Karamarie

Have recently acquired a nearly new bread machine at a thrift store. Of course no users manual with it but I have been searching on line as to recipes and tips but would like you folks to share your thoughts, good and not so good, about your experiences and recipes with a bread machine. Thank you.

KalamaQuilts

I had one for 25 years, bought in the 80's. When it finally died I did a lot of review research and replaced it with one from Sears with good reviews thinking the technology would have advanced. No. Still works best for raising the dough, still bakes better using the oven.

when I remember to get it started the day before I like to add poolish or biga fermenter to my dough. Not quite a sourdough starter, but adds nice texture and bready flavor. I have three bread recipe books I've used a lot, particularly the european style breads, so many many options beside plain white bread! That was pre-computer.

Good fresh yeast is a key component. I get mine from Bob's Red Mill. Not a fan of 100% whole grain breads, too heavy for my taste, but if following my all purpose recipe (the one on the side of Bob's Red Mill bread flour) I will substitute 1 cup of white flour for a cup of spelt flour etc.

I have little loaf pans, big ones, glass and metal, a clay one, a big tile for flat baking...it can really become a fun hobby, or just a easy put it in let it bake, no preservatives added part of home.

Keep us posted.

a lot of appliances don't even come with paper manuals anymore, check the makers site, there may be one you can download.

edited to add: when I use a recipe I always make pencil notes on the side for flour substitutions and outcome.

juliasb

I had one back in the late 90's. It wasn't long before I discovered it was something that just took up space. I did not use it often enough to make it even pay for itself. The bread it made was good but I felt I had better control in my oven.

Onebyone

I use mine every week. I don't bake bread in it though. I make a double batch and let the machine do the mixing and kneading. It does a much better job then I could. I take out the dough to let it rise, shape, and rise again then bake in oven. I most of the bread we eat. I have a very old Toastmaster and it's still working fine.

j50

I have had 3 bread machine in the last 40 years and use it regularly I make 100% whole wheat bread and I love it and other. My current machine is by far the best Hamilton Beach. I had a DAK and some other well known brand.


I keep my bread in the fridge because there are no preservative. It will spoil on the counter....
Mine bakes beautifully so no need not put in oven...

Some of the recipes that came with it were not accurate and some on their web site were not accurate, But I figured it out.

Most have problems in higher altitudes. Try making small loaves at first.

Good luck and keep us posted with your results!!

Tartan

​I enjoy making bread by hand so I cannot give an opinion on machines.

zozee

I've had a bread machine for years, but only use it occasionally in the fall and winter months. We absolutely love hot, fresh, homemade bread. My family always begs for knot rolls at Thanksgiving.

Tips: follow the recipe to the letter, use fresh yeast and fresh flour, make sure the beater bar is pushed all the way down, and don't raise the lid to check on it.

KalamaQuilts

this is why I got one originally, I do not like kneading!

Onebyone

I don't want to spend my time mixing and kneading. I go over the enjoyment of kneading pretty fast when I did it every week. I love homemade bread. Here is the recipe I use for crusty French bread loaves.

3 cups non bleached all purpose flour
1 1/8 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspsoons or one package of yeast

Add more water or flour as needed for dough to form ball.

I roll the risen dough in two long loaves, let rise in long steam pans and then bake 400 degrees for 30 min, uncover and bake about ten minutes or until bread is golden brown. The bread will sing as it cools!

I use Baporoma Steam Baking Master pans. They are hard to find now but use to be very popular bread baking pans.

Battle Axe

After reading this thread, I researched bread machines and bought one! We will see. I was out of bread this a.m. as the rest of the loaf had white mold on it. As long as I don't use Azod, which is a dough conditioner, I will be able to eat it. King Arthur flour doesn't have that in it.