Bread? Do you make your own?

[Janice]

Has anyone got one of those Electric Breadmakers?

I keep looking at them and wonder if they actually work like the advertisments tell us they do?
The thought of freshly baked bread is very tempting I have to admit.


The ones I have seen are about £50 and seem quite bulky - do you think it would end up on the shelf with the Deep Fat Fryer that I don't use?? LOL


or should I stick to the Crispbreads LOL?

 

[TigH]

Yes!

I got a bread machine as a gift several years ago and never used it much. Now I use it all the time!

I don't bake the bread in the machine. I use the dough cycle and then bake the bread in the oven. My husband got me hamburger and hotdog bun pans for Christmas. I make hamburger buns at least once a week. I prefer whole wheat, but my husband prefers white, so I make both.

I've also made some lovely French bread, rosemary foccaccia, whole wheat sandwich bread, cinnamon buns and pizza crusts. We make home made pizza at least once a week. I make white and wheat crusts.

The machine I have is a Black and Decker All-in-one Deluxe. I add the wet ingredients first and then the flour and yeast. Set it to the dough cycle and in two hours it's ready! I make pizza crusts throughout the day, flatten them onto the pizza pan, cover them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until dinner time (I have only left them in the fridge for about 6-7 hours max).

My family is biased, but they say I make the best pizza and cinnamon buns in the world.

Good luck!!! I'm more than happy to share some recipes with you if you want (of course, they are all in ounces, tablespoons and cups...)

 

[Madjock]

We got one as a Christmas present. I have to admit that I 'don't do kitchens' (well DH is a chef)! but he loves it and says its so easy to use even I could manage it, but I haven't taken him up on that challenge yet LOL. I have to say that waking up to fresh bread is wonderful and the variety of breads we now have is great

Annmarie

 

[Fiona R from UK]

I have one Janice, and use it all the time!! My freezer is quite small, and as Tescos is over 5 miles away I can't "pop out" for a loaf!! I put it on each night, and the only downside is that fresh bread needs butter, so I try and avoid it at breakfast!!

TigH, I'm sorry to disappoint you but my children say I make the best pizza in the world, all their school friends always request it, I think friends must think we eat nothing else!!

I started off with a £50 one, which was good but seized after 10 months as I immersed the whole pan to wash it, DO NOT IMMERSE THE WHOLE PAN TO WASH!! As the instructions didn't say that I got a replacement. As Asda only had one model, i got it home to find it only did 1lb flour, which isn't really enough for us. Guess what, the motor went after 8 months, and they refunded my money this time (3 year guarentee) so I went out and bought a Prima one in Argos. This has two paddles, so makes a more traditional loaf. I have heard that the best one is the Panasonisc though.

Good luck Janice, and I make very good Hot Cross Buns too, just use Delia's recipe on the dough cycle then bake in the oven!!

PS You do need to experiment a little, and use the recipes that comes with the machine, I have found a previously wonderful Brioche recipe does not work at all in my new machine!! Wholemeal is harder than white. Have fun!!

 

[UKDEB]

do you think it would end up on the shelf with the Deep Fat Fryer that I don't use??

LOL, Janice. I'm always looking at them and thinking the same thing. Ditto ice-cream makers.

How long does the bread stay fresh?

 

[TigH]

Fiona, are you challenging me to a pizza duel? I'll run and get my pot holders then...

It does seem like we are having pizza every time I turn around. I can see how your friends would think it's the only thing you eat (I think my family suspects the same thing!)

Debbie, the bread will keep for 4 or 5 days. I ordered plastic bags from King Arthur Flour's catalog (the Bakers Catalog) and I store my bread and buns in those bags.

 

[Mazzy]

I don't know about everyone else but there is no way I could own a bread maker without piling on the weight!

Just going in the supermarket takes so much will power, if I had the smell in my own kitchen I'm sure I would demolish the whole loaf in 5 minutes flat! Far too tempting

 

[eyoreaud]

Hi everyone!,
I have just been offered a bread maker from my mum for our anniversary, so this thread has come up at exactly the right time for me.

My mum thought she'd better ask me before buying one as i also have a lot of gadgets stored nicely away after using them only a few times! lol

But i think the bread maker would definetly be used in our house as we are all big bread eaters but i think i would be a bit like Mazzy, eating the whole thing before anyone else had a chance of a slice! YUMMY!

Luv Audrey
xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Fiona R from UK]

Tig H, who shall judge the competition!!?? We could throw them like a discus across the pond for comparison !! Not that that implies my bases come out as hard as nails!!

Debbie, I had an ice cream maker for Christmas from Mum and Dad. That's great too, I make a fruit and greek yogurt ice cream that's scrummy!! The only other gadgets I have is a food processor, soup blender and food mixer. I'd recommend all of them. No deep fat fryers for me, I'm an oven chip girl!! No steamer, I use the microwave (suppose that's a gadget too)

I find the bread is fine the day you make it, and for toast the next day. But then with 5 in the house it isn't around for long. It freezes well, I'll make a batch of rolls and take the required number out for lunch boxes.

 

[Goofyish]

We have a Panasonic breadmaker - it does lovely bread.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I have had a breadmaker for a few years and mine gets used on a regular basis. It was not always that way until I put it on the countertop where it was more convenient. Out of sight, out of mind you know. Another thing I do is when I make a loaf of bread I measure out dry ingredients for one or more other batches and put them in ziplock bags so the next time I go to make bread it is a bit more convenient. My own homemade bread mixes.

I often just make the bread dough in the machine and take it out and bake it in the oven for a more traditional looking loaf. I am somewhat of a neatnic and do not like kneading bread dough and getting flour and such all over the kitchen so it is a mess saver for me also.

Fresh warm bread and a delightful scent to the house, works for me!

Slightly Goofy

 

[Janice]

I think I am sold on the idea

I have (last night!) now thrown out the defunct Deep Fat Fryer - I do make my own chips (fries) and have an old fashioned stove top Chip Pan that produces lovely
chips so really dont need the DFF anymore. Also despatched the old Wok to the dustbin too!
Wow! It was quite painless really LOL!

I very rarely used the wok but it was one of the original types and had that "worn" look about it! LOL I bought a new one last week for £5 - yep FIVE POUND - and it is Non Stick and cleans beautifully. So for how often we use one it will do us fine.

I will wait till we move and see if I can get a good deal when we are ordering the new White Goods for the kitchen....... sometimes you can get a better bargain when you are getting a few items.



Thanks for all the input everyone - will be on the tap for recipes etc. soon