Bread. What's the big deal?

[Herbsman.]

*awaits Herbie*

CBA TBH

 

[soulfulofsoul]

Could you please give us your recipe? You've made me want to give it a go.

 

[mr steev]

250g white bread flour
250g granary flour (I keep meaning to get some seeds and grains to just mix with the white flour)
300ml water
1oz butter (unsalted)
1/2tsp salt
2tsp sugar
packet of yeast

The extra sugar gives it a very tasty crust. I don't like salty foods and find that 1/2 tsp is plenty. Chuck it all in the machine, which takes less than 2 minutes, job done.

The thing is with making your own bread is that as long as you don't monumentiously fuck it up (like stobbarts pig did, and not get it to rise properly) then it is still going to taste better than most of the stuff you buy in the shops (if you eat it reasonably quickly)

 

[tarannau]

I've only made bread a few times and it's turned out ok. I'm happy enough leaving it to the bakers tbh, especially given the limited amounts the two of us eat.

Breadmaker bread is always disappointing to me. I guess it's better than cheapo chorleywood stuff, but there's something offputting about the lack of proper crust. A rudimentary baker can outperform the very best machine imo

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Could you please give us your recipe? You've made me want to give it a go.

Sod bread makers.

500g of whatever flour
66g butter
teaspoon and a half of salt
Packet of that yeast stuff.

Stick it in the mixer or chopper or whatever -
- Wizzzzz -

Add 300ml warm water (I use boiled water that has cooled a little)

Mix again

- Wizzz -

Does it look right? Take it out and give it a short tug.
Plop it in oven container/pot you are going to cook it in.
Cover and wait for it to double in size. (about 1/2 hour to an hour)
Preheat an over at 230c
Bung the loaf in covered for 30 mins
Take it out - check it
Maybe bung it in another 10-15 with the cover off.

Done.

 

[mr steev]

but there's something offputting about the lack of proper crust.

I find adding a bit of sugar gives you a good crust. The top of my loaves tend to be a bit disappointing tbh, but I think that is because there is a small crack on the lid of my machine after it walked it's way off the table whilst kneading! I never had a problem before then.

The hole in the bottom of the loaf where the paddle goes is the most annoying thing about my machine. But I can live with that if I can get a fresh loaf baked as I sleep for 2 minutes effort the night before

 

[Brainaddict]

You are right, it is easy to make, and for some reason people act like it's really difficult.

My tips: honey, or extra virgin olive oil, or piles of seeds, or some combination of these three, will liven up any loaf.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I used to make bread a lot, and found it easy if time consuming. I even used to make lovely hot cross bun type spiced tea bread rolls. They were utterly yummy, but you can't use a mixer for them because it shreds the raisins and that is weird - I know, because I tried

I also used to make cakes and scones a lot, too.

These days, I only make bread if I have people coming for dinner, and then only if I am trying to impress. So rarely. I don't eat much bread at all in fact. I still make scones quite often, though, including vegan ones on occasion.

 

[subversplat]

You are right, it is easy to make, and for some reason people act like it's really difficult.

My tips: honey, or extra virgin olive oil, or piles of seeds, or some combination of these three, will liven up any loaf.

Olive Oil for a good foccacia, oh yeah

 

[ExtraRefined]

66g butter

Any bread with that much fat in it is going to be good .

The advantage of a breadmaker is that it takes about 3 minutes of work to make a loaf, and that's all at the start. Making it by hand requires at least 30 minutes, spread out over an evening. I've got a loaf out of mine twice a week for the last 3 years now, and also use it for brioche, pizza dough, chelsea buns, lardy cake etc

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Never made bread, but might be tempted to give it a go now.

At the risk of sounding dumb, where do you get yeast from? Are there different types etc.?


I do know a smidgen about flour though; At the weekend on Countryfile the resident farmer had some wheat the quality of which was downgraded after he'd planted but before harvesting, so he was looking to use it for something else. Some drunken baker suggested bread and although it wasn't bread flour it made smashing poncy bread that he was able to flog for £2.50 a pop down the farmers' market.

 

[subversplat]

You can get fiddly old style yeast that you have to activate and keep in a fridge, or dried sachets of "easy" yeast that you just bung in with flour and water (and a bit of salt, for normal bread ). They're in the "baking" isle at every supermarket.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

You can get fiddly old style yeast that you have to activate and keep in a fridge, or dried sachets of "easy" yeast that you just bung in with flour and water (and a bit of salt, for normal bread ). They're in the "baking" isle at every supermarket.

Supermarkets have a 'baking aisle'?

 

[kittyP]

What is your 'chopper' 'wizzer' AS? (oooh err)

Do you mean a food processor or electric mixer?

I really don't think I have the strength in my hands for fully kneading bread dough. They are small, weak and I have a iffy knuckle joints.

 

[kittyP]

Supermarkets have a 'baking aisle'?

The full sized ones do. Some of the little local ones too.

 

[subversplat]

Supermarkets have a 'baking aisle'?

Yeah, it's got flour, yeast, baking soda, little pots of colour, plastic things that say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", that sort of stuff. Often it's only a small bit In Morissons it says "HOME BAKING" on the sign.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Yeah, it's got flour, yeast, baking soda, little pots of colour, plastic things that say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", that sort of stuff. Often it's only a small bit In Morissons it says "HOME BAKING" on the sign.

Scary shit. I shall look out for it next time I'm in.




*How have I got to 37 years old with not knowing this???

 

[mr steev]

The full sized ones do. Some of the little local ones too.

The asda by me has a homebaking section which is mostly ready mixes for bread, cakes, dumplings, pancakes (ffs!) and food colourings. They do sell yeast though. The fast action one is by far the easiest and most reliable

 

[heinous seamus]

Why did the baker have brown hands?

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

Salt - most overused, and least understood of the condiments.

It's a taste catalyst.

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

Why did the baker have brown hands?

Because he kneeded a poo.

 

[heinous seamus]

Eh? No he was making a wholemeal loaf.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

What is your 'chopper' 'wizzer' AS? (oooh err)

Do you mean a food processor or electric mixer?

I really don't think I have the strength in my hands for fully kneading bread dough. They are small, weak and I have a iffy knuckle joints.

This.

Seems to do all the work for me.

You can even pour the warm water into the top until it turns into dough before your eyes (as it whizzzes around) so that you don't over do it.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Any bread with that much fat in it is going to be good .

I have done it without any and it has been fine too. I'm not sure why I have been using so much, I think I will cut back.

The advantage of a breadmaker is that it takes about 3 minutes of work to make a loaf, and that's all at the start. Making it by hand requires at least 30 minutes, spread out over an evening.

Read the thread. You will see that I spend no longer than 5 minutes mixing my dough in the morning. I then leave it and bake it for 30 minutes in the evening.

I don't spend 30 minutes sitting in front of the cooker.

A bread-maker seems like not only a big waste of money but a big waste of space. I can see the attraction of not bothering to cook but my first point was that it is not even slightly hard or time consuming to bake bread anyway, but nobody seems able to even attempt it.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Supermarkets have a 'baking aisle'?

Even my shitty little tesco metro garage has easy bake yeast.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

The asda by me has a homebaking section which is mostly ready mixes for bread, cakes, dumplings, pancakes

This makes me the maddest. It's like a forgotten baking talent. Who can't mix suet and flour to make dumpling mix?????

 

[mr steev]

A bread-maker seems like not only a big waste of money but a big waste of space.

But you use a food processor!

I'll accept that bread is best made by hand, but you can't beat the convinience of a machine. Even if you rush the kneading stage, you're still going to have to be there to put the oven on, and to take it out. Most machines have timers so you just plug it in and it's done whenever you want it

 

[gentlegreen]

I don't spend 30 minutes sitting in front of the cooker.

but you have to remember to go back to the dough - as opposed to falling asleep.

I often end up making my bread on the "rapid" cycle because I've done that ...

Like I said, let's see you do it several times a week, every week

 

[mr steev]

This makes me the maddest. It's like a forgotten baking talent. Who can't mix suet and flour to make dumpling mix?????

Aye.

The pancake one makes me laugh... just add 1/2 pint of water and an egg to the packet! Sooo much easier than adding 1/2 pint of milk and an egg to some flour

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Even my shitty little tesco metro garage has easy bake yeast.

You quite literally learn something new every day. Especially round 'ere

This makes me the maddest. It's like a forgotten baking talent. Who can't mix suet and flour to make dumpling mix?????

Me