Author Topic: My bread maker died...  (Read 8071 times)

davisgang90

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My bread maker died...
« on: January 01, 2016, 05:09:18 AM »
I was planning a loaf of bread to go with dinner last night.  Bread maker finally gave up the ghost, so I googled how to use the dough hook and my Kitchen-aid mixer.  Found this recipe: http://hubpages.com/food/How-To-Bake-Bread-With-Your-KitchenAid-Mixer and knocked out a few loaves. 

I was surprised at how easy it was and how good the bread came out.  Now I want to start experimenting.  I know there is a great deal of bread baking knowledge, so please let me know your best recipes and techniques!

alyxmj

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2016, 05:33:37 AM »
While browsing books at the library one day I ended up coming across "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" and it has since been my go to bread book. I love to cook and even love to knead bread but its really time consuming, the basics of the book though are to create a very wet dough that you just mix, rise, and store in the refrigerator. When you need to bake a loaf you just pull a chunk off, shape, rest and bake. No kneading, their base recipe makes ~8 loaves worth of dough so you can always just pull some from the fridge and with about 5 min of work (hence the title) you can have bread in about 2 hours (rest and bake time).
I eventually ended up buying the book after re-checking it out from the library several times and while the base recipe I mentioned works great there are plenty of others in the book. We don't eat bread super fast so I end up making a modified version of their wheat sandwhich bread whenever we are getting low instead of keeping several loaves worth of dough in the fridge. It is a wet enough dough that I don't even pull out the stand mixer, I can just mix with a wooden spoon, then let rise, throw it in the fridge (you can make right away but its very sticky so easier to work with when cold) and shape, rest, bake the next day. They also stress baking with things like a pizza stone (heat retention and even cookie) and a steam bath (crispier crust) but I don't bother with either and the bread still turns out wonderful with minimal work.

They do have the base recipe http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/02/09/back-to-basics-tips-and-techniques-to-create-a-great-loaf-in-5-minutes-a-day with the method explained pretty well as well as several other recipes throughout the site.

I should mention the authors also made a couple others books specifically for wheat and gluten-free doughs following this method but I haven't looked at either yet. The main book has kept me busy in bread for over a year now. xD
« Last Edit: January 01, 2016, 08:15:57 AM by alyxmj »

Jakejake

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2016, 07:49:05 AM »
They also stress baking with things like a pizza stone (heat retention and even cookie) and a steam bath (crispier crust)
I found out in a most exciting way why if you're going to do a steam bath, you shouldn't throw a cup of cold water into a preheated pyrex pan in your oven (unless you're into the whole IED-in-your-face experience).

alyxmj

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2016, 07:59:51 AM »
Ugh yea, they mention that and recommend an empty metal broiler pan.

I have had a pyrex pan explode on me, luckily it was like random freak occurrence while the door was shut. The clean up was all sorts of fun though :/

Richie

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2016, 10:01:36 AM »
Bread makers are SO easy to find in thrift stores. If you plan on purchasing a replacement, I would recommend checking there first.

snuggler

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2016, 11:53:51 AM »
Seconding the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day recipe.

I don't have the book, but have the basic recipe, and that has converted us from only store-bought bread to only homemade bread folks.

You can also find similar recipes online for wheat bread, dinner rolls, pitas, etc. that follow the same general method. I tend to sub out about 1/3 to 1/2 of the all-purpose flour in the original recipe to wheat flour, and have had much more success with that than with the wheat bread recipes I've found online. The other recipes (dinner rolls, pitas, etc.) have been just great though.

lbmustache

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2016, 12:31:48 PM »
I am very curious about making my own bread and want to try this.

Do I need to buy any materials (besides ingredients) before I get started? I do not have a mixer and I do not have a pizza stone or a bread pan... Off I go to look into this!

braje

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2016, 04:27:31 PM »
I've never had a bread maker and I find it easier to make bread by hand and not use the Kitchenaid. As far as bread pans go you can just shape the bread and bake.
We don't have a pizza stone so when DH makes pizza he uses a cookie sheet.

Kris

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2016, 04:30:17 PM »
I came here to plug Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and I see I'm not alone. Ditch the bread machine. This is easier, and the bread is better.

davisgang90

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2016, 04:56:05 AM »
I came here to plug Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and I see I'm not alone. Ditch the bread machine. This is easier, and the bread is better.
Thanks to all who responded.  I am reading ABIFMAD as we speak.  Not looking at another bread maker for now (except me).

shadowmoss

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2016, 10:24:53 AM »
Because of this thread I went out and bought a 5lb bag of flour and a small jar of yeast.  I have the dough rising on the counter (actually in my otherwise-unused oven) as I type.  Hopefully by evening I'll have a loaf of homemade bread.  I used to use a breadmaker but it broke many years ago.  Feels good to be back making bread.

pbkmaine

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2016, 10:26:58 AM »
I use a cast iron pizza pan instead of pizza stone and it works great.

kimmarg

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2016, 11:09:23 AM »
www.kingarthurflour.com has tons of good recipies

ooeei

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2016, 07:47:41 AM »
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/2984/jasons-quick-coccodrillo-ciabatta-bread

It's certainly not a "set it and forget it" type of recipe, but you can make a lot and freeze it.  I usually make a double or triple batch and make quite a few sandwich sized rolls.  Have gotten lots of praise on it from friends and family, it's one of my go to things to bring to a holiday meal or party.  Serve with some sun dried tomato or italian herb compound butter for bonus points.

There's a youtube video of a woman making it that you can find if you search hard enough, it helped me to see someone make it vs just reading it (mixer should be going FAST, really fast).

jacksonvasey

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2016, 11:37:43 AM »
Does anyone else find that their homemade bread doesn't really hold up well after the first day or so?  The bread I make is usually really really good after cooling a bit from the oven, and the quality heads steadily downhill from there.

I know that store-bought is full of stabilizers or whatever, but does anyone have tips for making bread a little better over maybe a couple of days?

kite

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2016, 12:06:57 PM »
Jim Lahey's no knead bread is a regular for us.  I learned from Cathy Erway to use leftover potato water in it.  Account for salt if you do this.  If a nice crust is what you want, no-knead, with a wet dough cooked in preheated cast iron is so much easier than throwing in a cup of water to simulate injection of steam

I make Lauren Groveman's Challah as our regular sandwich bread and use her recipe for raisin bread quite regularly too.  I knead these by hand and don't bother with the stand mixer.   I bake these in standard loaf pans. 

These are far superior to anything the bread machine turned out. 

Teacherstache

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #16 on: January 06, 2016, 07:07:39 PM »
Could you use the artisan bread in 5 recipe to make a loaf bread in a traditional loaf pan?

Conjou

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #17 on: January 07, 2016, 09:38:48 AM »
I came here to plug Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and I see I'm not alone. Ditch the bread machine. This is easier, and the bread is better.
+1

alyxmj

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #18 on: January 08, 2016, 08:05:05 AM »
Yes you can make it in a bread pan; either with the base recipe online (1.5-2lbs of chilled dough depending on your loaf pan) or with sandwich bread specific recipes from the book.

As for going bad quicker, the best thing you can do is do nothing with bread. Left on the cutting board, cut side down, is the best way to keep bread good longer and the way its traditionally done in the Mediterranean. Putting it in plastic softens the crust as all the moisture stays trapped inside which sounds great until it starts to mold too. If you must put it away a bread box or paper bag is your next best bet, followed by the fridge (in paper). At that point if you're still not using it fast enough its better to make smaller loaves more often (which is part of the joy of the 5 min a day method)

Thegoblinchief

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #19 on: January 08, 2016, 12:01:11 PM »
The yeast bread that I make 99% of the time is my loose adaptation of the Artisan no-knead recipe, tweaked to our family preferences. Main difference for us is using 2/3 whole wheat that's ground fresh (literally grind it straight into the mixing bowl). Finding flour that's not stale is a crapshoot if it's possible at all in your area.

All you need to make good yeast bread is a sturdy wooden spoon (some swear by special Danish dough hooks, which I've never tried) and a large bowl.

I'd recommend buying a grain mill long before buying either a bread machine or a stand mixer.

Spork

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #20 on: January 08, 2016, 12:45:36 PM »
I think if my bread maker died, I'd be posting in the personals section.

Trudie

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Re: My bread maker died...
« Reply #21 on: January 08, 2016, 12:59:59 PM »
While browsing books at the library one day I ended up coming across "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" and it has since been my go to bread book. I love to cook and even love to knead bread but its really time consuming, the basics of the book though are to create a very wet dough that you just mix, rise, and store in the refrigerator. When you need to bake a loaf you just pull a chunk off, shape, rest and bake. No kneading, their base recipe makes ~8 loaves worth of dough so you can always just pull some from the fridge and with about 5 min of work (hence the title) you can have bread in about 2 hours (rest and bake time).
I eventually ended up buying the book after re-checking it out from the library several times and while the base recipe I mentioned works great there are plenty of others in the book. We don't eat bread super fast so I end up making a modified version of their wheat sandwhich bread whenever we are getting low instead of keeping several loaves worth of dough in the fridge. It is a wet enough dough that I don't even pull out the stand mixer, I can just mix with a wooden spoon, then let rise, throw it in the fridge (you can make right away but its very sticky so easier to work with when cold) and shape, rest, bake the next day. They also stress baking with things like a pizza stone (heat retention and even cookie) and a steam bath (crispier crust) but I don't bother with either and the bread still turns out wonderful with minimal work.

They do have the base recipe http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/02/09/back-to-basics-tips-and-techniques-to-create-a-great-loaf-in-5-minutes-a-day with the method explained pretty well as well as several other recipes throughout the site.

I should mention the authors also made a couple others books specifically for wheat and gluten-free doughs following this method but I haven't looked at either yet. The main book has kept me busy in bread for over a year now. xD

I swear by this.  I just gave my hardly-used breadmaker away.  I've tried different methods and everything else seems to pale in comparison to this.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!