Bread machines

[Alison]

Use Doves Farm ususally in mine. The time saving thing is that it can start kneading etc while I'm either asleep or at work so is good for me

[Crazy Chickie]

Sorry guys, but I'm a bit of a purist too, thou I do use the 'easy bake' yeast rather than freash or the stuff you need to mix with water and leave to grow. Was offered a bread maker about a year ago by the inlaws but had just got my technique down and was feeling pretty chuffed with it. I like a good heavy loaf as opposed to the light doughy stuff you get in the shops (was raised on homemade and it took me ages to get used to bought, still can't eat bought rolls). The washing up is another thing that puts me off bread machines, I hate it. I know it can take me a couple of hours to make my loaves but most of that is rising and baking, with about 10/15 mins kneeding. I just make what I need for the week and put them in the freezer.

[pigletwillie]

I certainly wont knock breadmakers as mentioned before I used to own one, but the time saving argument is myth.

I can have a loaf out of the oven far quicker than a breadmaker can bake one, The kneading takes 10 minutes and the mixing 5. I can make any shape of loaf or bun, roll, cob (whatever you call them where you live) easily and dont have a great lump sat in my kitchen cupboard or worse on the counter.

Then there is the pure satisfactiion of doing it yourself.

[shirlthegirl43]

Oh ahhh..now this is really interesting....

Butter and jam...can you please explain further???

There is a 'butter' programme on my machine. Basically you put in 236 ml of cream with at least 36% butterfat content (double cream) and put on the special lid for the bread tin (this may be particular to my machine but I am sure some clingfilm would do the job. Switch the machine on. After about 15 mins it looks like whipped cream then slowly you see lumps of butter appearing. After the 30 minute programme you have butter and buttermilk. You pour off the buttermilk and use for other recipes. Rinse the butter by putting 200ml cold water into the bread pan, swirl gently and strain water out - repeat. put butter into a suitable bowl, cover tightly and keep in the fridge.

Jam - similarly there is a jam programme. The recipe calls for 3 cups of crushed fresh strawberries or other types of fruit, 1 cup sugar, 2tbsp lemon juice, 1 pack of powdered pectin and the jam programme. Not sure that all machines woud have the correct programme.

The butter one should work with any machine which will just run a knead with no heat for 30 minutes (or 2 x 15 minutes I guess)

[Lesley Jay]

Yes you can make butter in any mixer or a jam jar if you want a work out!!

[Alison]

I certainly wont knock breadmakers as mentioned before I used to own one, but the time saving argument is myth.

I know what you're saying PW but it isn't the actual time spend doing something which is the issue for me but the total time including proving etc. Obviously you don't have to be physically doing anything then but you do have to be in. With my bread machine I can throw the ingredients in the tin in a couple of minutes, put the timer on and have a fresh loaf when I get in from work (such a welcoming smell!) rather than having to wait while I make it. In addition, at this time of year I don't really have anywhere I can put the bread which is warm enough for it to rise (modern combi boiler therefore no airing cupboard!) so I end up having to put the oven on low which isn't really any better than using the machine. I know what you're saying and in an ideal world I'd probably make my own too but before I got the machine I used to make bread a max of once a month and now I make it all the time which simply wouldn't happen if it wasn't easier for me.

[Lesley Jay]

Apparently bread dough will rise wherever it is kept. Warm or cool.

[Earthbabe]

I tend to use mine for gluten free/wheat free loaves more than anything else at the mo and often use the dough setting to make pizza dough or for "special" loaves e.g baguettes, flatbreads, ciabatta.

Hadn't thought of trying to make butter. How does it work in a machine with no butter setting? Do you just put it in and let it mix then turn it out before the rise part of the program?

I don't use mine for jam as I prefer the challenge of getting the boil just right!!

[Nicos]

I don't use mine for jam as I prefer the challenge of getting the boil just right!!

..and have you actually achieved it???
I love making jam....never know how it's going to turn out!!!

[Earthbabe]

Strangely Nicos I have and I'm getting a lot better at judging without the thermometer, wondering now why I bought it.

[Nicos]

Thermometer?????
Maybe I should try one!!!

[shirley]

I confess I am still working on different flours. I have found that olive oil makes a better loaf than butter. Not so heavy.

[filthyrich]

hi all great to read all the comments re bread and how to make it ,but has anybody got a good recipe for white bread,heres hoping.

[Alice]

Shirley, if you like your bread light (not heavy) put the flour through a sieve. It does wonders. For both white and brown flour I use Hovis strong. It does the job for me.

[shirley]

Thanks Alice I will give that tip a go.