Topic: Anyone make their own bread?

[timiano]

I've spent the last two weeks baking my own bread, and I must say, it's been rather satisfying.

OK, so it obviously requires a bit of effort, but it really is quite easy to do. It tastes fantastic though, better than all of the commercial bread I've ever tasted, and even better than in-store bakery bread. I've baked around 6 normal loaves now, and when I say normal; I mean no fancy ingredients; Flour, water, salt, sugar and yeast.

I've made one duffer, but only aesthetically, it still tasted fabulous. Even my folks and wife think that it's off the chart tasty. I've not been using a bread machine, it's all just by hand.

So, who else does it, has been doing it, fancies trying it?

Here's one that just popped out of the oven 20 minutes ago.

[The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society]

Make me a cheese bread mate I love cheese bread

[RedmeisterOZ]

Been doin' it for ages, nothin' like a fresh batch.

                   

[pinkdragon]

I'm eating a shitty bagel from the grocery at the moment and that looks wonderful. I might give it a try. Recipe?

[timiano]

I'm eating a shitty bagel from the grocery at the moment and that looks wonderful. I might give it a try. Recipe?

http://www.instructables.com/id/You-can-make-bread/

[Ben J]

Giving my own pizza dough a try on saturday.  Got a recipie from the ch4 website (Jamie Oliver no less) so it should turn out ok.  Question for you, how much does it cost in comparison to buying bread from the shop? Also how well does it keep, and does it freeze ok?

[Something Else]

Giving my own pizza dough a try on saturday.  Got a recipie from the ch4 website (Jamie Oliver no less) so it should turn out ok.  Question for you, how much does it cost in comparison to buying bread from the shop? Also how well does it keep, and does it freeze ok?

I have never froze the bread but it keeps for a couple of days, not as long as store bought, but then you just make smaller loaves and eater fresher more often.

We have a bread maker and stoped using it for a while, but i have brought it out after reading this and it is currently baking.... oh yes

As for pizza, give it a go and tell me how it works out

the mrs does a wicked version and we sometimes have calzone with it and its perfect. Next is to try and make naan bread to go with our weekly curry.

[M(oaning) B(ecomes) E(mbarrassing)]

Isn't life too short to make your own bread? 

[Ben J]

I have never froze the bread but it keeps for a couple of days, not as long as store bought, but then you just make smaller loaves and eater fresher more often.

We have a bread maker and stoped using it for a while, but i have brought it out after reading this and it is currently baking.... oh yes

As for pizza, give it a go and tell me how it works out

the mrs does a wicked version and we sometimes have calzone with it and its perfect. Next is to try and make naan bread to go with our weekly curry.

Cheers for the info, I'll let you know how the pizza turns out.  If that goes ok, I'm going to have a bash at making a few loaves.  Can't spring for a breadmaker on my budget so I'll just buy a loaf tin and crack on the old fashioned way.  I eat quite a bit of bread (probably too much in our carb hating society) so the freshness won't be much of a problem and hopefully I'll save a bit of cash (£1.20 for a loaf of toastie is a piss take).

[Something Else]

Cheers for the info, I'll let you know how the pizza turns out.  If that goes ok, I'm going to have a bash at making a few loaves.  Can't spring for a breadmaker on my budget so I'll just buy a loaf tin and crack on the old fashioned way.  I eat quite a bit of bread (probably too much in our carb hating society) so the freshness won't be much of a problem and hopefully I'll save a bit of cash (£1.20 for a loaf of toastie is a piss take).

Yeah, its an initial outlay buying what you need, but it does work out cheaper

plus breadmakers are quite cheap now, and if you want fresh everyday you can get a small one for not much at all, or it was when we bought them, so if your about the shops keep an eye out, well worth it as you can make cakes, bread, dough, jam and other stuff in them too

may try my own jam at some point

[Ben J]

Isn't life too short to make your own bread? 

Probably, but only in the same way that it's too short to comment about it in the off topic section of an LFC forum 

Personally I don't mind putting a bit of time and effort into my meals as it means I enjoy them more.  Putting a chicken tikka in the microwave is quick and easy but it isn't half depressing.  Also, with home baked bread you can cut it to the ideal thickness, for monsterous slabs of toast like they used to do in sayers.

Each to their own though.

Edit - I can't believe my 500th post was about bread.  Was saving it up for something profound.

[The Fletcher Memorial]

I do, but I can never get the quilt right into the corners of the quilt cover. 

[RED-EAZY]

PUFFS! 

[timiano]

Giving my own pizza dough a try on saturday.  Got a recipie from the ch4 website (Jamie Oliver no less) so it should turn out ok.  Question for you, how much does it cost in comparison to buying bread from the shop? Also how well does it keep, and does it freeze ok?

No expert mate, but I'll try.

I reckon you can make bread from about 50-75% of the cost in the shops. Mainly it's to do with the ingredients that you use. There's quite a few different flours, and I suppose if you buy it in bulk it becomes cheaper. For instance, standard bag these days is about 1.5kg; which should be good for 3 loaves.

Flour will range between 75p to about £1.50. You can use plain (but won't last as long, the bread that is), strong, white, wholemeal, and there's some speciality ones that you but that will be dearer.
The amount of salt and sugar that is used is negligable (maybe 0.5p?), so don't account for that, and water is well, errr water.
Then you nead yeast; which can be had for aroun £1.00 for a 125g packet. You only need about 7g per time, so it's about 6p per loaf.
Also there's the leccy for baking. I'd hazard a guess at that running at about 15p for 1/2 hour (so more you do at once the more cost effective).

So to do one loaf, I reckon it'd cost between 45p to 75p. It'll taste better, and won't be full of enzymes and crap.

Bread freezes fine once it's been cooled for 20-30 minutes.

[Ben J]

Cheers for that, just spotted a breadmaker online for 15 quid.  Reckon that'd do the job? or would it be worth an extra tenner or so for a slightly fancier one? I only want to bake standard shaped loaves in it, none of this plaited sillyness.

Edit - Although that one in your picture does look lovely, I'd be a bit concerned about the practicality of it for toast and sarnies though.

[timiano]

Isn't life too short to make your own bread? 

But the satisfaction of your house filled with the aroma of freshly baking bread, and the anticipation of cutting into once it is ready, is just all worth it. Then it tastes better than most of the bread you would normally buy.

Making and eating your own bread, is quite simply to me, one of the finest pleasures on this earth ....so in answer to your question, no!

[timiano]

Cheers for that, just spotted a breadmaker online for 15 quid.  Reckon that'd do the job? or would it be worth an extra tenner or so for a slightly fancier one? I only want to bake standard shaped loaves in it, none of this plaited sillyness.

Edit - Although that one in your picture does look lovely, I'd be a bit concerned about the practicality of it for toast and sarnies though.

Aye, most breadmakers should be fairly cheap these days, and will do the job well for what you need. I'd still give hand baking a crack though when you can, as it's hugely satisfying.

Try some other types of bread as you're not just confined to what we 'always' eat as brits - toast and butties.

[Something Else]

Cheers for that, just spotted a breadmaker online for 15 quid.  Reckon that'd do the job? or would it be worth an extra tenner or so for a slightly fancier one? I only want to bake standard shaped loaves in it, none of this plaited sillyness.

Edit - Although that one in your picture does look lovely, I'd be a bit concerned about the practicality of it for toast and sarnies though.

that breadmaker will prob be fine however if it hasnt got a timer and you can find one that does, then thats even better

ours has a timer so you can set it to start in the night so the bread is still slightly warm when you wake up, plus the smell round the house is ace, obviously you can set it for when you get back from work or the match or whatever too.

[timiano]

We have a bread maker and stoped using it for a while, but i have brought it out after reading this and it is currently baking.... oh yes

I'm glad it inspired you. Calzone, never thought of that. My mouth is watering at the prospect.

[Ben J]

This looks like it ticks all the boxes -

http://www.kettleandtoasterman.co.uk/silver-princess-bread-maker-73-p.asp

[miss_heather]

I'd love to make my own bread, the loaves in the shops have loads of preservatives in

[Turkish Red]

Nothing better than fresh, home baked bread.  I've been doing my own for about 4 years now.  Try making it with sundried tomatoes or olives (or both together).  Beats paying nearly £2 for one in the supermarket.  Happy baking. 

[Something Else]

I'm glad it inspired you. Calzone, never thought of that. My mouth is watering at the prospect.

its fucking great, I get some tomato paste, tomatos, cheese, chicken, ham, rocket and sometimes even sausage or meetballs

not healthy, but fucking awesome

right im now searching for naan recipes

[Mavis Cruet]

 

[..Bruiser..]

I've spent the last two weeks baking my own bread, and I must say, it's been rather satisfying.

OK, so it obviously requires a bit of effort, but it really is quite easy to do. It tastes fantastic though, better than all of the commercial bread I've ever tasted, and even better than in-store bakery bread. I've baked around 6 normal loaves now, and when I say normal; I mean no fancy ingredients; Flour, water, salt, sugar and yeast.

I've made one duffer, but only aesthetically, it still tasted fabulous. Even my folks and wife think that it's off the chart tasty. I've not been using a bread machine, it's all just by hand.

So, who else does it, has been doing it, fancies trying it?

Here's one that just popped out of the oven 20 minutes ago.

As a baker for 11 years, I want to say that looks dam good mate, nice one. Good that people still do that, it's a dying trade unfortunately but I love to see or hear of people doing it at home. I keep it at work though I'm afraid! No longer a baker anyway,a postie now. Have you thought about selling a bit on the side?

[timiano]

Cheers fellah!

Real bakers are under the gun these days because of the big supermarkets, but that's nothing new. Never thought of selling any really, it's just for the enjoyment of doing something that humans have been doing for almost 12,000 years, if not longer. Alright, they had to mill their own grain, and they didn't have the latest Ariston duel fuel cooker, but hey, it's still fun.

I've got a feeling a few of my mates might be getting a few thrown their way though

[Tsar Kastik]

Isn't life too short to make your own bread? 

It'll be even shorter if you eat some of the shite from the supermarket.

[Lo]

I do, don't use a bread maker though, they are for lazy people

[scouser4eva]

I make my own toast does that count ?

[-Sad Fuck-]

I do, don't use a bread maker though, they are for lazy people

Shut up , still not as lazy as those who order it in a tesco shop ;p

[lainey]

you can't beat home made bread.  I don't like a crusty top so always rub it with butter once it's out of the oven.

[Something Else]

my bread tastes brilliant

[Lo]

you can't beat home made bread.  I don't like a crusty top so always rub it with butter once it's out of the oven.

Shall give that a go, I'm not overly keen on on a crusty top either

[somersetred]

I've spent the last two weeks baking my own bread, and I must say, it's been rather satisfying.

OK, so it obviously requires a bit of effort, but it really is quite easy to do. It tastes fantastic though, better than all of the commercial bread I've ever tasted, and even better than in-store bakery bread. I've baked around 6 normal loaves now, and when I say normal; I mean no fancy ingredients; Flour, water, salt, sugar and yeast.

I've made one duffer, but only aesthetically, it still tasted fabulous. Even my folks and wife think that it's off the chart tasty. I've not been using a bread machine, it's all just by hand.

So, who else does it, has been doing it, fancies trying it?

Here's one that just popped out of the oven 20 minutes ago.

That looks really good, i have often thought about trying to bake some myself but have never got round to it!
But looking at that I'm going to give it a try!

[Something Else]

That looks really good, i have often thought about trying to bake some myself but have never got round to it!
But looking at that I'm going to give it a try!

its painfully easy with or without a bread maker, its maybe not painfully easy to get it looking like that, but to get decent bread its childsplay

[timiano]

its painfully easy with or without a bread maker, its maybe not painfully easy to get it looking like that, but to get decent bread its childsplay

All it was, was a plait turned on itself.

[howes hound]

Try making sourgough. Now THAT'S tasty bread, and no more difficult than other breads once you've got your starter going.

[lurganboy]

I used to make mine. Got out of the habit. But I remember that once you've got used to doing it you can knock out a quick loaf in no time. Make your dough, quick knead (which is really good fun, and kids love helping) then leave it to rise.
In the oven and the house smells wonderful. When you get it right and you're sitting there eating it with butter melting into it you feel such pleasure. One of the best things to make for yourself.
I think I'll give it another whirl, you know.

[lachesis]

done it, bread tasted ok like but nothing you couldn't pick up from Sainsburys and and bakery. It works out chepaer I guess if you buy the ingredients separate but that's true for everything. You can even buy proper bread mixes from the likes of Hovis, to make your own bread from their mix.

A couple of people have touched on the other points, mainly preservatives and shape.

The trouble with making your own bread is that it goes off extremely quickly. Freezing is an option but to have to defrost it or pop it on defrost in the microwave is just daft. Also the shape of the bread will vary etc. and it wouldn't be ideal for butties/toats as someone has said.

If home made fresh bread was the way to go, I doubt the French would be buying British

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7386183.stm

One of those things that you try and then quickly move away from I think. I'd sonner make cakes and biscuits Most of it is simply the taste of having fresh bread, I'd find it hard to believe that someone at home can knock up a fresh loaf that tastes as good as a professional bakery, it's just in reality hardly anyone eats 'fresh bread' any more - so when they bake a loaf they compare it to Kingsmill or Warbos when they should compare it like for like.

So to sum up, tried it - found it wasn't worth it, it's still nice to do once every 3 months or so though

[Sorted!!]

It's not bread that I have been baking. A couple of weeks ago, I made a lovely carrot cake which turned out quite well.
Last night I made a Victoria sponge cake with jam and cream in the middle. Looks lovely and I can see myself finishing it of before the weekend. Next up, is a cheesecake.

The smell in the kitchen when you're baking just cannot be replicated by anything else. 

If anyone on here bakes cakes, do you have that habit of licking the mixing bowl of the remnants?