Watty's Awakening

Slinky

I'm keeping my eye open for a breadmaker on FB Marketplace. I want a Panasonic as we had one previously. It's a waiting game for the right machine in the right place at the right time.

Suffolk_lass

I completely echo what @greent has said there. I use a stand mixer. Very easy recipe using yeast sachets (7g Morries own here).

Weigh 500g bread flour into your mixer bowl, stir in a level tablespoon flake salt, sprinkle over the sachet of yeast then pour over 300ml tepid water.  Stir with a big spoon until it is "claggy" - you will know it when you see it. Then add a dob of butter and turn on the dough hook, slowest speed, as she suggests, for ten minutes. Sometimes I tip mine onto a floured surface and knead it to see how soft and stretchy it is (the tighter, the longer to prove). Room temperature makes a big difference to proving times. I put the shower cap over the bowl and wait for the mix to be up to it before I knock it back (ie turn it out and flatten it with my knuckles. This makes a 2lb loaf tin size, and I oil the tin to make sure I will be able to get it out. 200c temperature. I get mine out of the tin and tap the bottom. If it isn't hollow sounding, it goes back in for five minutes upside down with the oven off and cooling (in summer, when the aga is off). Simple!

I found, once I got the hang of this one, I tried all sorts. Personally I always use at least half white bread flour, sometimes mixed, sometimes not. Wholemeal is less good than wholewheat or just wheatgerm (health food shops stock this) aka Miller's perks. You won't regret it. 

Pollie

Soda bread is very easy to make and doesn't need a mixer or proving. Lots of recipes online.

debtfreeoneday

Glad you’ve reached a decision on the £820 that is right for you. Karma is a wonderful thing. 

Watty1

Pollie said:

Soda bread is very easy to make and doesn't need a mixer or proving. Lots of recipes online.

Thanks Pollie   I think that might be a good starting place.

The mixer does not have a dough hook.  I've cleared the cupboard (decluttering total 11/365 including oven gloves that were never used, fruit teabags that reminded me of ex to food bank, unused to journals that I wont use to charity shop and a kitchen gadget binned as I'm not entirely sure what it is /does and google was no help!)

I'm not surprised about the mixer as I remember buying an inexpensive one suitable for a single person, it mixes the odd thing, grates for soups beautifully but is not really very robust.  So, soda bread to start and I'm optimistic so I have put a search on Marketplace and will add one to bay of E later.   

LadyWithAPlan

Keep checking Amazon warehouse as they do decent deals with boxes squashed but the items are good  - there are 2 Panasonic on there now for £109.99
The Panasonic one is the best I have found for gf at least 

my dad does the dough version in a mixer v successfully - probably more pfaff though - think decent mixers are more expensive than bread makers . 

With YNAB there is this wish list idea where you pop in things you want and add a price tag so you research on each . 

Eg (random ideas) 
wall calendar to help me focus £10 small 

Panasonic bread maker  £140 medium size 
Planning permission fee £2000 large 
new riding jacket £200 Medium 

- add as many as you want and keep adding thru the year - this big list is the Wish Farm 

You also tag them small medium  or large based on cost. 

You then pick your top 3 wishes to focus on to make your Wish List (v genie like!) 
but pick one of each size  S,M.L of  your first ‘most important ‘wishes’ and then look to fund each one depending on your budget as you go through the year.  . Once you have fulfilled one you then replace it with a similar size wish,  - decisions on where spare money goes (eg buy small thing now or add ££ to medium size to get that in 3 months etc) really allow you to examine and confirm your wants 

Its  a fun idea you can use off YNAB as well as the process of looking and costing out exactly what  you want and then prioritising which things you want and then again prioritising the savings for it really helps the process of purchasing wisely. It also stops impulse as one is aware that there are wish list items you are trying to fund as a priority before silly spends 

I am also a fan of coffees out with friends as opposed to drinks 

Suffolk_lass

I was curious about the cost of a bread-maker so looked on Marketplace and there are several (Panasonic) near me for £20 average. In their boxes (all hail the decluttering impetus in January!) and clearly been sat unused in cupboards in some cases

Slinky

Suffolk_lass said:

I was curious about the cost of a bread-maker so looked on Marketplace and there are several (Panasonic) near me for £20 average. In their boxes (all hail the decluttering impetus in January!) and clearly been sat unused in cupboards in some cases

This is what I'm on the lookout for. Can't see the point in paying the full price when I know that there will be a good one sitting unused somewhere (hopefully in East Suffolk!).

Watty1

Yes!   I've sent a few messages for some yesterday and today.  I've a list of models and brands I'd like and I'm finding some that have been used like once or twice and (so they say) and sat around.   Just waiting for people to come back to me now.  Favourite so far is a used once Morphy Richards for £35!  That was £5 over my maximum spend tho so I'm waiting to see what the others come back with (haggled it down already)    There was the Panasonic that I'd really like but it looks very battered and the seller admits it is only in fair condition so that isn't such a good deal I think. 

I'm so excited because prior to this enforced year of really saving I would probably have bought new (hangs head) which is an odd mindset because when the ex left I replaced everything with marketplace finds and love them all.

LadyWithAPlan

Id wait for the Panasonic if you ever planning to try gf as you once suggested 
I had a MR and gf results was inconsistent 

Great change in mindset !