I was given this 2 years ago and just this weekend I made my first bread. Just some plain white rolls, but I made them and they tasted pretty good. Good enough to eat, but not so good that I don't think I can do better. I think I might get hooked though. I love the alchemy of it all. The way dough comes together, the rise, the finished result. saw him make one of these on tv called a puffball. Looks amazing ( not made by me!!)
WHERE can I find some bread-machine recipes that won't result in such a heavy, dense loaf? I LOVE homemade bread but even if I just use the machine to make the dough, it still comes out really heavy. I want to lighten up my loaves...
I have this rocking good gingerbread recipe using Golden Syrup and black treacle. It always gets eaten before pics can be made.
1 kg flour, type 550 625 ml slightly warm water 30 g honey or sugar 30 g fresh yeast or 3 pcs dry yeast (à 21g) 30 g salt Use half of the water to solve the yeast and honey / sugar. Mix flour and salt and make a hole/dip in the middle. pour the yeast/honey/sugar mixture into it. Solwly work the dry ingredients into it. Now add the 2nd half of the water and work it until you have a 'wet' dough. Roll, work, fold, press for 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough. If the dough sticks to your hands, put some flour on your hands and rub them together. Also put some flour onto the dough and form a loaf. Put it onto a baking tray and make some scratches with your knife. This helps the dough to rise quicker. Wait until the volume has doubled (40min. - 1.5h) and preheat the oven. Let the dough rise at a warm place w. no draught. When the dough is ready, work the dough for 1 minute to get the air out. Form a loaf again, and let it rise a 2nd time until it is twice the size again (make sure it is not standing in draught) Put the bread into the oven and bake it, until it sounds hollow, when you knock on its bottom.
My bread machine recipe is 2 1/4c white flour 1 c whole wheat 3/4c oats 2 tbs butter 3-4 tbs molasses 2 tsp salt 1.5 c milk 1.5 tsp yeast. I have a panasonic machine that I love and this makes the best loaf I have come up with.
also make sure you aren't using too much liquid. I routinely adjust the flour after the first couple mixes to make sure it isn't too heavy.
Something I started to do last year. Italian sourdough - No "yeast" added. total rise time 9 hours Cinnabon ain't got nuttin soft pretzels for fun with my daughter
Go for one with two kneaders, and as many metal parts as possible. I've got a cheapo one which has worn its plastic gears and has become rather useless (I'll probably go and get it repaired, eventually).