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Old 20-02-2009, 13:18
PamelaL
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I'm going to do it this weekend. I've bought the book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dough-Richar...5135840&sr=8-1, I've got the ingredients and the tools. Now cross your fingers for me because I haven't done it for donkey's years and I'm not using a bread maker.
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Old 20-02-2009, 13:21
Collette
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My husband makes his own bread and it's always lovely - apparently the knack is in the kneading and the leaving it to prove (?) for the right length of time... my bread is always so heavy even the birds refuse it
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Old 20-02-2009, 13:35
PamelaL
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There's a lot of pictures and instructions about kneading and proving, I'm going to follow them to the letter. Good on him Collette, what's prompted me is reading what's in the loaf you buy in the supermarket and what's in a loaf you make yourself.
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Old 20-02-2009, 14:44
Porcupine
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Freshly made bread, made by hand reminds me of my grandma.

She used to make bread every other day. And because she had done it for so many years, she didnt need to measure anything, and it came out perfectly.

I dont think she ever bought a loaf from a shop.
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Old 20-02-2009, 14:52
indianwells
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I find the kneading quite relaxing. Hard work if you're not used to it though. You need to end up with a smooth elastic dough (you'll know when you get there). You have to eat it on the same day though as there are no preservatives in home made bread and it tends to go a bit hard after 24 hours. If you have any left over you can always make breadcrumbs the next day and freeze or make some garlic croutons for another dish.
Let us know how it turns out! Nothing beats proudly taking your first loaf out of the oven.
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Old 20-02-2009, 15:04
Abira
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I love making bread, I find it relaxing, love the smell and it tastes soooo good...straight from the oven with butter on it!!! mmmmm

I've had disasters and fantastic successes that are so light I took pictures I was so proud of myself... let us know how it goes cos chances are if somehitng goes wrong one of us can tell you how to fix it lol

good luck!
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Old 20-02-2009, 15:06
cakehole
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I'm going to do it this weekend. I've bought the book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dough-Richar...5135840&sr=8-1, I've got the ingredients and the tools. Now cross your fingers for me because I haven't done it for donkey's years and I'm not using a bread maker.

You might find this of interest Pamelal:

http://bread-water-salt-oil.blogspot...tersticky.html
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Old 20-02-2009, 15:50
PamelaL
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Ooooh, thanks for that, lovely. Is that you?
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Old 20-02-2009, 16:38
Smokeychan1
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Hi Pamela. I made some bread on monday (wholemeal made with honey) and it was still good on wednesday when I used more or less the last end - homemade bread doesnt hang around like the shop bought stuff

You will know when you have kneaded enough, the dough really starts to fight back. It can withstand a lot too, so I alternate proper kneading with a lot of punches.

The bread wont rise much in the oven so make sure it is the size you want it before you start baking. If you dont allow it to prove long enough it will be heavy but if you are short on time you can safely add a bit more yeast to make the proving process faster.

Have fun.
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Old 20-02-2009, 21:24
Banana Head
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Good luck - I make all my own bread now but I must admit I do cheat and make the dough in the magimix.

Shop bread is shit.
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Old 20-02-2009, 21:29
pixieboots
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Freshly made bread, made by hand reminds me of my grandma.

She used to make bread every other day. And because she had done it for so many years, she didnt need to measure anything, and it came out perfectly.
Mine too, she laughed when I asked for the recipe. White and brown soda bread. My Gran taught me how to cook, my Mum hates cooking. I miss her terribly still but I feel she's still around when I cook
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Old 21-02-2009, 12:04
cakehole
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Ooooh, thanks for that, lovely. Is that you?
No Pamelal, I had bookmarked it as I wanted to try the Bertinet method - still getting around to it! I have got lazy and just shove everything in the breadmaker but I shape and bake separately as I cannot stand the way the breadmaker bakes.

Let me know how you get on.
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Old 21-02-2009, 12:05
GaseousClay
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I'm going to do it this weekend.
Hi PamelaL I've just had the tele on in the background and Rachel Allens New series 'Bake' was on and I thought about your thread and wondered whether you watched it for the item on bread making? I just tried to find it on iplayer but its prolly too soon.
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Old 21-02-2009, 13:28
PamelaL
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Hi PamelaL I've just had the tele on in the background and Rachel Allens New series 'Bake' was on and I thought about your thread and wondered whether you watched it for the item on bread making? I just tried to find it on iplayer but its prolly too soon.
I bought her book Bake the other day, along with the Dough book.
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Old 22-02-2009, 09:33
jojo01
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Someone posted this link for me a couple of weeks ago when I wanted some bread making advice: http://www.baking911.com/bread/101_intro.htm

Very helpful site, so thanks to whoever it was that told me about it!

So, how did your bread go then? I took a picture of my loaf I was so proud!
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Old 22-02-2009, 14:27
PamelaL
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I made it this morning. It was all right. Way too salty though, I think I got the measurements wrong and the dough didn't rise nearly as much as I thought it would. I might get a bread-maker instead.
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Old 22-02-2009, 16:38
creamola foam
 
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How fresh was your yeast and how long did you leave it to rise?

I think it's a bit like making pancakes, the first few are always write offs, that's where you make your mistakes....... that's what happened with me anyway.
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Old 22-02-2009, 18:25
PamelaL
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How fresh was your yeast and how long did you leave it to rise?

I think it's a bit like making pancakes, the first few are always write offs, that's where you make your mistakes....... that's what happened with me anyway.
It was just dried yeast, I left it for an hour. I might give it another go.
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Old 22-02-2009, 20:45
creamola foam
 
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OH (chief breadmaker) says don't bother watching the time as it depends more on the temp of your room (usually 2 hrs in our kitchen). Just leave it rising until the dough has at least doubled in size.


At weekends he sometimes leaves it overnight to rise then bakes it in the morning for breakfast.
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Old 22-02-2009, 21:00
Funky_hannahlg
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my mum just uses a bread maker

but i dont know how good the bread is when made it in thier as i have not ate any of the bread she made yet
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Old 22-02-2009, 22:00
jojo01
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I made some bread rolls today using this recipe http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7...sic-white-loaf

They turned out lovely. I let the dough rise for just over and hour, knocked it back, then cut into 8 pieces, left them for half an hour then shoved them in the oven for about 25 mins at the two temperatures.

The only problem with them was they stuck to the greaseproof paper which I'd forgotten to oil! No matter, I cut the bottoms off them!
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Old 23-02-2009, 07:48
LaChatteGitane
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I've been making bread for donkey years. I don't use a recipe, just see that the flour/yeast ratio is about correct (if you use too much yeast, you will taste it in the bread)

Take attention that salt (which I don't use that much) doesn't come in direct contact with the yeast , as it will kill the yeast. The temperature of the water, if too high will also have the same effect.
I also don't set a 'time' on the proving, because it all depends on the temperature of it's surroundings, the temp of the water, etc, etc.
I just leave it till it doubles in size.
I don't bother with proving it twice as I am too lazy and/or impatient.
There was a time that I used a bread maker, but only for the kneading, because I didn't fancy the shape of the bread, plus I usually make bread in batches and put some in the freezer when cooled.
When that broke down, I bought myself a kenwood chef. My wrists won't allow me to knead by hand, so I am really happy with my kenwood.

PS I mostly make very coarse brown bread and have no problems with the proving, it is never dense. Well, yes , maybe compared to shop bought it might be.

a pictures here : http://www.chattegitane.com/website/09bread1.jpg
and here : http://www.chattegitane.com/website/09bread3.jpg
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Old 23-02-2009, 07:54
LaChatteGitane
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I made some bread rolls today using this recipe http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7...sic-white-loaf

They turned out lovely. I let the dough rise for just over and hour, knocked it back, then cut into 8 pieces, left them for half an hour then shoved them in the oven for about 25 mins at the two temperatures.

The only problem with them was they stuck to the greaseproof paper which I'd forgotten to oil! No matter, I cut the bottoms off them!
Surely, you don't need to oil greasproof paper. Maybe you have the parchment paper and that is a bugger.
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Old 23-02-2009, 13:33
jojo01
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It was definitely greaseproof paper.

Thanks for your tip re parchment paper though - I'll give that one a wide berth!
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Old 23-02-2009, 17:35
weateallthepies
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I made it this morning. It was all right. Way too salty though, I think I got the measurements wrong and the dough didn't rise nearly as much as I thought it would. I might get a bread-maker instead.
Too much salt inhibits the yeast, so I think you had...too much salt.

I use a sponge method by mixing yeast with flour and water and leaving it overnight. You then mix the sponge with more flour the next day and let it prove.

I think I usually use around 1tsp of salt for a ~400g loaf tin.
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