Thanks For the Bread Tips
 

I have taken all your complaints, hints and information on packaged breads to heart and this Christmas I bought myself, with some of the gift cards I received at the office, a lovely bread machine that makes up to a 2 pounder with little fuss or muss.

Now I can control what "additives" are in my bread and I have to say the bread that I've made so far is awesome. Yes, Roland, there is that word again:p

My DH is enjoying it and is actually having a sandwich now and again. So far I have made Italian bread, herb bread with cheese, caraway rye bread and I'm going to be adventurous this weekend and they a type of multi-grain bread. One loaf of 1-1/2 lbs will last us for a week or longer. But without preservatives I don't know how much longer.

An added plus to this is that with diabetes, I am only allowed so many carbs per meal and two slices of pre-packaged bread alone would nearly send me over the limit but not so with the homemade bread. I can have a moderate sandwich now and within the prescribed timeframe after a meal have my glucose count well within the normal range.

Thanks, again.

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My wife has tried and tried to bake bread and it never works. We even tried a machine and it still never came out edible. She makes great pies,cakes, biscuits, cookies... everything but bread.:(

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I'm lucky enough to get decent bread at the supermarket, I cut it into slices and freeze it because it would take a couple of weeks to use.

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Me too, why is that? I got the machine so that I could set the timer and have fresh baked bread in the morning but, while the aroma was great, it never turned out properly. Could have built houses with the loaves.:D

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The missus has that issue..FIL makes great bread though...nothing beats the smell of home made bread...

Though the missus makes a great cheese, onion and bacon bread loaf which is superb with marmite :D

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I would love a bread maker but my wife seems to think it's a waste of money :( I just can't eat the bread here as it doesn't seem as filling and I certainly don't trust the fact you can leave a loaf in a cupboard for 2 months and it not be green by the time you throw it away.

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it might be the type of yeast that you use, my dad use to be a baker and says the it is important to use good quality yeast!

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Also important in the bread machine not to allow the yeast to touch the wet ingredients. You put in the liquid first and then add the flour, etc. when that is complete make a small well in the flour but don't go all the way done to the liquid. Then add the yeast to the well and start your machine. I found Fleischmann yeast to be the best so far. The caraway rye is dense but light and so flavorful. The machine was only 65.00 on yahoo.

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Hmmm I will try the Fleischmann yeast and see if that helps. I made bread no problem in the UK, but since I've been in the US I've tried two different breadmakers and mostly it's been a complete failure :(

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I have been to this store over in Vermont, some of the bakeware they sell you can get at other places cheaper but their knowledge and flours and everything else are top rate. They do have free online baking classes too, one of the classes is specifically for bread machines.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/

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It's not cheap though...we used to get it from the bulk bins in the co-op in belfast, but the sam's club stuff ain't to bad either...

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I've heard of the brand but it is not available in our local market, although Super Stop & Shop is introducing more and mroe New England brand products, i.e. Hood diary products.

I will look for it and give it a shot.

Oh, one thing that the reviewers did say when I was researching which bread machine to buy is that you should NOT use the recipes that come with the machine. They claim they don't come out well. I purchased a bread making cook book and have had no problems.

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I would like that recipe please Bob, hold the marmite.........:eek:

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I'll ask her over the weekend :)

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No the King Arthur stuff isn't cheap but it is really good.

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I get my muesli from http://www.bobsredmill.com/index.php

They have various flours, some are organic.

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I would love the onion as that is one of my favorite breads but hold the cheese and especially the bacon. Now if anyone has a recipe for a good raisin/cinanimom bread, pass it along.

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Any good breadmaker recipe books anyone can recommend?

I tried a recipe book from the library but the resulting loaves were still like bricks :confused:

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Why don't you just give up, bake bricks and then sell them as "green" building materials? :)

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Ah yes, I remember it well. Sigh. :(

Down here it's White Lily flour.

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I use King Arthur for almost all baking. It's the better of the two brands I've used in the US.

... and I use White Lily just for making biscuits.

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Not a bad idea...

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Rete ..... You have the best bread I ever tasted right in your back yard (so to speak)

'Bastone' bakery in Yonkers makes the best I have ever tasted, we send guys out in the early hours from the sugar refinery to get the stuff for our early morning feasts ;)

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So I just got sent a load of recipes (thank you), went and got the breadmaker out... only to find the paddle is missing.

:frown: I suspect a small 2 year old had something to do with it.

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oooh that's a paddling












sorry bad Simpsons joke :unsure:

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Agreed. They sell to all the local stores in the Yonkers area. When you are next down in Yonkers ask any of the older locals if they know of Landy's. It is on Linden Street and makes what we Yonkerites call "wedges". It is a hero with the choices cold cuts topped with lettuce, tomato, oil, vinegar and your choice of mayo or mustard and one wedge feed three people and was so cheap.

Mclean Heights (my living area) sells freshly made Irish breads and they are the best I've ever had.

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Ray maybe able to help you there Rete....Joycee makes cinnamon raisin bread.

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Would you really really really trust a recipe from Ray?

If you could get it directly from Joycee, fine.....but....

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I love it ..two slice every morning ....

recipe came in the breadmaker book ....
I will copy it if yours aint got one ..

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Thanks ... found it in my breadmaker book.

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I can even do it ..so I know you can ...

although when I trebled the amount of raisins
that was not a great success ...

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oh same here! When we try it comes out hard as a rock.

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No need to waste a lot of money. Go to your local Thrift Store, you'll find one for about $5.
No one wanted our one, sold it at a garage sale for a whooping $1
Then, if you like it, you can upgrade to a store brought one.
OR, put a posting on your local Craigslist WANTED Bread Machine :)

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meh...posted that cheesy bacon bread in the recipe thread -
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...52#post6036152

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Hi there all you bread lovers, just thought I would let you know that King Arthur Flours are havign a bread demo in Tulsa on Saturday the 15th march. There are two classes one for sweet breads in am and pm its artisan breads. Im hoping to go to both, if anyone wants details just contact me, or check the website.

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I've decided to give our bread machine another go and see if we can make something that is not a brick.

For those who have successes, I'd love some of the recipes specifically for bread machines. (I am going to try Bob's recipe too).

Also, I know a few brands of flour have been mentioned, but are there any other secret tips to getting it edible??

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1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 package yeast
3/4 cup raisins



Directions:
Add all ingredients, except raisins, to the bread maker pan in the order listed (or as directed in your bread maker instructions).


Set bread maker to the regular setting and start. Add raisins when the beeper sounds to add additional ingredients.


Exact measurements with the ingredient

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Better try freecycle.

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never tried it in a bread machine, only by hand, it's a pretty easy recipe though, quite a dense bread which is lovely :)

apparently it shouldn't go in a bread machine because it doesn't have yeast.