Single hen

[Aunty e]

I bought a super cheap bread maker at the weekend because it was £20 and I kind of wanted one, but didn’t want to spend a lot of money until I knew if I’d use one. So I made my first loaf overnight, and it was very yummy, but a bit bland. I will only be making overnight I expect, so I won’t be able to add ingredients half way through, but does anyone have any good recipes for bread makers that you can bung in all at the same time? Or is there a site/forum where people have them?

[Cookie]

Hello Aunty E,

 

I have a breadmaker, and have not bought a loaf or rolls since I got it - its my best thing (other than the chickens, natch ).

 

I'm at work now, but will try to remember to post some recipes for you tonight. There are also tons of breadmaker books around, which are good. I have this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0091879574/qid=1142941693/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_3_8/203-5053702-0703162

 

You should be able to do granary, wholemeal, cheese, herb & white loaves without having to add anything else mid-cycle.

 

Love,

Cookie. xx

[The Dogmother]

Which machine do you have Cookie?

[Cookie]

I have the Panasonic SD253 one here:

Panasonic breadmaker

 

Are these long links working?? (Edit - sorted the long link for you - Gina)

 

Amazon is by far the cheapest place to buy this one - I've seen it for £99 in Lakeland and £110 in Waitrose. The best bit is that it has an automatic nut dispenser so you don't have to hang around for the beep to add your nuts/raisins etc for fancy loaves.

 

I make some really great rolls in it for our packed lunches - yum

 

You're making me hnugry now!!

 

Love,

Cookie. xx

[Aunty e]

It's all about the granary and brown bread for me, although I need to make some white for Duncan...

[Cookie]

It's all about the granary and brown bread for me, although I need to make some white for Duncan...

 

I'm with you there Aunty E - I make pretty much all granary and wholemeal - but every now and then I make a white one and the children think they are in heaven!

 

Do you want mainly granary and wholemal recipes then? My favourites are a 50/50 wholemeal and white, and a granary one with extra sunflower seeds and a bit of honey. Mmmmmm.....

 

Cookie. xx

[buffie]

love my bread maker and you don't have to spend alot on it to get great bread. Make sure if you use a rapid bake you buy the ultra fast yeast suitable for a bread machine!

 

BBx

[Murdo]

Two things

1) If you're going to use the easy yeast, don't buy it in those boxes of tiny plastic sachets. You can get the same stuff in large packs (about an 1 inch by 1.5 inches by 2.5 inches high. Much easier, much less wasteful ad much less packaging.

 

2) Try using it just to do the dough, but finish it off in a baking tin in the oven. You get a consistency moisture much closer to normal bread. It sounds a bit of a hassle - obviously you can't do it overnight - but it's even better than in the machine.

[becks]

I've got the panasonic with the nut dispenser too and its great! I am very boring though and only make fruit bread as we love it so much! I've also made pizza dough a couple of times which was good as well.

[The Dogmother]

That looks good thanks Cookie.

 

I currently make bread with my trusty 40 year old Kenwood Chef mixer, but it is a faff letting it rise and stuff when I am busy, so to do it overnight would be great. I can see that this will go on my list

[kazaddress]

the best one i have come accross is the sandwhich loaf!

 

250g strong white bread flour

100g butter

2tbls sugar

1tsp salt

1tsp baking yeast (or half a packet)

150ml milk

 

it goes in the normal setting (2 hours 40mins) weight 500gr browning 2

[clare*]

I gave up with my breadmaker, all I could produce was a bowling ball

 

If I make it now I do it by hand, much more successful

[motherhen]

It's all about the granary and brown bread for me, although I need to make some white for Duncan...

 

Don't forget the exciting possibility of making 'white' bread with 1/3 to 1/2 wholemeal flour mixed with the white. When my kids were young I used to make all our bread by hand and worked up to half and half wholemeal/white. I just told them that that was the colour of homemade white bread. If you serve it slightly warm or make it into mini loaves etc for them they soon get the taste for it.

 

Same principle as adding pureed veggies to bolognaise sauce, casseroles etc

[Cookie]

I currently make bread with my trusty 40 year old Kenwood Chef mixer, but it is a faff letting it rise and stuff when I am busy, so to do it overnight would be great.

 

Go on, Clare! Waking up to the smell of freshly baked bread on a Saturday morning has to be one of life's great experiences

 

Cookie. xx

[Cookie]

It's all about the granary and brown bread for me, although I need to make some white for Duncan...

 

Don't forget the exciting possibility of making 'white' bread with 1/3 to 1/2 wholemeal flour mixed with the white. When my kids were young I used to make all our bread by hand and worked up to half and half wholemeal/white. I just told them that that was the colour of homemade white bread. If you serve it slightly warm or make it into mini loaves etc for them they soon get the taste for it.

 

Same principle as adding pureed veggies to bolognaise sauce, casseroles etc

 

LOL! My 3 year old STILL asks what the 'bits' are in her granary bread, but at least she's given up picking them out now

[Karen & co.]

motherhen, a woman after my own heart! I regularly hide or disguise all sorts in soup and sauces! and the children eat it anyway

 

also just bought the panasonic bread maker (from Amazon!) it really does do what it says on the tin

 

Karen x

[ali-s]

I have had my Panasonic for two years. Best gadget I have bought

[The Dogmother]

Wel, that's a great product review if I ever read one.

[Twiglet]

I'm going to follow this thread with interest as I decided last week to get a bread maker. I hate "plastic" bread from the supermarket but it's a bit of a faff keep going to the nearest bakery (not so near) for fresh. Currently bidding on one on e-bay, a morphy Richards one. If not successful, have also seen one on Amazon the same for £35.

[Lesley]

Two things

1) If you're going to use the easy yeast, don't buy it in those boxes of tiny plastic sachets. You can get the same stuff in large packs (about an 1 inch by 1.5 inches by 2.5 inches high. Much easier, much less wasteful ad much less packaging.

 

2) Try using it just to do the dough, but finish it off in a baking tin in the oven. You get a consistency moisture much closer to normal bread. It sounds a bit of a hassle - obviously you can't do it overnight - but it's even better than in the machine.

 

Carl makes all our bread and we haven't bought any for about 8 years. He makes it to the dough stage and then finishes it in the oven as well - on a baking sheet though not a loaf tin.

[Lesley]

Ours is a Morphy Richards and the current one is 3 years old and used 5 times a week. Cost about £35 from Argos.

[The Dogmother]

Iam that close to getting one, in fact, if I had the money this month, I would have one now. I like making the dough in my Kenwood, but it is quite time consuming and I'd rather that it was doing while I was asleep - a better use of my time.

[Aunty e]

Husband who was cross with me for spending money is now sudden;y a convert when he gets home made-ish bread....it's like the eglu ALL over again.

[Mrs Frugal]

I had the Morphy Richards like Lesley's got but that was my fourth breadmaker! I've had so many disasters with them breaking down that I'm back to making bread by hand again. I love doing this and it's very theraputic and the loaf actually comes out of the oven sooner than it would using the breadmaker! I used to use it just to make the dough which I finished off in the airing cupboard then the oven but if I do the kneading by hand, even with the rising time in the airing cupboard, the bread is ready half an hour sooner than if I'd used the machine!!

[becks]

Prompted by this thread I got my breadmaker out last night and decided to use a book for a recipe that I've had for ages but never used (I usually use the one that came with the maker - its a panasonic with the nut dispenser) - well my loaf came out with a hard collapsed top - tastes okay but looks terrible! I interested in the idea of just using the dough option now though and then puting it in the oven to cook -any tips? If you do it that way do you have to leave it to rise/rest before putting it in the oven? I also made some carrot muffins from the recipe thread (Devon's ones) and they were delicious - not so good for my eternal diet though!