Baking bread for the family

[drpiggledy]

Because I don't like most supermarket breads, both because of taste and the additives, and because I can't afford to buy the fancy breads from the bakery on a regular basis, I started some years ago to bake most of the bread for my household. It took some getting used to, but now that I have a routine established, I'm finding it quite doable. A decent mixer really helps though, as kneading by hand can be time consuming. And my children are only small and don't yet each much. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep it up as they grow bigger and hungrier!

Mostly I just bake a simple yeast bread, the recipe for which I've refined over time until it suited my needs and ingredients perfectly. Sometimes I'll venture into something more adventurous such as soda bread (being in Ireland and all!)

What I've found is that bread is not a cheap filler when it's nice, but rather an ingredient in it's own right. It makes it perfectly acceptable to have a simple salad or even just sandwiches for dinner if there's a nice fresh loaf waiting.

I've considered using a breadmaker, but I don't really have the space. I doubt it would save much time as the bread making doesn't take that long anyway, though the timer would be nice to have.

Anyone else here bake the bread for their family?

 

[Alex H]

Yes, but there's only 2 of us

Don't bother with a breadmaker - you can get far more in the oven and make a greater variety of bread - breadsticks in a breadmaker? I don't think so

 

[chocomore]

I've been contemplating baking my own bread but l have not been proactive enough and my family goes through nearly 14 loafs a week and that all adds up money wise, l need to make a effort and start baking our own bread.

 

[chicken sheila]

I use a bread maker to mix the bread as I find too much kneeding is a killer on my shoulders. After the second mix I take the bread out and allow it to prove as normal before making a variety of loaves and fancy breads, I haven't bought any bread for years!

 

[Night Train]

I should bake more, I am fairly good at bread.

The main reason I don't is that I am one of those people who really don't like getting 'stuff on my hands'. I have a real dislike of putting my hands into gooey things and having sticky or slippery stuff on my fingers. This is despite having been a vehicle mechanic and up to my elbows in 'axle grease', and also doing plumbing where I will put my hand down a soil pipe.
Maybe I need bread making gloves...

I have a desperate need to wash the bread dough off my fingers all the time I am kneeding, until the dough reaches that 'not sticky' phase, then it is ok again.

I don't have a mixer suitable for bread making though.

 

[Arch]

Maybe now we're all grown up (we bought a carpet today!) we should invest (or ask for as a wedding present) a mixer with a dough hook, let that do the messy bit....

 

[Alex H]

Maybe now we're all grown up (we bought a carpet today!) we should invest (or ask for as a wedding present) a mixer with a dough hook, let that do the messy bit....

Kenwood Chef off ebay

An old one not the new rubbish style

get a kit to change the electronics (about £8) and you're set for the next 20 years ( I've had 3 in the last 40 years )

 

[Berties]

We have a Aga so always on we make rolls by hand more in the winter,we buy a block of fresh yeast and divide it and fresh the pieces and use marriages bread flour
I bought my parents a Panasonic bread maker 9 years ago and it is brilliant no mess,nice bread

 

[Night Train]

Kenwood Chef off ebay

An old one not the new rubbish style

get a kit to change the electronics (about £8) and you're set for the next 20 years ( I've had 3 in the last 40 years )

I have (if I can find where I put it) an old cast metal Kenwood that was really good. Then the motor burnt out I think. It made a burning smell and stopped working. I should try and find it and repair it.

The last mixer I repaired was an industrial Hobart that probably weighed 1/4 or 1/3 of a ton. That was only broken gears and bearings so easy to fix.


I should just get over my 'revulsion of sticky stuff on my hands' and get on with baking.

 

[Alex H]

I have (if I can find where I put it) an old cast metal Kenwood that was really good. Then the motor burnt out I think. It made a burning smell and stopped working. I should try and find it and repair it.

The last mixer I repaired was an industrial Hobart that probably weighed 1/4 or 1/3 of a ton. That was only broken gears and bearings so easy to fix.


I should just get over my 'revulsion of sticky stuff on my hands' and get on with baking.

A lot of spares available on ebay

 

[chicken sheila]

Where i live it's not possible to buy Yeast so I make my own, get a large jar ( at least a litre) and put a couple of tablespoons of flour and 4 tablespoons warm water. put somewhere warm and add the two ingredients everyday for 7 days. It should be bubbling nicely. When making bread put about a third of the mixture into the flour, You will be amazed. You can keep adding everyday.

 

[sillver]

Good afternoon everyone!
I saw that this discussion was about baking bread and I had to wander in and comment.
I'm not great at baking bread from scratch. I adore the smell that baking bread fills the house with and even just a whiff of that aroma makes me think of when I was a little girl and my mom would make the occasional loaf of homemade bread.
So because of that wonderful and wonderfully powerful memory, every so often through the years of my adult life, I have attempted to bake bread from scratch. So far with very sad results....the traditional way, that is...lol
Recently I have discovered a method called "No Knead" and I am now actually able to make home made bread!!!
Before I share all of my secrets about No Knead bread, I'd like to ask...has anyone else here ever heard of that method and/or tried it?