I made some bread today :o)

Gryfon

And it tasted nice which is a first for me! But I used nearly half the bag for this one loaf, and it didn't end up that big! So about enough for 3 or 4 sandwiches. Which means that I paid 50p for a loaf that only lasted one day

Or am I doing this all completely wrong!?!

Rachel xx

lipidicman

Maybe it didn't rise enough. So it is small but dense? Most shop bread is mostly air remember!

Ticklemouse

Hi Gryfon

It does take getting used to the fact that HM loaves are smaller and denser than shop bought ones. This is because the shop ones are pumped full of air, so you think you are getting more for your money. By the same token, you are eating more bread in fewer slices, so you'll probably find that you need less bread to fill you up.

A couple of tips I have gleaned from here ....

put a crushed Vit C tablet in the mix - it really does make it rise more.

Buy a bread slicing guide - sounds like you have doorstops for sandwiches That way you will also get more slices from your loaf. Lakeland do them I'm informed.

TM

rchddap1

Usually it would take 4 slices of shop bought bread toast to fill me up. This morning I barely managed 2 of my Homemade bread variety. It is smaller, but it is so much more filling.

culpepper

sounds like quite an expensive bag of flour.I buy mine in ASda or lidl and its roughly 50p for a bag of bread flour. I use Allinsons dried yeast 99p in sainsbury's lasts for about 30 loaves.

BoltonMinx

Did you use a bread mix ? I used to do that when I was still a little wary of weighing things properly. Much cheaper and effective to buy the individual ingredients, yeast and flour. Only costs me a pound for enough for 4 - 6 loaves, and thats because I buy the satchet yeast not loose.

Kantankrus_Mare

Well ive picked brambles today to make a home made wine which im used to and stocked the freezer up with chilli, lasagne and shepherds pie and was only thinking today about a bread maker!!

I know theres lots of threads on here about them but just out of interest do you really save much money as im thinking of asking for one for xmas and which is the best type?

Ticklemouse

I've just remembered I was given some fresh yeast in Tesco's the other day, so may experiment with that in a while. However, I think it's been recommended on here to reconstitute it first, so it won't be suitable for putting in the BM overnight, will it? Maybe I'll put a loaf in now and take it out before I go to bed - may even try the rapid bake programs.

Oh, and you know when you're addicted to this site and it's getting bad, when you google for info (as I just did re fresh yeast) and amongst the first responses you get are...... your own replies on this forum :whistle:

Ticklemouse

KM - the Panasonics are popular on here but I have the Russell Hobbs Breadman Ultimate, which a few have on here too. Mine makes lovely bread as well as jam, which I believe the Panasonic's don't. The Ultimate seems to be called the Healthy Options in Argos now and it's gone from white to stainless steel, and the price is back up to £99.99 too!

However, if you are going to use it, go for a decent quality one as the consensus is that you really do get what you pay for

LilacLillie

I've started to use my bread maker as well. I agree that it works out a small (heavy) loaf and costs a fair bit with the breadmaking flour (not using the ready mix ones, to expensive!).
Also it never seems enough for our family of 4. I also wonder about the actual electric cost to the loaf. That's why I haven't rushed out and bought the slow cooker, the electic it uses, doesn't that defeat the object?
Been meaning to ask this for a while now.
LL

BoltonMinx

Slow cookers use very little electric - Ive been told about the same as a lightbulb