SO - we ran out of bread AGAIN -

[Chezzie]

How did you know I was getting a new cooker Tim, or wasn't that reply aimed at me?  it arrives tomorrow and I can't wait, another present from my lovely mother.  She wanted me to have an Aga but it's not possible here.  Nothing like an Aga for warming your rear end and sorting out the pecking order oh! and cooking!

Now which colour would I have chosen? green I think.

Chezzie loves Aga's

[Chezzie]

[Tenuse]

According to Which?, the best breadmaker is the Panasonic version.

But my little cheapie one from Asda a few years ago does just fine!

Ten x

[Toots]

Tim,your bread looks delicious!I must get started again.

I used to make all our bread and rolls.I found for us then, the slow overnight rise the best.You use half the yeast,prepare the night before,leave in a cool place, it matures slowly so the flour taste is better and not yeasty at all.You knock it back and bake it in the morning for breakfast,if up early enough,which with young children and a job I had to be!

Now got a breadmaker which is easy peasy,great to set it in the morning on a Sat and come in to new bread with our homemade soup!
The other bread we bake is soda bread.If away from home on a boat or our campervan we make this with the sour milk that you always end up with.Very tasty,easy to make and solves the problem of fresh supplies when far from civilisation!

Lets hear it for fresh homebaked bread!

:P

[tim]

Thanks for reminding me about the slow rise.

Is that assuming only one rise - in the tin?? = Tim

[Toots]

Hi Tim,

No,first slow rise in covered bowl,then quick knock back,shape into loaves or rolls,prove for 15-20 mins on the hob while oven heating,then bake.

I used to make wholemeal rolls in the morning for speed and for packed lunches. :)

[Dunc_n_Tricia]

I noticed a comment way back about home made bread only being good for a day. I thought that too - bakers way back used lard in the mix which made it last longer, but there is a healthier option - dried milk powder!

Just add a couple of tablespoons to the mix and the bread keeps for ages. Dunc says it makes great toast after a week!!!

We have had a breadmaker for over a year now an I won't buy bread now. We even make our own flour tortillas when doing Mexican.

So try milk powder in your bread - it really makes it last.

:-* Tricia

[Jesse]

I have a Panasonic bread maker. We bought it to replace a previous breadmaker, the bread was always dense and didn't seem to rise very well. With the Panasonic the bread on occasions pushes the lid up as it rises so high! As someone said before the bread doesn't keep well (I guess the lack of preservatives) but never mind because it gets eaten so quickly. A great way to make use of your herbs and also veg like courgettes and potatos. I use dried yeast that comes in sachets and it works well. Great for making pizzas also.

[tim]

Without trying to be clever - no problems on keeping - our wholemeal would last a week - if it were permitted to do so. More normally. it's gone within an hour or so!! = Tim

[Jesse]

Tim, how do you store your bread then? I leave mine in the bread bin but wonder if it would be better off sealed in a zipseal freezer bag?

[cherry]

Hi Tricia!
How about passing on your recipe for tortillas?

[tim]

Sorry. Jesseveve - missed that one. Like you, normally in the bin, but I often find that things keep better in the fridge.

One limitation is when I have to use butter instead of oil or veg fat - goes off! = Tim

[TrailRat]

As a baker I'm horrified by all this talk of breadmakers and dried yeast :o :o

There is nothing like fresh yeast to make bread and nothing like the manual kneading of the dough. Have tried dried yeast and found that consistency of dough feels different in hand. The elasticity too loose. Until the day that fresh yeast is no longer avaliable I won't use dried. As for breadmakers, sure quick and easy but not as much fun as working hard over a dough and enjoying the fruits of your labour.

Sorry rant over.

I use an extract for fat which helps longevity of my bread, but I can't remember the name of it. When I go to the shop tomorrow, I am getting some as I'm out of it, I shall let you know. My local sainsbury's sell fresh yeast over the bakery counter.

TrailRat

[tim]

Don't be horrified, TR - some folk even eat packaged meals to save effort, & allow them time to bath their children & watch football!! = Tim

[TrailRat]

Yeah I know people have lives to live. My rant was in good humour.  ;D

TrailRat

P.s got a loaves proving now as it goes, smells good

[Chezzie]

Please don't do this to me trail rat I haven't had breakfast yet!

[mainly due to internet]  ::)

[TrailRat]

its in the oven now, and the whole flat is filled with the smell of baking bread, chezzie.

mmmmmmmmmm

TrailRat

[Chezzie]

Right that does it I'm going to order fresh yeast from the baker now!

Can't promise not to use the breadmaker though.

[Ceri]

I'm a halfway house on this one - use fresh yeast, put with chosen recipe ingredients in bread maker to do the boring (to me anyway) bit, then play with the dough to bake in the shape I want!

[tim]

Or the Magimix if you're really pushed? = Tim

PS TR - rant? I know!! Me too.

[sarahr]

Well, some of us don't have enough worktop space to knead bread or are very good at it.  ;) My cheapo breadmaker does the job and it's better than the bought stuff in the shops, besides my kitchen is so tiny if I try to knead anything I bang my head into the cupboard one way and the boiler the other.

Anyway don't you have to leave the dough in the airing cupboard to rise? Cause with the advent of combi boilers, there's a whole nation on airing cupboard less folks in waiting. ;D