SO - we ran out of bread AGAIN -

[Chezzie]

Ha ha ha! You tell 'em Sarah!

I've got visions of balancing bread tins on the combi-boiler which is situated above the stairwell.  Where's that ladder gone!

[Chezzie]

[TrailRat]

Not really in an airing cupboard, just a warm room will do and considering I bake a lot my kitchen gets quite warm. It's a myth about airing cupboards started because it was the warmest place in the house. With the advent of energy efficent boilers this sometimes is no longer the case. If you don't bake a lot just preheat your oven, and crack the door open slighty to allow your kitchen to warm up. I also understand some people have small kitchens, all my rants was in good humour.

TrailRat

[Chezzie]

Falling, falling, falling SPLAT!!!!

No I'll stick to my bread-maker thanks TR!  ;D

[TrailRat]

oh well, conversion has failed. Next sinner to my door please ;D ;D ;D

TrailRat

[Jesse]

Okay TR, you post your favorite bread recipe here and I'll give hand made bread (without the use of my breadmaker) a go. I'm off to Sainsbury's tomorrow so will ask for some fresh yeast. Can I cheat and use my Kenwood with the dough hook?  :)

[TrailRat]

most certainly, I'll have weigh up what I use because I generaly just dump in ingredients by the handful. And yes you can use a dough hook on your kenwood.

[Chezzie]

And I'll use Abu Hamza.....

[sorry, sorry, sorry just a joke]

[Chezzie]

I'm half converted TR I'll order the fresh yeast again from the baker.  ;)

[gavin]

My printer's bust, and I want to get this recipe to a friend in school - so for anyone else homesick ever for Aberdeenshire --------------- :) :) :)

And for those who are NOT ever homesick for Aberdeen - try these, and you'll understand what I'm talking about!  There is no better breakfast - warm, with a bit of butter and marmalade.

Your call - "croissants are but effete, airy-fairy, pale imitations"; or, "My God, how dare the Scots do this to ... to ... to .... THE CROISSANT!")

Butteries/Rowies  - mostly from the book, with a few "BUTS" I do myself!

Ingredients - for about 16 butteries (?)

1 lb of plain bread flour.
6 oz butter.
4 oz lard.
1 heaped teaspoon of salt.
2 heaped teaspoons of sugar.
½ oz fresh yeast.
¼ pint of tepid water.

Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl.

Cream the fresh yeast, sugar and a little of the tepid water together and add to the flour. Mix the ingredients together with enough water to make a smooth firm dough.  

(BUT - I normally use the equivalent in dried yeast, and follow the instructions on the yeast sachet/box)

Knead the dough well, on a well floured surface, about 10 minutes. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with a warm slightly damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for about an hour - until the dough has doubled in size.

Mix together the butter and lard (BUT - I normally use vegetarian lard, and 6 ozs lard to 4 ozs butter - seems to work better?).

When the dough has risen knock it back, knead it a little.  Then

1. roll it out on a floured surface;
2. dot a third of the butter\lard mixture on the dough (or spread it);
3. fold the dough in three.

Repeat the rolling, dotting and folding twice more.

Now - roll out the dough a last time, quite thinly and cut into squares.  Fold the corners under, and shape them into rough rounds - don't over-work the dough though.  Put the rolls on a greased and floured baking tray, and leave in a warm place to rise for 30-40 minutes.

Bake them in a hot oven (200Ã,°C/ 400Ã,°F) for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on both sides.

Double quantities?  Why not - they keep well in the freezer!

All best - Gavin

PS  Now I just need to find a recipe which makes Baps like they do in Aberdeen!

[Wicker]

Gavin, have only just seen this recipe.  Haven't had a decent butterie since I can't remember when so will sure give it a go.  If you do find a recipe for Aiberdeen baps (Softies to me!) be sure to post it.  Thanks.

[tim]

I'll support that! =  Tim

[RichardS]

Just been reading through this thread with interest...

IMHO (and it _is_ just an opinion!) there's a spectrum of bread, with sliced white at one end thru baker's shops, and then to home made & baked & instantly eaten at the other .

We used to buy most of our bread, but occasionally baked our own and it is just the most satisfying and ultimately rewarding job.  However, it did take forethought and a modicum of effort, and we never really got into the routine of doing it all the time.

Last Christmas I bought Amanda a breadmaker (the Panasonic one) - she absolutely loves kitchen stuff, especially if it does what it claims to.  The first loaf was made a couple of days later, and then the addiction was set.  We've since bought a grand total of two loaves from the supermarket in-house, and they were in exceptional circumstances.

I reckon the breadmaker stuff really is next-best thing to handmade, and the minimal amount of prep time means that it can become a habit even for those on the most hectic schedule.  Setting a timer to make it finish just as you get up in the morning is an absolute bonus!  Of course, if you're lucky enough to have a really top class baker's shop within easy distance it might be second to that, but theu're becoming rare sights these days.

Just my thoughts...

[tim]

All good stuff - but doesn't the machine need improvers & other 'additives'?? Not knocking it. In any event, there's no room in the kitchen. Not even for a dishwasher.

So what does Amanda now do for exercise?? Oh, I know - bath the children?? = Tim

[RichardS]

:-) no kids yet, Tim. far too busy messing about with kitchen gadgets and eating the end results for all that nonsense.... (not to mention I keep disappearing down the allotment).

Only improver to speak of in normal white would be milk powder, and I've read experiences of others who say they miss it out without ill effect, but I couldn't testify to that.  I'll have to experiment.

However, I'd never try and persuade you to go with a machine over and above hand baking.   Ive got a lot of respect for folks that have the discipline to bake their bread by hand, and as I say I reckon home made hand baked is the pinnacle of good bread...

[gavin]

Breadmakers and kids?  BAD mistake.  DO NOT MIX!

At least making bread the hand way, they know it takes time, and that I don't always have the time.  Get a breadmaker?  And it's so quick and simple (almost as good as the other, and a lot less washing up), that we have abandoned arguments about sweets, chocolates, biscuits, and fizzy drinks.  :) :) :)  

It's all - "Where's that bloody loaf gone?  It was sitting there half an hour ago!  You can't have eaten it!!!!!!!  . . .  What . . . all of it?"  ???

AND now the little sods have read the manual, AND discovered the timer.  :( :( :(  So, last thing at night, they're conferring on placing an order for what bread they want for breakfast!!!!

(Note - they stopped reading at the paragraph about the timer.  Turn over the page to work out the recipes themselves -  not likely!  :( )

Be warned - an unwilling, grumpy, (but lazy :)) convert!

[gavin]

For Wicker - nearest I've seen to the baps I remember; just found in 100 Bread Machine Recipes (in The Works remainder shops);  dunno if it works - not yet!

1/2 cup tepid water
1/2 cup warmed milk
2 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled)
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups white bread flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast

Put ingredients in baking pan, and set machine to "dough".

When it's done, knead the dough lightly on a floured surface, and cut into 8 equal pieces.  Shape the lumps into 5 inch disks (about 1/2 inch thick).  Dust with some flour, and cover dough with cling film.

Leave in a warm place to prove (not too warm, as Baps need a longer slower rise)

Preheat oven to 200/400/Gas 6.  

When they have almost doubled in size, remove clingfilm; dust with a little more flour.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden at the edges.

Worth a go?

All best - Gavin

[Wicker]

Don't have a bread machine (yet ;)) but certainly worth a go hand baking, Gavin.  Aberdeen Softies were so very very much better than the lumps of doughy stuff that are now bread rolls full of preservative.  

First time I went to the bakers after moving here when I got married (eons ago) and asked for Six Softies Please I was told "Aye, hen, you'll no get many softies in Leith but plenty hard nuts!".  They just called them Aberdeens here.

P.s. the butteries were very tasty - ate them warm and gave my self indigestion but well worth it - will be more patient next time!