How do you make bread like you buy.

[Jimmy]

Anyone know?

I have tried over a period of 40 years following various recipes and advice.

Strong flour, real yeast, full moon etc.
But it always turns out as the kids used to call it "Bullet Bread".

I saw a reference to it recently at ..

https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Battle_Bread

Any ideas
Thanks
Jimmy.

[Bill Door]

Nothing wrong with battle bread, it just depends on who you eat it with (enemy or friend).

Ok flour can be a bit temperamental in that the moisture in the air can affect it.

Do you use a bread maker? If so you might need to add a spot more liquid, either water or milk or oil (no, not car oil).

If you are mixing and kneading by hand then it is possible that you are working it too much and drying it out. Just before the second rise (and then the cooking) the mix must be firm enough the support itself in a "dome" shape but also be soft enough the be pressed in lightly with a finger. The mix should "bounce" back after you take your finger away.

I have sometimes "started" the yeast before mixing it with the flour. Put the yeast into a very clean glass add a teaspoon of sugar and then tepid water (about the same amount you use for the bread. Keep it in a warm spot and when a "sludge" rises to the top of the liquid pour it all into the bread flour.

You could also try a slightly hotter oven for a slightly shorter period of time

But then you have probably tried all of this and this wont help.

All I can say is keep trying and make a small change until it gets there.

Best of luck

Bill

[mrsbusy]

Hi - are you trying to replicate the sort of sliced in a plastic bag type bread? You will need flour improvers, preservatives, and a steam oven to achieve that.
Home made bread has a short shelf life - it has no nasty additives.
I get quite good - i.e. acceptable to the people who eat it - results but the dough is not kneaded because it is a very wet mix. So what I do - which I am not saying is the best way - just how I do it - 8oz/250gr white bread flour + 8oz/250gr wholemeal warmed for 30 sec in microwave on high. 1 teaspoon dried yeast added to half pint warm water + 1/4 pint milk. 1 teaspoon or less salt - I make salt free bread for my hens - mix all together and stir with a large spoon. Leave to prove overnight or all day - warm place works best - should rise up nicely. Then I get my electric hand mixer with the 2 dough hooks and give it a bit of a beating or if you have a strong wrist use a spoon. Tip into a 2 lb loaf tin and leave to prove again. I usually put the tins into a cold oven if the dough is not at the top of the tins about 200c. I cook for 30 - 40 mins - if there is a gap between the bread and the tin it is done. Leave in tin until cooled a bit and turn out. As I said the mix is too wet to touch with hands but the loaf is moist and stays fresh for 2-3 days - but we eat 1 loaf a day so does not usually go stale. I freeze the spare loaves - often slicing them up first if I think we won't eat much bread i.e. if mrbusy is away. The hens only eat 1 slice per day - it is just their bedtime treat - they meant to eat corn but they won't touch it. I enhance their bread with ground sunflower seeds - spoilt hens or what!! But we eat it too - I prefer a bit of salt tho.

[Bren In Pots]

Jimmy I've been using this recipe for 40 year and it rarely fails

3lb flour,
1oz yeast
1oz lard
nearly 1 table spoon salt
30 fluid oz warm water

Give it 3 mins in the Kenwood then put it somewhere to prove for a hour-ish then its back in the Kenwood for 2 more mins.
Shape into either 26, 3oz rolls or 5 loaves (I've got some old Hovis bread tins) and leave for a second proving of about 30 mins.

Then bake in the oven at around 220c until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. flip onto a wire rack to cool.

Have you tried Sourdough its much more forgiving than other breads. heres the link to the vines thread.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead_62813.html

My starters doing fine its been fed today and I'll be baking my loaf tomorrow.

[Mr Bones]

For a white loaf I use
500gm (Lidl) bread flour
300gm water
1.5 tsp fast action dried yeast
1 tsp salt

It comes out tasting like bread did when I was a kid (not that pappy, Chorley Wood stuff)

[Thelma Sanders]

I got the hang of it after watching this

Notice that you don't use a lot of flour on the worktop for kneading, and you may have to add more water.

To make 1 loaf

1 cup + 2 tbsp (9 oz) warm water (keep extra on hand)
2½ tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp honey (or any sweetener) ( I use a dessertspoon of sugar)
3½ cups (17 oz) all-purpose flour (+more for dusting work surface)(I use bread flour)
1½ tsp salt
¼ cup dry milk powder
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
non-stick cooking spray

[scarey55]

For a white loaf I use
500gm (Lidl) bread flour
300gm water
1.5 tsp fast action dried yeast
1 tsp salt

It comes out tasting like bread did when I was a kid (not that pappy, Chorley Wood stuff)

I use this recipe too and it always comes out perfectly. Here in France, we have multi cereal flour that is really nice, I'm sure you will be able to get something similar where you are. I have a machine and find that the ingredients have to be exact.

[DannyK]

I use the recipe that came with my Kenwood bread maker. It includes eggs, which I see none of the other recipes posted do. It is better than supermarket bread.

In no way am I a cook, but I might try experimenting.

I can recommend using a machine for those not into baking. It only takes 5-10mins to assemble the ingredients and switch it on.

[Nannysally99]

Do you not need sugar in the receipes?
I put a tsp in as per the Breadmaker instructions

[Mrs Bee]

you absolutely don't want to make bread like the supermarket bread. The sliced stuff is made with poor flour, lots of chemicals and steam, from a special process called the Chorley Wood process, which was invented after the war.

It is like eating damp cotton wool.

I have been making my own bread for the past 40 years, in different ways as time progressed.

I used to make it in my kenwood with a dough hook, which was a little lengthy entailing a good deal of washing up.

Then someone persuaded me to get a bread maker about 10 years ago. I was sceptical but got one to try. I now have 3 that are used regularly. if I am in a hurry I can make a quick loaf, albeit with a hole in the bottom from the paddle.

When I am not in a hurry I use the machine for the dough. Which is great as it cuts down on the bowls to wash up, and while it is doing its stuff I can get on with doing other things like making the jam to go with the bread.
I then shape it and leave it for a second rising and bake.

So I would recommend getting a bread machine, I think Panasonic is good and then get a really good recipe book. My favourite, which I have worked my through and not been disappointed by the results is 'GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, GREAT RECIPES FOR YOUR BREAD MACHINE' by Joanne Farrow.

And the first recipe in the book is Farmhouse white loaf and is a really good basic white loaf.
Personally I am a wholemeal body, but there are some excellent recipes in this book.

[scarey55]

Do you not need sugar in the receipes?
I put a tsp in as per the Breadmaker instructions

I never use sugar in my bread recipe. I don't know how the yeast works without it but it does.

[lmayhow]

We only make our own bread don't remember the last time I brought one.... I have a bread machine that I use if I am out for the day and do not have time to kneed and rise... Farmhouse loaf is a good place to start for a hand made, I also loved the cottage loaf (mixed herb) for my early day... We mainly made sour dough now, I have a starter I feed and its flour, starter, salt and water... The starter I use is white bread flour and water equal measures for 5 days in a Kilner Jar and then free to use I usually head for 75g of each... The Baker Brothers https://www.hobbshousebakery.co.uk/pages/community is a good place to look. As long as you kneed the bread for long enough, give it a prove to rise and then cook it until it sounds hollow when you tap the bottom it should be ready.

One last recipe I love for you, good luck!!!

Mixed seed bread | BBC Good Food

[mrsbusy]

I never use sugar in my bread recipe. I don't know how the yeast works without it but it does.

I don't use sugar either - the yeast uses the sugars in the flour. I often cut out the salt too but the rise is slightly less.

[Thelma Sanders]

I know this isn't an acceptable thing to say amongst 'foodies' but I don't like the taste of sourdough bread.

I love Oatmeal bread, though
Back-of-the-Bag Oatmeal Bread Recipe | King Arthur Flour

[Jimmy]

OK Thanks for all the ideas, I will give them a shot.
I do have a bread maker. Usually only make pre-mixed Wright's Parmesan & Sundried Tomato Bread Mix
This usually works OK
Also have a food processor with all sorts of weird attachments, think one is a dough hook !
Jimmy