I've been reading up on here about these, and am sorely tempted.
I've only tried my hand at baking a couple of times, and it all ended in disaster ;D so a bread maker sounds like the ideal solution!
asked my OH's opinion on it last night and he said he thought it would be one of those kitchen gadgets that gets used 3 times, then the novelty wears off and it ends up cluttering up the kitchen cupboard, next to the toasted sandwich maker.
(translation: I'll only use it 3 times, he'll never touch it, then I'll get bored with it 'cos I'm faddy ::))
but reading about how you can set it up before you go to bed then wake up to a freshly baked loaf is ever so tempting :)
Supersprout posted info about the top 3 as voted for by Which:
Panasonic SD253 £90
Morphy Richards Cooltouch Fastbake 48280 £40
Team International BBA52 Rapido £50
the general opinion seems to be that the panasonic is the best, but I wondered if anyone had the morphy richards and if so how good is it (given that it's half the price of the panasonic!)?
NL, I have the panasonic and can highly recommend it! ;D
The novelty of daily baked did wear off, (Made the mistake of taking it off the kitchen counter and putting in a cupboard!!)but having said that, I still use it at least a couple of times a week, and the nut/seed dispenser is a great addition cos you don't have to worry about chucking them in at the right time, it does it for you!
I bit the bullet and went for the more expensive panasonic after reading up on it on the net.
Not a lot of help to you though on your Morphy Richards question tho sorry! :-\
The Panasonic.....I had borrowed several from friends over time to try before I committed myself. Arms were letting me down and I needed something to help out now and again. Personally I thought they were all rubbish till I borrowed the Panasonic . As far as I am concerened this is the only one . I haver had mine 4 years now, it is used 3 or 4 times a week. My test was a sprouted wheat granary loaf (that is a good test) and it came out light as air. Amazon was cheapest by far then
XX Jeannine
sorry can't comment on any of yours although mine is older morphy richards and very good. No fancy bits like seed dispenser which i now want! After the novelty wore off it's use has declined a bit but i do still use it quite a bit. I have found them excellent for pizza bases - put in before school run and ready to go by the time i get home- brilliant. ;D
We've had a Morphy Richards fastbake for a couple of years - no real problems with it but we haven't used any other to compare it against.
It gets used quite a lot between diets (i.e. just about never!)
I do get fed up cleaning the pan and measuring out the ingredients but its worth it the bread is alot better and better for you. I bake a loaf every day in a panasonic that we only paid £20, since having it 4 years we have had to buy a new pan.
Panasonic with seed dispenser- brill!!! ;)
Cost just under £100
My vote goes to the Panasonic with nut dispenser too. Often set it on delayed timer to finish cooking around 6am. Then we all wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread. Great start to the day.
The Panasonic is in this house as well and gets used quite a bit when OH takes the notion for toast in the morning. It has never let us down and we have had it a few years now. I prefer my Warburtons but then I am a faddy eater but I do enjoy the smell of baked bread when he makes it overnight and I come through to it in the morning. Go for it, buy one........
thanks all for your thoughts so far, they're much appreciated :)
have just scampered to Debenhams as they've got a sale on at the moment and guess what?!?
all their bread makers have been destroyed in a freak accident :o
apparently they were all stacked up against one wall and there was a flood on the floor above... typical ::)
has anyone used a bread maker to make tiger bread?
if they can make tiger bread then my OH will be convinced ;D
Try Amazon, they won't caharge you postage.
Re having to weigh out stuff.
I buy my flours in a millers sack and make my own bread kits every so often, about 20 at time, everything goes in but the oil and water.
20 seconds flat, open machine, add bag of mix, add oil and water press the button. Go out!!
XX Jeannine
What a good idea Jeannine!!! ;)
ours is a cheapo from asda, brilliant machine, nothing fancy 'though..
but, the best thing I have is a book called..one hundred bread machine recipes by vicki smallwood...don't know about tiger bread but there's a mean recipe for blueberry and almond loaf that's lovely..
we use the machine lots for dough for pizzas, pittas and naan bread
Wow, you've inspired me to get ours out of the cupboard, where it's been since we moved in last June :o I'd forgotten how gorgeous the smell of fresh bread is at 6.30am ;D
Great idea too Jeannine about making up the kits ;)
Jeannine do you add yeast as well to your kits? I buy a 25g packet of yeast that stays in the fridge.
Yes, I put in the 2 flours,salt,sugar,powdered milk,yeast and ascorbic acid. I just add the water and oil before I bake. The yeast is fine, I have never had it not rise. I buy it in larger amounts,I can't be fussing with little packages.
XX Jeannine
not sure which one we have but its fairly basic..
I think you should try freecycle as there are usualy a few pop up there, that way you can get the feel for one without having to spend money.
Ive got a basic one - but it does have a jam function - only makes 1 jar of jam but we don't eat lots of jam so there would be no point in making 40 jars.
Mine is a Morphy Richards - the jam and bread take less than 3 minutes effort once you get used to it. Also does the best sponges ever great accompaniment to excess fruit (with ice cream / custard). The only ting that annoys me is the hole in the bottom of the loaf!
Top tip would be to get one with a large pan and also buy an additional recipe book. Theres some really interesting breads out there - chili and sweetcorn (to go with clam chowder) anyone? :)
Oh Glow, did you have to mention clam chowder. my favourite and no more can I run down to the beach and collect my clams, I shall sulk all day now XX Jeannine
I too would highly recommend the Panasonic. I got mine from Amazon, they delivered the next day!
I hope that helps!
barkingdog
thanks all for your help!
am now the proud owner of a panasonic and it's baking its very first loaf as I type ;D
the house smells deelishus and it's a welcome distraction to stop me from spending the rest of the BH weekend with my face pressed up against the window, watching the rain and thinking of all the things I could be doing at my allotment :(
Well Done, now if you want a super recipe for a granary type loaf let me know XX Jeannine
OH and take it the out the minute you can and pop it on a cooling tray, it will be crisper that way
Quote from: Jeannine on May 27, 2007, 14:03:07
Well Done, now if you want a super recipe for a granary type loaf let me know XX Jeannine
yes please!!! thank you!!!
QuoteOH and take it the out the minute you can and pop it on a cooling tray, it will be crisper that way
cooling on a rack as I type ;D
OH has already had his wrist slapped for nibbling the corner as soon as it came out of the tin ::)
NL, you will be baking your little socks off all weekend......well the machine will be anyhow! ;D ;D Congratulations!
I tend to use this book for recipes instead of the one that came with the machine
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fresh-Bread-Morning-Your-Machine/dp/0716021544/ref=sr_1_4/202-4111616-8561465?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180272891&sr=1-4 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fresh-Bread-Morning-Your-Machine/dp/0716021544/ref=sr_1_4/202-4111616-8561465?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180272891&sr=1-4)
Good value for money and tends to use more natural ingredients. The seeded loaf in here is fab!
Enjoy your machine and its produce ;D
DP
Recipe for my everyday loaf that I made for my Panasonic. it makes the big loaf.
Just a word. I buy Bradmalt flour from a local mill, it is a sprouted wheat flour, the second flour is also theirs which is a strong white.
7 fluid ounces of water plus 6 ounces of milk OR 13 ounces plus 2 tbsps milk powder.
1 pound Bradmalt flour
4 ounces strong white flour
2 tsps. salt
3 tsps sugar
2 tbls oil ( or melted butter)
1 teaspoon yeast
If you prefer the recipe in cup measures using a 250 ml cup
2 and 3/4 cups Bradmalt flour
2/3 rd cup strong white flour
same salt, sugar, oil ,yeat as above
1 1/2 cups water with 2 tablespoons dry milk.
I cook it on the 5 hour brown bread cycle. maximum sized loaf, medium crust.
It is very light, and a little sweet.
I make up kits ahead of time , everything in except the fluids.
I never worry about putting this or that in first, just bung all the dries in ,put the wets on top and go.
XX Jeannine
thanks DP for the tip on that book, might just invest in a copy ;)
and thanks too Jeannine for your loaf recipe, will be giving that a try too ;D
bought some ready-to-go seeded bread mix from the local health food shop and made two loaves over the weekend: both deelishus ;D you can definitely taste the absence of salt, which makes you realise how much is added to supermarket bread :-\
looking forward to experimenting! at least now I have something constructive to do when it rains ;D
Unfortunately in this house rain=housework for me! :'( :'( Bring back the sunshine!!!