :eek::rotfl:

Knead lightly then put into a loaf tin (I spray mine with the spray oil so it doesn't stick). Leave to rise until it's just peeping above the level of the tin, then put in the oven at 230C for 15 minutes, turn down to 180c and cook for a further 20 minutes.

Justamum

Lizling wrote: »

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!

It's probably the water in the oven which is doing it. If I want a particular crusty crust I'll put water in the oven. Try leaving it out next time and see if that helps.

Justamum

Living_proof wrote: »

Also add 5 tablespoons of mixed omega 3 seed to add textural interest and nutrition.

If you're using any linseeds you need to grind them up otherwise they'll come out the other end completely intact!

FairyPrincessk

ravilious_fan wrote: »

Thankyou all for your input, I made my first loaf the other day and it tastes so much better than shop bought. It's more filling, too!

I started it before lunch and it was ready for about supper time. So if I wanted it to be ready in time for lunch, I could knead it in the evening, cover and let it rise in the fridge overnight? Wouldn't the coldness of the fridge kill the yeast?

Lizling, my breadmaker book says that adding milk will soften the crust, so maybe if you've got some Marvel or milk powder in, you could try adding it to the mix?

It won't rise in the fridge--the yeast goes to sleep. What I do if I want it ready for lunch is start the bread when I'm making tea the night before. Let it rise until bed time (that is about right in my house, your temperature may vary) cover it with clingfilm and pop it in the fridge. Take it out in the morning and let it warm up for around an hour then re-shape and do your second rise and bake. So, you still need the rise time outside of the fridge--it won't rise in the fridge, the fridge is like hitting the pause button although it does help develop a nicer flavour!

VJsmum

mardatha wrote: »

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.

I make sourdough

I looked on line for a starter recipe - but it is really as simple as 4oz flour 4oz bottled water mixed together. do this every day until you see the bubbles forming (pictures are online).

Then when it's ready to use i take half a mug of starter, half a mug of bottled water, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp salt and 1lb flour. Mix it all together, cover with cling film and leave overnight - usually it is left about 18 hours just on the side.

I then tip onto a floured surface and use the stretch and fold method to knock it back. Put it in the prepared tin and leave for a couple of hours with a tea towel to cover.

Get the oven very hot and bake till done - about 40 mins or so. i tend to do mine in a cast iron casserole dish as a dutch oven

Lovely... Keeps for ages, much better for you and makes amazing toast

[Deleted User]

I have made most of our bread for years using a Pany, I am on my second one, the first wore out. Before I had the Panny I used a Kenwood chef to make the dough.

I do occasionally buy a toasting loaf from Morrison. I find that Aldi and Lidl strong flour is just as good as the expensive stuff and is half the cost, but each to their own.