Homemade Bread - Can it ever taste nice?

Sharra

I got a Panasonic bread maker for xmas to replace my little cheapie breadmaker and I can't beleive the difference in the bread. Even my 100% wholemeal isn't bricklike. I don't think we save much money as I buy locally sourced flour but I know whats in it and it tastes better. It may just be a case of letting your tastebuds adapt - I know the shop bought 'proper' loaves (rather than slived in a bag) are much lighter than bread machine ones.

StressedSteph

Thanks so much guys for taking the time to reply. I am really grateful.

I think the idea of getting the bread making to knead it and then bake it in the oven is a good idea. I hate the brick look of the bread machine loaves.

Will have a look into this Panasonic bread maker see how expensive it is. I think I would like to get into making them, but got to get them good enough to keep hubby happy as he has sandwiches every day.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for all the replies xxxxx

belfastgirl23

I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the £40 panasonic breadmakers. I agree that it does taste different and it's worth playing around to get it to a recipe that suits your family. I always end up putting in extra salt cos DH says it doesn't taste of anything if I don't. I'm hoping to wean him off as time goes on I wonder if for the first while it's worth trying different breads to the one you normally eat just to get you used to different ones?

This thread might help http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=774858#post774858
esp the last post.

Aren't men fussy tho!

Penelope_Penguin

Thread title - does not compute HM bread is delicious - once you've made and tasted a good loaf I defy you to enjoy shop bought ever again.

Try this one from Delia, using freshly bought ingredients. It works well for me and others. It'll work in a BMtoo, though you may need a splash more water.

I'll also say that though I use my BM for our *daily bread* making it by hand gives an even better loaf, and is even more delicious. I'm thinking up a new flavour for the weekend to go with the HM broccoli and stilton soup.

Penny. x

StressedSteph

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the £40 panasonic breadmakers. I agree that it does taste different and it's worth playing around to get it to a recipe that suits your family. I always end up putting in extra salt cos DH says it doesn't taste of anything if I don't. I'm hoping to wean him off as time goes on I wonder if for the first while it's worth trying different breads to the one you normally eat just to get you used to different ones?

This thread might help http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=774858#post774858
esp the last post.

Aren't men fussy tho!

Hmm very interesting, I never knew ou could use ANY OLD FLOUR...Got to make it alot cheaper that way. Think I might borrow mums bread machine again and give it another try before I splash out the cash for one myself.

affordmylife

Im shocked.

Shop bread is processed and vile.

We have homemade in the breadmaker all the time and it is so georgous it rarely make it to the dinning table its all been scoffed before then.

Yes the loaves are smaller but i just make two one for the meal and one for the packed lunches.

When its still warm and with real butter its unbeatable.

I am convinced you are doing something wrong with the making process cos mine is soft and light and nothing like a brick at all.

Mine all goes in the bread maker and then comes out 4 hrs later, no fuss. Far quicker and easier than going to the shop for plastic bread.

StressedSteph

Affordmylife - I have to admit that I did admit defeat with it pretty quickly - practice makes perfect I guess.

Just looked up the Panasonic Breadmaker and nearly fell off my chair - It's £100.00 :-OOOOOOO
Feels hard to justify buying it, when I am not even trying to waste money sending a txt message, let alone shelling out £100.
I guess it would make the money back eventually, but still....Decisons Decisions.........

ravylesley

Could I suggest that you remove the bread from the BM and cover the loaf with a clean tea towel as it cools.Only cover it over the top otherwise you will get a soggy loaf.But the towel keeps some of the steam in which helps soften the crust so that it isnt quite like a brick.My hubby cant eat crusty bread but even he can eat the crusts when I use this method to soften it

Lesleyxx

SUESMITH_2

i use my bread maker for the dough then make loaves - to be honest i make a lot of foccacia which is so much nicer than bought. when i think i could pay pounds for one and i can now make one for pence and i know whats in it there's just no comparison

looby-loo_2

StressedSteph wrote: »

We are BIG bread eater in our house and get through a good loaf per day.

I HATE paying over £1.00 for a loaf of bread, so have tried on numerous occasions in the past to make my own, with not much success.

I have tried making it by hand and also borrowed my mum's breadmaker and used receipes from a cookbook and it still comes out like a brick :rolleyes:

Mum reckons it's because I am so used to processed bread, and there is no way to reproduce your own loaf to anywhere near like Hovis does

To all those who make their own bread, have you managed to perfect it, so it isn't like eating roofing tiles?

I also worry how I would manage to make enough to keep up with our needs, as breadmaker loaves are quite small so I guess I would need to make at least two loaves per day.

Also...After buying the flour, yeast, oil etc, how much does a homemade loaf work out at? Is it that much cheaper to warrant me investing in a breadmaker and all the time it takes to make them?

Any comments on this subject would be great please as I would love to make my own but hubby can't face my bread for his sandwiches unless I manage to make it slight less heavy

xxx

I know exactly what you mean. I studied Home Economics to A Level and then trained as a Cookery teacher and I'm completely useless at making bread, honestly, I really can't do it!! I can honestly say I have never made a decent loaf - ever!

I've tried every method, every ingredient and every machine - by hand, Kenwood, cheapy bread maker, Panasonic BM - everything but I just can't do it. Used baking tray, loaf tins. Used still oven, fan oven and now Aga.

I've won prizes for Christmas cakes, sponge cakes, scones and jams. Even MIL complimented me on my pastry (and she was hard to please!) I even went on a 'yeast' course. I'm fine with sweet dough, eg, Chelsea buns but bread is a great big NO NO!!!!!

I buy nice, proper bread from the bakery.

ps - I can teach it, my students always produced better results than me