Homemade bread
 

I have been experimenting with making my own bread. I finally just about got it, when I realized it was just way too much work. It takes a lot of hand kneading (unless you have a mixer with a hook) - 10-15 minutes worth. So I decided to checkout bread machines. I came across a highly recommended Panasonic SD-YD250. I have had it for about a week now and have found a recipe I like. I had a fresh loaf 2 days ago when a friend stopped over. I gave it to him as a gift. He had half eaten it before he left. This machine is that good.

Here is a link...

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-SD-YD250-Automatic-Bread-Dispenser/dp/B00005QFL0

He can also use the machine to do the kneading, then form and bake the dough into loaves on a sheet pan.

We have "The Bread Machine" by Welbuilt, that has a lot of different settings and takes a good two hours to rise, knead, rise, knead, and bake a loaf of bread, but so worth it. There is nothing like the smell and taste of warm homemade bread slathered with butter, or even better.....applebutter.

The japanese know their starches, and their electronics.

The setback to using a contained machine vs. oven is the ability to heat the crust fast/efficient, and allow for off-gassing steam safely.
You don't want to use the machine in a draft-free corner under a nice cupboard.

Look into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-knead_bread.
The overnight slow-rise process is supposed to eliminate most of the gluten.
Stick it in the fridge and you chose when to bake it.

If you like crusty bread and don't want to use a bread maker or do any kneading, look no further than here:

No-Knead Bread Recipe - NYT Cooking

Has to rise overnight but if you plan ahead, you will not be disappointed. Its my favorite bread recipe.

I make a no knead sourdough. I have had my starter for about seven years now. It is a little bit of a pain in the butt, but the bread is great.

I've got 2sourdough starters and make this bread....

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/be57uXRf5xo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I got my cultures from these guys, San Francisco and Austrian cultures.
Our Sourdough Cultures | Sourdoughs International

We have a bread maker, and the worst part of making bread at home is the 2 hour wait while it bakes with the aroma of fresh bread wafting through the kitchen! We eat about half a loaf at the first sitting!

Good stuff...
-Z

I'm trying to lose some weight and this is making me crazy. I like good bread.

I went on a diet and lost 50lbs a few years ago. I kept feeding my starter but not making bread for about a year. That was rough. Good luck on the weight loss.

As was mentioned above, the machine can be used to just make the dough. Baguettes and danish, and sour dough are on my list. It usually takes 3-5 attempts until I figure out the art of it. Baking is definitely more than just science. OK actually it is science if you know the humidity and atmospheric pressure and probably a few other specifics of the location you are baking at.

I am retired and I like to learn new things. When I tire of this I will sell the bread machine and move on to something else.

Back to sourdough.....
OK the bread machine makes great regular loaves, but I experimented, after buying a real Kitchen Aid 5 qt mixer, and finally am satisfied with a sourdough bread I have made. I made my own culture, which took 5 days, and after about 6 loaves/days of testing, today I finally have something I am happy with. I love the taste of real sourdough bread to the point I actually ate sourdough bread as my dinner today! Well that and some cantaloupe.
I see from posts above there are other sourdough advocates on this board.

Machines are great if you like boiled bread in an odd shape with a mixer arm baked in! :D

We have a 6 quart kitchen aid stand mixer. Takes 10 minutes of your time - plus wait time. Doing a yeast recipe buying bulk ingredients at Costco. I think we can make a loaf of bread for $.50 including gas ...

G

anybody have a recipe they can share? I haven't used our chef Mate in years, I used to just buy the prepackaged mix and just put the correct amount of water called out

I love the smell of baking bread!
I bought a bread machine at Goodwill for $5 and use it once in a while, when I want a treat. Like stogie25, I can't eat a lot of bread. My wife eats almost none, so it's just a treat to make it.
My son and I had a Sunday morning ritual of making bread for the winter he was 10 years old. It was a great bonding experience that I really looked forward to.

I'd bee kneading a good bread making machine for a while too so bought the panasonic. The great thing about it is you can minimize the salt and sugar, and get a great loaf. The book that comes with it is excellent, and most of the recipes online are based around the panasonic machine too.

This makes a 2 pound loaf; This is the result of lots of experimenting.

In the mixing pan:

155 grams of warm water (about 2/3 cup)
1 Tbsp cooking oil
3 Tbsp molasses

In a separate bowl:

388 grams wheat flour (a bit more than 3 cups)
3 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (yep! I'm swimming against the stream here!)
1.5 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp dry milk powder
1 tsp salt

Pour the dry into the mixing pan, make a little hole in the top of the dry ingredients and add

4 tsp Yeast.

Bake at the whole wheat setting.

When the beeper goes off for added ingredients I put in about 1/4 cup granola.

This makes a nice sort sweet but not too sweet bread that I use to make my lunch sandwiches for the week.

Love making bread...luckily I learned it from my Mom. Nothing beats a fresh warm slice of homemade bread. Yuummmm!!

Nice one.

I use a bread machine, too. One I found at the local thrift shop, no instructions, don't even remember the brand. Makes a nice two pound loaf in about three hours, and I use honey as the sugar source, and I use flaxseed meal as one of the oil sources. About half wheat, half white bread flour, and SAF instant yeast (very consistent). Everyone in the house loves fresh bread, and if the loaf makes it past the second day, it's something of a miracle.