August 2013 Grocery Challenge

Nicki_Sue wrote: »

Do any of you make your own bread? I wouldn't know where to start but may be getting holding of a voucher to buy one.
What I really want to know before I buy one is:
Did you find it a good idea cost-wise?
What would I need ingredients-wise?

I don't want to use the voucher on this if it is going to cost me more in the long run.

Had a bread maker - chucked it out, complete waste of time and money! Bread is easy and quick to make, and cheap, if you have a few minutes to dedicate to it. Can post EASY recipes if you like!

Have to add another £5.10 to my total, had to pop to the shop for fruit, yogurt and dgs got a wee treat too. Gave in and bought a can of diet coke yesterday, I am trying to stop drinking it altogether, only bread to buy today,

Will update my signature

i use my bread maker every week for making a pizza base for saturdays pizzas. should really make more bread, when i did everyone said they much prefered the taste to shop bought.

salad new pots and veggie sausages for tea last night

need to bake a couple of weetabix cakes tomorrow and a couple of traybake cakes

Nicki_Sue - try this recipe for soft bread rolls - they are literally amazing, I make them every week now and could just eat all of them up at once if I didn't freeze them to make OH's sandwiches during the week. Until I found this recipe he insisted on shop bought rolls:







Soft bread rolls (makes 6)

• 200g strong brown flour
• 250g strong white flour
• 2 tsp easy blend yeast
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 100ml milk
• Around 2-300ml warm water

Weigh the flours in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast, sugar and salt and mix in.
Pour in the milk and mix with a wooden spoon, then start pouring in the warm water. Use the spoon to start with then change to your hands. When the dough mostly sticks in a ball (without being wet or sticky), tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for ten minutes.

Pop into a clean bowl and cover. Leave to rise, preferably in a warm spot, until doubled in size – usually 1-2 hours.

When the dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl and gently knock out the excess air. Cut into six equal pieces and pull the top round and over each piece to make a ball with a smooth, stretched over top and a bunched up bottom. Flatten slightly and leave slightly spaced out on a baking tray. Leave to rest, covered, for 30-60 minutes, when doubled in size again (don't leave to rise too long the second time, best to set a timer or something so as not to forget about it).

Preheat the oven to 220C. Pour a little water into a baking dish and put this in the bottom of the oven. Put the rolls in above the water and bake for 15-20 minutes until the rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

(Sometimes I brush with a little milk and top with sesame seeds before baking to make burger buns).

Thanks mrs-moneypenny - they are good! Since I've started making bread every week it's really improved as I learn from previous mistakes e.g. kneading for 10 minutes is vital and also leaving to rise too long the second time makes it collapse a bit in the oven. The two main mistakes I used to make a lot!