Breadmakers

[Birdie Wife]

The way I get nice light bread when I'm doing it by hand it to let it rise three times before baking it (well worth the extra time needed). You could also try proving it for longer at a lower temperature, but I'm not sure if breadmakers can be set like this.

[Lesley Jay]

Nicos you are a cheeky devil. I am not a buxom granny! I don't eat chips, bread, cakes, biscuits, puddings or chocolate because I am just not fussed about them. What do I eat - not very much!

Jennie I will not be posting any photos!!

[HappyMouffe]

FoxHillGardener, ascorbic acid does indeed improve bread structure - it's used as an oxidising agent to strengthen the gluten network. No idea how much you should add though in. Problem is that if you add too much, you can cause the dough to collapse and become dense again.

[Earthbabe]

You can also buy a dough improver (I know Lakeland stock it) which contains ascorbic acid among other things. That's why some recipes include Vitamin C or lemon juice. You can buy powdered ascorbic acid from places like GNC or Holland and Barrett to use in brewing but it's the same stuff.

[Alison]

Oh dear, all this talk about waking up to freshly cooked bread is making my fingers itch to order one and we're supposed to be de-cluttering and not buying more stuff to fill any space we've created. Will have to drop hints to OH and hopefully he'll end up thinking it was his idea.

[dexterdoglancashire]

I heard on the radio the other day a list of things people have in their kitchens that they dont use/have never used.......toastie machine/ juicer/slow cooker/bread maker - mmmm, I must be a sad anorak but I use all mine (except the juicer) and would be lost without them! DDL

[Waffler]

We recently went to an Aga demonstration, and the funny thing was that they were saying in having an Aga (or similar) you end up making so many household appliances redundant: toaster/sandwich toaster, kettle, slow cooker, bread maker (not sure about that one as the effort still has to go in!), the microwave (for certain things - and we only tend to use ours as a bread bin anyway!) Don't suppose the Aga's much good at juicing though. Have to admit to not using our juicer since buying it a couple of years ago, but was contemplating it with the masses of apples we have.

[Alison]

Hmmm, appliances I don't use:

Toastie machine - had to buy a new one as the old one stopped working
Juicer - fair point, used it to start with but it's been in the back of the cupboard for about 5 years now
Slow cooker - don't use much but did cook the Christmas pud in it on Sunday
Breadmaker - I wonder...............

If you really want to look at things I don't use I'd suggest you look at the iron - life is too short!

[dexterdoglancashire]

LOL!!!! Alison - how could I forget the iron? very easily! only use it on a "absolutely need to basis"!! DDL

[Alice]

I must be an old fuddy duddy but I do like to have everything ironed. Sad I know. Never found much use for the microwave but I couldn't do without it for heating plates and serving dishes. Or do only fuddy dudies do that ?

[JennieAtkinson]

We went for the compact breadmaker for the simple reason that if it is out all the time, we will use. And use it we do .... I can't remember when I last bought a loaf of bread.

Alice - how do you heat plates in the microwave? Didn't know you could do that!

[Alice]

Hello Jennie, I just put the plates or serving dishes in the microwave and switch it on for 2 or 3 minutes. The dishes come out nice and warm. Best use for the microwave I know.

[Sue]

I've got a Panasonic and use it a lot. I can recommend the recipe book, published by Foulsham, Real Food: Recipes from your Breadmaker by Carol Palmer, ISBN 0572027710 £4.99, love the malted oat loaf.
I find the type of yeast used makes a huge difference, I tried an organic yeast but found it very patchy, lots of loaves didn't rise properly but having gone back to Hovis yeast found it consistent in producing good loaves.

I use the dough cycle a lot for pizza bases, rolls, ciabatta and french sticks, they turn out very well.

Sue

[Nicos]

Thanks for all this help
Just finished gumming to death the last loaf!!!!
Better luck today!!
Decided to do a scientific experiment and use a different flour-just incase that was the problem- otherwise- exactly the same....until I spotted the milk loaf recipe on the opposite page!!
Oh well it's on the go now .
Am using hovis yeast...so that's good to know.
Is there a problem maybe with using extra strong white flour as opposed to strong white flour?? - or is it the same??

[annie trip]

I have very bad memories of my mum baking bread when we were younger,it was very heavy and would give you jaw ache, she would leave it to rise in a big brown bowl on the window sill. One day the cat knocked the bowl off and it broke!! Unfortunately she never got round to replacing it!!!

I really fancy a bread maker and will put on my ever expanding xmas list so now i have got some good recomendations. Thanks.