Wanted: omlet eglu classic + run 🙏

[Dizzy-Deb]

Ok I have cheated a bit and bought a packet that you just add the water and mix... but even so its still my first time .

 

I have it 'rising' at the moment before going in the oven. Hope it comes out ok.

 

I am tempted to get a bread maker. Anyone use one ?? What do you think about them ?

 

Thanks xx

Edited September 21, 2010 by Guest

[Seagazer]

I've got a breadmaker and I love it. Took my kids a while to come around to eating 'my' bread but they prefer it now.

 

I've never made bread by hand though. YS keeps saying we should give it a go. Might try it this week, I'm sure he'll enjoy the kneading process.

 

Hope the bread comes out okay.

[The_eggwards_family]

We make all our bread too. I have a bread machine - tesco own make (tricity) and its great! Even better, I got it off good ole ebay for £20 virtually brand new. As with a lot of things, bread machines fall into the category of everyone rushes out and gets one or gets it for xmas, uses it for 5 mins and then puts it away. So lots of bargains to be had. Plus, the one I got was only in the next street lol! It works out around 50p a loaf for white and is yummy. We had egg sarnies for lunch today, all home produced

 

I would say the bread is only as good as the flour you use. Ive tried a few but aways end up regretting it and going straight back to hovis super strength bread flour (green bag).

[poachedegg]

We have a Panasonic Breadmaker and it's fab - had it for over 2.5 years and gets used most days.

[WarrensWorld]

We gave up using bread makers we've had two, they just seem more trouble than they're worth, and they take to long. With a dough hook in the mixer I can make two 2lb loaves in 2 hours, start to finish, dead easy. It's our own recipe it's lovely and crusty and everyone whose tasted it says so too........

[jam]

We have a bread machine. It worked wonders until one day the bread stopped rising and the final product was a rock hard lump about 2 inches thick. We havnt used it since!! I wouldn't let this put you off though, theyre bril when they work!

[hilda-and-evadne]

I would say the bread is only as good as the flour you use. Ive tried a few but aways end up regretting it and going straight back to hovis super strength bread flour (green bag).

 

I agree with this about the quality of the flour. But am about to give up on the Hovis flour. I have been making bread for 20 years but only recently started using Doves Farm flour - it has been a revelation. Lots of lovely recipes on their web site, too.

 

http://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/

 

Edited to add: I use the breadmaker to make the dough. (The thermostat or whatever that made it also cook the bread stopped working about two years ago but it still makes the dough well.)

[Dizzy-Deb]

The bread came out very well, lovely too.... half of it is gone already Hubby thinks its wonderful especially after doing some more work in garden and needing a quick carb fix. Have to admit it was easy to do, just mix water and follow the instructions. So easy and so tasty.

 

I am very tempted to get a machine and as said get from ebay and someone that has got bored with theirs. Thanks for the tips on them everyone.

 

I am feeling quite the little cook today, have made veggie soup, quiche and now the bread.

 

I have used up all the shop bought eggs now, and waiting my chucks that will be here tomorrow.

[bronze]

I gave up on breadmakers for years after many attempt. then I was convinced to get a panasonic and havn't looke d back. Fresh bread everyday and lovely

[Janty]

We use our bread maker three or four times a week. I'd agree with the comments about the flour. We use waitrose organic bread flours.

 

Using the measuring cup provided with the bread maker (seems to be a standard cup as in-laws have a completely different make yet same cup) the recipe we use is:

 

1 & 1/8 cups water

2 & 1/2 tablespoons dried milk

2 & 1/4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons olive oil or rapeseed oil

1 & 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup of either malted grain or stoneground flour

2 cups of white flour

1 & 1/4 teaspoons dried yeast

 

We put the breadmaker on the first setting and away it goes.

 

[Space Chick]

I make all my own bread, have done for about 7 years. I use a bread maker on the dough setting, and then finish the bread in the oven. I just find its easier and you get a nicer loaf. I also make rolls as well.

 

I have a Panasonic Fast Bake.

[kinsk]

I agree with doves flour, have a picnic loaf in the oven made with it as I type.

 

I hand make all mine as don't have room for a breadmachine and prefer the results of handmade.

 

Home made doesn't keep for as long as shop bought. I leave mine to cool (never eat hot bread from the oven, allow to cool and then warm up if that's how you want it, the yeast is still doing it's stuff and can give you tummy ache) slice up and freeze so we can just take slices out of the freezer as we want them.

 

It does get addictive!

[Alis girls]

One word of warning - make sure you can get spares. I am on my second Tesco machine and the rubber ring which fits in between bread holder and thing you put it on has perished. Can I get a new one - can I heck. Tesco took the old one back and I got another and same things happened. for the sake of a few quid they could put some spares in but hell no - not likely even having spoke to customer services. What a waste am looking for a new one. Happy baking

[The_eggwards_family]

The panasonic one comes out top on the which best buy guide btw, so maybe its time to switch from tesco lol. I only bought the tesco one as it was local to me on ebay and for £20 it didnt matter that much. If I was cashing out around £100 then I would defo go for the panasonic one.

 

[chickencam]

I have had several breadmakers over the years and now use a kenwood Chef Major to make the dough, and it makes far better bread than any of the breadmakers ever did. I didn't try the Panasonic one though and that does get rave reviews.

 

The flour makes a huge difference with a breadmaker, it makes less difference with the Kenwood, but my tip is never buy bread flour with less than 12% protein in it which relates to the gluten strength. Some own brand ones have 1% or less and are just about ok for pizza, but make lousy bread.

[..lay a little egg for me]

I've also been making my own bread for years. I have a panasonic bread maker and periodically I fall out of love with it as the different recipes all seem to make bread that tastes pretty much the same as each other, so I get a fit of enthusiasm and hand make it for a while and then when I feel lazy go back to the bread maker. Home-made bread, whether in the bread maker or by hand does taste so much better than shop-bought, which is probably because the Chorleywood process that they use to make commercial bread is so detrimental to flavour and structure.

 

What recipe do you use WarrensWorld? I have recently been experimenting with making a kind of fake sour dough bread using my kefir culture to make a starter the night before using kefir, water, half the flour and a pinch of yeast and then the next morning adding the rest of the flour and the salt and making a dough from then. This method has good flavour and the overnight stage seems to make the dough form really easily and requires very little kneading.

[chickencam]

I have just watched the great British Bake Off programme on iplayer, the one on bread had me salivating. I love tasty real bread I would love a personal lesson with Paul Hollywood

[craftyhunnypie]

I've bought the book - The great British Book Of Baking from the bake off shows. I've got the flour etc & yeast & I am going to attempt a cottage loaf & maybe a plait this weekend by hand. Wish me luck.

It's a lovely book.

 

Emma.x

[bronze]

There are a couple of fab bread books that I cant remember who theyre by but are called crust and dough

[Dizzy-Deb]

Good Luck Emma, hope your bread comes out nice.

 

I havent gone and got a break makers yet, still deciding if it will be worth it or not for me, but have bought another packet of just add water mix and go bread for this weekend. Looking forward to making that.

[Richard T]

There are a couple of fab bread books that I cant remember who theyre by but are called crust and dough

 

They're by Richard Bertinet. They are gorgeous books. I've got Dough but haven't tried any of the recipes yet .

 

He's got a cookery school in Bath http://www.thebertinetkitchen.com/ . The courses are tempting but expensive.

 

I mostly use a Panasonic bread maker but make bread by hand as often as I can. A few weeks ago I did a bread making course at the Lighthouse Bakery http://www.lighthousebakery.co.uk/ which was great fun and very helpful (but, again not cheap).

[Guest]

I've bought the book - The great British Book Of Baking from the bake off shows. I've got the flour etc & yeast & I am going to attempt a cottage loaf & maybe a plait this weekend by hand. Wish me luck.

It's a lovely book. Emma.x

 

Emma, can you post a link to where you bought the book from please? I've been searching high and low for it...

 

[Lorax]

We've had a Panasonic breadmaker for some years now, and love it. We used to use it for normal loaves, but I make sourdough bread now, using a starter. Still use the breadmaker for when we need a quick loaf (sourdough takes a long time) and we also use it to make bagels and pizza dough. I also make Monkey Bread in the bread machine which is addictive!

 

I would highly recommend making your own bread - I think key is to have the bread machine out if you can, otherwise it's just another faff, to have to take it out each time.

 

We use Waitrose Stoneground Organic flours.

 

HTH and have fun!

[Eggasperated]

Is this it? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-British-Book-Baking-best-loved/dp/0718157117

[dancing cloud]

I bought a Panasonic recently after a work friend kept raving about hers and won't look back. Hovis granary flour and the medium loaf setting make a lovely loaf that lasts just me about 4 days (eat 1/2, freeze 1/2 till wanted). I had one disappointment when the loaf did not rise well but, when I thought about it I'd not put the right amount of yeast in , and it was still edible if a little heavy.

 

I'd recommend a breadmaker to anyone !