Bread Maker?

[Rhona]

I thought my Waitrose Italian flour was the best - it's not! The bestest flour I've tried was about a week ago - Leckford Estate (actually also from Waitrose). Brilliant bread!

[Hilary B]

We had to buy a new breadmaker when we lost the paddle! All we could assume was that we threw the last of the loaf of bread in the bin before we went on holiday and it still had the paddle in it!

Also if you get it out before you cut the bread it doesn't get scratched and lose its non-stick. Yep ............ been there and done that too!

The breadmakers I have used (including the one we have now) the pan takes out to remove the loaf. If you 'work' the paddle(s) from below before turning out the loaf (twist the bit that drives them, just a little way in each direction), they come away from the bread better, and may even stay in the pan, rather than staying in the loaf.
(stating the 'probably obvious' is one of my specialities)

[Hilary B]

I would mix it by hand, but a shattered elbow a few years ago renders kneading dough one of the hardest things for me to do!!! I tried a few times before deciding to buy a breadmaker [which we didn't have to do as my mum had one sitting unused in her house], and i just couldn't get it as kneaded as it should be - the pain was unbearable - the bread was alot heavier that it should be.

The dough setting rocks!

Like I said, useful if hand mixing is impossible.
Where I used to live I used a Kenwood Chef mixer, but the only 'spare space' in this kitchen is in a corner, where the bread machine can still be used, but the mixer couldn't.

[piskieinboots]

*slaps head
wot a numpty, me not he!!

Snowdrop is currently making first loaf and I bought the flour - erm, ooops I gave him Leckford Plain white not strong oh dear oh dear

I told him you guys had said don't worry first loaf is usually crap - he says cheers Piskie so you give me crap stuff to make it with and then say 'he made it, he made it' hehehe

[JILLY JACKSON]

oh dear,should have read this earlier as ordered a kenwood breadmaker yesterday.Could have bought the panasonic.Anyone know if the kenwoods ok?

[smallblueplanet]

Yeah, don't know your model, but we have a Kenwood Rapid Bake BM200. Had it a while, its good, makes jam too. It was a pressie but it will have been at least half the price of the Panny.

[JILLY JACKSON]

Hi SBP,The make i've ordered is the Kenwood bm250.It cost half the amount of the panasonic which seemed a good deal to me ,but after reading the glowing reports on the panasonic ,i felt that maybe i should have spent the extra money!Glad to hear that your pleased with the kenwood that you have,I dont think that mine will be too different to yours .Thanks.Will make a report about it when i've given it a go lol.

[raine]

Hi, I have a breville breadmaker that was bought for me for mothers day. The kids were quite young and it's definitely at the cheaper end but it's been great. The paddle is fixed so I can't throw it away and I've made jam in it too.I'm not very adventurous but I've had it roughly 5 years and never had a duff loaf. It also has a thing for power cuts that sorts itself out if the power comes on within a certain time and the nut beeper thingy but i always miss that anyway and just add when i feel like it!

[hamsterqueen]

I have a panasonic bought at Christmas. It is wonderful!! We make a loaf a day.

I often use lidl bread mixes when I'm pushed for time or feeling lazy. 99p bag makes 2 loaves and they are wonderful. I bake it on teh rapid cycle and it takes 2 hours. Only trouble is i HAVE PUT ON HALF A STONE!

[mrdinkle]

got given a cookworks one (very cheap apparently), the english in the manual is so bad, but once you decipher it it is pretty simple to use.

as well as for bread i do the dough in it then pull it out for stuff like ciabatta etc.

[piskieinboots]

well guys - thus far I (we) have made a duff white (white turned out lovely) and a wholemeal one...which was ...umm munch munch ..... hang on, I can't talk ...munch...with my mouth full.....munch munch

If I ever doubted buying a bread maker - I stand corrected well and truly and thanks so much for all your help and ideas and thoughts

((group hug))

[smallblueplanet]

Have you made jam to go on it?

[lynda66]

fruit bread is great too just like toasted tea cakes ........ don't know how i survived without a bread maker ..... even my son can make his own now

[Hilary B]

I made a 'weird but nice' loaf when the French Market came to town. There was a stall selling dried fruit (all sorts) some sweetened-and-dried. I bought a mixture of raspberries and cranberries, about 2oz of each Adding half of that to a white loaf mix (I put it all in at the beginnning) produced results I would love to do again. Unfortunately I haven't see the right sort of dried fruits since....

[Pootle]

Following on from my bread issues (see Chitty Chatty) it seems the best way forward is to make my own. Gawd!

I did some initial research into machines but there is never a substitute for recommendations as most of the machines I looked at all said 'I'm superb buy me' - yer yer cos you are

I use mine all the time - I've worn out a Morphy Richards and graduated to a Panasonic SD253 with nut dispenser (aren't I posh!) The MR never managed white bread very well (I don't like it but the children do and I take pity on them sometimes!) or packet mixes but the Panasonic is fantastic - every loaf is perfect! The pizza dough and doughnuts are superb too - haven't used it for cakes or jam but that's just me rather than the machine. And looking at the instructions it even has a 'gluten free' programme which might be of some use. I can really recommend it.