Breadmaker queries

[condor]

Hi
I've just bought a cheap Tesco's breadmaker, as someone recommended it in another thread on this forum.
I bought some Hovis bread mix so I could have a go - the instructions on the packet say just add water and optional butter.
Does this mean that the salt/sugar and yeast have already been put in the mix? It doesn't say so on the packet - but because it's a mix, I'm guessing it's been done already? I query it, because in the recipe book it has water first and any oils, then salt/sugar offset to the side, then flour and small pile of yeast centred on top of that. It makes a point of saying that the salt should not be in contact with the yeast.

The other query I have is that it will bleep after the 2nd kneading and before the third for you to put additions into the bread dough. I wanted to have sesame seeds only on the crust - but presumably I'd have to part bake it, then finish it off in the oven? Or would it be best for me to use the dough option and then sprinkle the seeds on and then use the bake option?

Thanks

[Japveesix]

condor said:

Does this mean that the salt/sugar and yeast have already been put in the mix?

Yes. Just follow the instructions and add water

condor said:

The other query I have is that it will bleep after the 2nd kneading and before the third for you to put additions into the bread dough. I wanted to have sesame seeds only on the crust - but presumably I'd have to part bake it, then finish it off in the oven? Or would it be best for me to use the dough option and then sprinkle the seeds on and then use the bake option?

Probably be inclined to finish it in the oven in that case though I imagine you could do it in the breadmaker quite easily as long as you chuck the seeds on at the right stage (with a bit of butter/egg to stick them on). Never tried seeds on top apart from with rolls done in the oven so don't know. Just try it, you'll probably find a good way eventually

And get one of these mixes, yummy:

[motco]

Japveesix said:

condor said:

Does this mean that the salt/sugar and yeast have already been put in the mix?

Yes. Just follow the instructions and add water

condor said:

The other query I have is that it will bleep after the 2nd kneading and before the third for you to put additions into the bread dough. I wanted to have sesame seeds only on the crust - but presumably I'd have to part bake it, then finish it off in the oven? Or would it be best for me to use the dough option and then sprinkle the seeds on and then use the bake option?

Probably be inclined to finish it in the oven in that case though I imagine you could do it in the breadmaker quite easily as long as you chuck the seeds on at the right stage (with a bit of butter/egg to stick them on). Never tried seeds on top apart from with rolls done in the oven so don't know. Just try it, you'll probably find a good way eventually

And get one of these mixes, yummy:

I find that the focaccia mix from Wrights is delicious but it collapses into a concave loaf. Looks weird but tastes great. I actually now make dough with it and bake it in the oven as a flatbread.

[condor]

Thanks for that I'll be experimenting with my first basic loaf tomorrow.
It needs 3 hours from start to finish so I want to get a hang of the timer so I can let it bake overnight.
The first loaf I'll be checking it all the time ( it has a viewing window)just in case there's any problems.

[motco]

I don't know anything about Tesco's machines, but I've had two different brands before my current Panasonic. They both died a death quite quickly and one didn't make brilliant wholemeal loaves - the most difficult fro breadmakers of the 'ordinary' loaves. Not wanting to name and shame all I'd say is Panasonics are the best in my experience.

[condor]

I had read that Panasonics were very good and the one to buy - BUT, someone posted in the last couple of weeks that they'd got a Tescos one for £38 and it was really good. I'd got £10 Tesco points that I doubled up to get the breadmaker for £18 - which I could then class as a bit of fun.
A lot of gadgets that I've bought over the years have ended up in the back of kitchen cupboards - so if this gets used more than a few times...I might then invest in a proper Panasonic ( with the seed dispenser) breadmaker

[motco]

Can't argue with that.

[F i F]

Agree on the Panasonic issue. No question.

Re OP request re sesame seeds, there will be a small amount of kneading after the timer for the additions so in your case for seeds on top it's the dough option, take out, shape, prove, add seeds on top probaly with some sticking agent, eg light brush of milk or somesuch, bake in normal oven.

Home made pizza dough is another one worth trying.

Also if you get the recipe right, then home made baps/bread cakes whatever the local term for these, bought will never taste as good ever again.

[Du1point8]

Is it just me that doesnt get a breadmaker?

It seems to be a waste of money as all it does is a job which you can do very simply??

Flour, water, yeast and a few addatives depending on the bread/pizza dough you want.

mix... beat/knead dough, then let rise for a bit (depends on what you are making to how long)...

make into shapes and add more stuff for top...

Place on Pizza stone (pre heated in oven) and bobs your mothers brother... bread.

So why the needs to have a machine?

[TpdNotts]

Du1point8 said:

Is it just me that doesnt get a breadmaker?

It seems to be a waste of money as all it does is a job which you can do very simply??

Flour, water, yeast and a few addatives depending on the bread/pizza dough you want.

mix... beat/knead dough, then let rise for a bit (depends on what you are making to how long)...

make into shapes and add more stuff for top...

Place on Pizza stone (pre heated in oven) and bobs your mothers brother... bread.

So why the needs to have a machine?

I agree. Butthen I've never used a breadmaker so dont know what I'm missing!

[F i F]

Du1point8 said:

Is it just me that doesnt get a breadmaker?

Well obviously you can do it the traditional way, however there are reasons why one might decide to use a breadmaker.

Time for one thing, all that mixing and kneading takes time and effort. Plus in my Mrs case she suffers quite few aches and pains if does the kneading manually, onset of some sort of arthritis.

Then you have all the faffing with letting it rise, knocking down, kneading a bit more, leting it rise again, knocking down, shaping, proving and so on then baking.

The m/c takes two mins to get ingredients out of cupboard, weigh/measure, add into pot, switch on, store remaining ingredients away again. Two minutes, and then you can get on with othr stuff without having to break off and do all the other stuff.

Having said all that, we manily use our machine as a dough maker, so it does all the initial mixing, kneading, letting it rise, knocking it down and letting it rise again automatically. The final shaping, proving and baking is done the traditional way which is what we prefer. I suspect that loaves done properly, completely manually the old way ARE better, but time and effort.

It's just a matter of choice, that's all.

[motco]

It's simple really. Of course it's satisfying to make bread by hand, but it is very time consuming and if you really aren't turned on by that sort of thing but like freshly made bread at a bargain price, the bread maker is ideal. We get the equivalent of a large commercial uncut wholemeal loaf, better than almost anything from a shop, for about 60p. It takes, as stated, 2 minutes and in the morning you've got a hot fresh loaf. What's the puzzle in that? As for the cost of the machine, my Panasonic has lasted years, still goes well, and if you amortise the £100 or so it cost over the thousands of loaves it's made, you will still find it more economical than Mother's Pride, Hovis, or Sainsbury's wholemeal.

[condor]

I only got it out of the box earlier today, and it is currently doing a granary bread mix as its first loaf. An hour in and it's still doing the kneading bit. It does make quite a bit of noise, so doubtful about having it on during the night.

I've been looking through the recipe book that came with it and was quite interested in 'potato bread' which adds potato flakes and dried parsley to the basic white bread recipe. Anyone tried this?

[zakelwe]

The whole point of making home made bread is to do the whole thing.

If you can't be arsed spending some time and muscle power doing it yourself then just get it from the super market already made. With a breadmaker you are just saving Tesco's some space so they don't have to make your loaf whilst making a profit on the kit they have sold you.



Andy

Edited by zakelwe on Wednesday 24th November 21:13

[zakelwe]

motco said:

It's simple really. Of course it's satisfying to make bread by hand, but it is very time consuming and if you really aren't turned on by that sort of thing but like freshly made bread at a bargain price, the bread maker is ideal. We get the equivalent of a large commercial uncut wholemeal loaf, better than almost anything from a shop, for about 60p. It takes, as stated, 2 minutes and in the morning you've got a hot fresh loaf. What's the puzzle in that? As for the cost of the machine, my Panasonic has lasted years, still goes well, and if you amortise the £100 or so it cost over the thousands of loaves it's made, you will still find it more economical than Mother's Pride, Hovis, or Sainsbury's wholemeal.

How can it take 2 minutes?



Andy

[condor]

The 2 minutes is to put the ingredients in the machine and then press the start button...it then takes 3 hours plus for the breadmaker to do its job.

My first loaf has been made, and is cooling on a rack. First impressions aren't too bad...it seems to have plenty of air inside. It isn't as big as I was expecting 6"x 4.5" and the end crust ( the one facing the top end of the machine) has the look of a burst deflated balloon - the other end has a rather neat hole where the kneading paddle was. I suspect that the idea is that we chop both ends off, and are then just left with the middle. I'll taste that tomorrow.

[F i F]

zakelwe said:

couple of posts howing he has not a clue

Situation normal then.

It's not can't be arsed, as mentioned above my Mrs likes to make the bread as it is superior to he supermarket version, however the kneading makes her arms and hands ache for reasons as mentioned.

@ condor, the hole from the paddle you just work round, sounds quite a small loaf that. However this is the reason we use ours as a dough maker up to the final shape, prove and bake point. Also allows you to make different types, bloomers, tea cakes, pave, baguettes, ficelle and so on.

[GreenDog]

Our Panasonic can also be used to make jams, not that we've tried tbh.

[kelk]

We are about to swap our Kenwood one for the panasonic. We recieved it as a wedding present and the bread has been fanstatic but the hinge broke on the door, Basically it's a weak piece of plastic acting as a housing for the hinge rod.

Looking on line the Panasonic seems the choice of choices and the Kenwood is prone to issues.

Loving the home made bread though

[JimboM3]

motco said:

I find that the focaccia mix from Wrights is delicious but it collapses into a concave loaf. Looks weird but tastes great. I actually now make dough with it and bake it in the oven as a flatbread.

Agreed! I add garlic to the dough and like you then bake as a flat bread. I smother with garlic butter and herbs about 15 min from the end. Best Garlic bread ever. It looks really good (and appears far more time consuming/complicated than it really is) when served up for guests.

Jim