Is anyone like me and just cannot find any decent bread these days?? Not even bakeries make any good tasting bread now!! I am not sure whether its different flour or yeast or whatever they use now, but it just isnt the same as it was a few years ago!! Even sliced bread, like Hovis or Warburtons, isnt very good, even for toasting!! Also, bread of any kind just does not keep anymore before it goes mouldy very quickly and I have to throw it out!!

I think I may have to either pay my parents for the ingredients, so they cam make me about 2 loaves per week in the bread machine, or invest in a bread machine myself!!

You don't need a bread machine to make bread

It takes time to make by hand of course but personally I find it quite a therapeutic process.

If you have a mixer with a hook on it is even easier. Made pitta breads on Saturday, a loaf with leftover dough on sunday.

There are speciality breads in the supermakets but is quite expensive. For a nice tasty home made loaf it costs about 60p and if you use cheaper flour even less.

Plenty of high quality bread around in small independent bakeries. I bake from time to time but have a very good bakery in town so I have no real need. Buy fresh everyday, don't keep bread hanging around a day or three.

I love bread but I have a wheat allergy so i've had to give it up I used to always buy kingsmill thick white bread though, it was lovely especially as toast.......I miss it

My current favourite breads are :-

Asda Rye & Linseed Boule (£1)
M&S German Style Rye Bread (£1.59)
Morrisons Brown Sourdough Bloomer (£1.59)

I have a breadmaker, which I love, but before I got it (and it was from freecycle, so cost me nothing) I used to make my own bread, I really enjoy the whole process of making bread and you can't beat the smell of baking bread in the morning. And it's cost-effective.

Got a boule? from Morrisons last week 2 for £1 and bloody lovely.

Completely agree with the comments about the heavenly smell and the therapeutic value of homemade bread. I can't eat it often, but I'm teaching my little girl how to make it, and we've finally got a sourdough starter going in the fridge. Can't for it to be ready.

There's some real skullduggery going on when it comes to bread, half the time it doesn't appear to be fresh when it's supposed to be. I'm sure they freeze a lot of it you know.

I'm going on a day-long traditional bread-making course on Saturday. Can't wait! I've got a bread-maker, but it's never produced a loaf I'm really happy with.

Supermarket bread is crap, firstly its been frozen, loads of chemicals are added to keep it soft so it goes mouldy instead, ever tried getting bread crumbs from stale sliced bread, only way is to toast it.
Abroad, there is a bakery on nearly every street and some bake twice a day, bread is eaten on day of purchase only.

I just buy from the in store bakery these days (M&S or Morrisons)

Unless I'm doing bacon sarnies, then it has to be Warburtons white sliced

Allinson Pumpkin Seed and Rye is the best at the moment for me! A white loaf would be Asda Bakery Tiger Loaf.. Delicious with a load of butter on

Mine used to disappoint me, I did it all by the breadmaker instructions with measurements, bread improver, milk powder etc. Now I totally ignore the instructions. I make around 4 loafs a week using this method and the bread is lovely, especially for sandwiches, soft bread with a nice crust.

For 750g white loaf

Water room temperature 400ml (instructions for breadmaker states 315ml which makes a tough loaf)

Yeast 1 & 1/2 tsp

Sugar 1 tbsp

Strong plain white flour 600gm

Salt 1 & 1/2 tsp

Olive oil 3 tbsp

Open machine and without turning on add water, yeast & sugar to pan, leave for about 10 minutes until it froths, then add flour, salt, olive oil. Switch on press menu, select size, choose crust colour, Bob's your uncle.

I only use mine to make the dough, then whack in the oven.

I only ever get bricks out. Tastes lovely but far too dense. I make it the traditional way now.

Oh thanks for that, I'll try that method next time.

I keep seeing that advert for Allinsons bread and the white loaf looks delicious, I've got to try that one day. I like Warburtons white loafs, I'm a big fan of a bread buns aswell, Corn/Scotch Topped ones..

Nothing wrong with the speciality breads in the supermarkets - they really are trying to do something good with those. I've had M & S and Tesco kinds and they're very nice. You need to be eating them more or less in a day or two though. Kingsmill white bread is my least favourite non - value bread - so claggy to eat.

Usually on these threads I recommend Tesco Bread Flour, but recently it has been rubbish. I have been so disappointed with the results that I switched to Allisons Flour and my bread improved no end. For some reason, the Tesco Flour produces a loaf that sinks in the middle when it come out of the breadmaker. It never used to. The Allisons flour makes a lovely round top loaf that is nice and crusty. Needless to say, Tesco had run out of Allisons flour last week and I was forced to buy their own brand! My loaves are again dipped in the middle.

It's a long time since I last bought bread; back when I did, sliced bread was the worst.


I'd recommend a break maker. Panasonic is a good brand for this. Some people fear they will buy one and then not use it, as with a toasted sandwich maker. I guess that does happen sometimes, but it's less likely as you just stop buying bread and then you have to make it. Using a machine takes the effort out, and making your own you have a better idea of what ingredients go in it.

I make my own bread with a Kitchen Aid mixer, I use Allinson flour, and the texture inside is great...but...I want a softer crust.

Any tips on making for a softer crust.

I'm working from memory here, so don't quote me (I got rid of my bread maker a while back because I was eating too much bread!) but if you replace some of the water with milk then it gave a softer crust.

I'd definitely wait for someone with a better idea than me before going off and trying it though!

That's a big claim to make. I know for certain that my local supermarket, the bloomers, tinned and french sticks are all baked from fresh and not frozen.