Bread machine?

[MexicoKaren]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I missed it. I bake most of my own bread, mostly using my KA mixer to knead. I used to have a bread machine, but stopped using it years ago when I discovered how easy it is to make bread using the KA. So I gave the machine away before I left for Mexico. Today, I went to a "bazar", i.e., rummage/yard sale and found a Breadmaster bread machine for only 50 pesos(about $4 USD). It seems to work fine; my first loaf is finishing right now and looks pretty good. This will be a real help during the hot summers when I'm disinclined to heat up the kitchen by using the oven - not something I even thought about before I moved here. Soooo - what is the verdict on bread machines? Does anyone use them? Does anyone know where I can find some really good recipes? As always, thanks in advance.

 

[JoeV]

Congratulations on a great deal. I'm a flea market/thrift store junky, and consider it a coup when I get a great deal.

I returned my bread machine, like yourself, when I started using my KA. I did not like teh way it baked bread, and I find no reason to go back. I can ventilate my kitchen in all seasons, so that's not a factor for me. If you like the way the machine makes bread, then by all means use it. The Internet is overflowing with BM recipes, so you should be able to find anything you want. Do remember that you cannot use time delay with all recipes, especially those with eggs and milk. You have to make those when you prepare the ingredients or risk problems with spoilage. If you didn't get a manual with the machine, check to see if one is available online to check on food safety issues.

Good Luck!

 

[PieSusan]

I have found with mine (a regal) that if I don't stick with recipes specifically made for my specific machine, I wind up with a big mess that is hard to clean up. So, try to find an online version of the manual. Lora Brody has bread machine books (3) that give different amounts and directions for each recipe according to type of bread machine you own.

I hope this helps. It is why I rarely use my bread machine. I prefer to bake bread using my kitchenaid and kneading a bit by hand and shaping and using the oven.

Perhaps if I hadn't had bread explosions and silly looking loaves, I would feel differently.

 

[PieSusan]

Check for the manual here:
Bread Maker manuals, user manuals, owners manuals, how-to instructions and help.

 

[AMSeccia]

I remember a book called Electric Bread that tested their recipes on a wide range of makes and models. They used to have a website as well. I will gladly dig it out for you if you'd like me to see if your machine is listed.

 

[mcnerd]

I have a Breadman Bread machine, my third over many years, and love them and try to make healthy loaves whenever I can. Many people use it just for kneading the dough (especially nice when you get older) and then finish the bread in the oven so there is no hole in the bottom.

The most important part of making bread in a machine is check the dough during the mixing cycle and add more flour/liquid so the dough is the right consistency. If you don't you may never be happy with the results.

 

[MexicoKaren]

Thanks to everyone for your helpful advice. McNerd, I made some dough tonight for cinnamon rolls in the bread machine and it was beautiful, easy to handle dough. I did add a bit of flour as it kneaded, and it seems just perfect. So much easier and less messy - I expect I'll continue to use it for that purpose. The bread that I made in the machine was disappointing, in that it stuck pretty badly to the pan. Maybe the machine is old and the nonstick has worn off. But the dough came out pretty easily...and the mangled loaf of bread did taste really good.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I remember a book called Electric Bread that tested their recipes on a wide range of makes and models. They used to have a website as well. I will gladly dig it out for you if you'd like me to see if your machine is listed.

That is an awesome book!!! If you find a copy Karen, snap it up! But you may find that because of the humidity there, you will always need to cut back on the wet ingredients. I always have to cut my liquids when I make dough at the coast. And even then, sometimes, I have to add extra flour. So you may need to adjust your recipes, even if they are specific to your machine.

I have the same results as you do with both of my bread machines when I try to bake bread in them, but they are perfect for making the dough.

 

[Slake]

I've had some problems over the years with KA mixers that I've used for mixing dough. I bake bread twice a week and maybe I've just overtaxed them, but I'm on my third one in six years. I've been using the most powerful models, but I've broken gears, had lubiricant leaking down the shaft, etc. I have a Zojirushi bread machine I've had for six years now. I put it on the shelf for a while, as I didn't really like baking bread in it but when the KA problems got chronic I dug it out and started mixing my dough with it. Works terrific and I haven't had a problem in years of use, so even if you don't end up baking in your machine, it's always good to have for making your dough.

 

[Saphellae]

I have been having a problem with my new bread machine, but I picked up a tip from my father that will probably fix it.
I have been using cold water and the bread turns out... well.. more of a lump of cooked twists and swirls.
I'll make one with warm, not hot, water today and see how it turns out.

I can't wait to see if it will turn out.. I'm getting sick of making bread and then only being able to break it apart for dipping... I want to be able to SLICE it and put it in the toaster or something.

 

[JoeV]

I have been having a problem with my new bread machine, but I picked up a tip from my father that will probably fix it.
I have been using cold water and the bread turns out... well.. more of a lump of cooked twists and swirls.
I'll make one with warm, not hot, water today and see how it turns out.

I can't wait to see if it will turn out.. I'm getting sick of making bread and then only being able to break it apart for dipping... I want to be able to SLICE it and put it in the toaster or something.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but it sounds like you don't have enough moisture in your dough. It sounds like it's so dry that it won't stick to itself and make a solid loaf. I believe this is a recipe problem and not a machine problem. You should be able to slice every loaf of bread from your machine.

Your dough should have warm water (110 F but not over 115 F) so it can proof well. Cold water retards gluten development.

 

[mcnerd]

Yeast likes a warm bath, not a sauna nor doused with cold water. If the water isn't the right temperature they won't rise to the occasion.

 

[pugger]

We have a nice, hardly used Hitachi. Had it for about 12 years. Sits in our appliance graveyard , (an extra pantry-type closet) where I'm fixing to move the slow-cooker to .

We made bread in it about a year or so ago. I say that because we have a couple of boxes of bread mix in the pantry.

 

[JoeV]

We have a nice, hardly used Hitachi. Had it for about 12 years. Sits in our appliance graveyard , (an extra pantry-type closet) where I'm fixing to move the slow-cooker to .

We made bread in it about a year or so ago. I say that because we have a couple of boxes of bread mix in the pantry.

People buy bread mix? You don't do it from scratch? Water, flour, salt yeast...They sell that in a box? Wow....I really didn't know that.

 

[mcnerd]

Last time I checked, adding water, flour, salt, yeast, herbs and often other ingredients to make bread was working from "scratch".

All the box does is pre-measure the ingredients a person needs and provides a variety of types of bread to experiment with.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Actually, the mixes aren't such a bad thing. They are what got me started making my own "mixes". In fact, I just gave my son a breadmaker and a couple of boxes of bread mix. It's just him and his wife and I know he would never buy a big bag of flour, yeast, powdered milk, etc just to see if he could make bread. But he called me last night and told me he'd made his first loaf. He baked it in the machine, so his results weren't quite perfect. Still, the smell and taste of fresh bread has won him over. Today, he's going to make the dough in the machine and then bake the loaf in the oven. I predict that by next week, he'll be buying some King Arthur flour!