bread question

[nailpolish]

dd's and i make our own bread (mostly because its interesting for them) but we are really bad at it

we dont make it from scratch, we buy the packets, you only have to add water

but they are so doughy in the middle, hardly rise before i put them in the oven etc

how do i improve ?

[KathyMCMLXXII]

Get a bread machine and don't use packets! (Sorry!)

[MamaGhoul]

don't buy the packets

its so easy, truly, and much more fun for DDs.

[nailpolish]

ok then

could you tell me how to make it then?

and would a bread machine not defeat the purpose of the fun for the dd's?

[MamaGhoul]

I don't use a bread machine.

I just follow hte recipe on the instant yeast sachets - haven't got one in teh cupboard at the moment though. Make sure you give it plenty of time to rise first ina warm room/cupboard

[KathyMCMLXXII]

Well, you can have settings which just make the dough and you can turn it out to bake it (if you want it to end up any shape other than square). Also they have a little window in the top so you can watch it rise.
OTOH if the kneading is the bit your dds enjoy then yes, it would defeat the object

[HowwwlidaymumsSalemPilgrimage]

We have a bread maker and the kids love it! Its their job mostly to load it up, lots of weighing and measuring. They are getting very creative with adding cinnamon, raisins seeds etc and if we make dough then there is the shaping etc.

Becuase the results are sooooooo good we do not buy bread at all anymore so get to make bread a lot more too (plus kids are eating much better healthier bread)

If you want to hand bake buy Dove farm instant yeast its about 80p for a big packet and you use as much as you need for each recipe often 15g and it lasts for ages in the fridge.

[nailpolish]

i dont really have the room for a breadmaker anyway

i shall have a look for those yeast packets then THANK YOU!

[portonovo]

Don't use those packets, don't get a breadmaker, and make it by hand!

Seriously, it's dead easy and makes much better bread than any breadmaker can.

Fresh yeast is best.

[HowwwlidaymumsSalemPilgrimage]

You ever tried bread from a panasonic? been making bread by hand for years and have never got anywhere near the results I have had with my panasonic!

[portonovo]

Yes, tried a Panasonic and I have to say it does a very good job. Best of the breadmakers I've tried and if I wanted to have one it would be that.

However, it still doesn't compare to mine - I've even done blind taste tests on my family and friends and there's no comparision!

I think if anyone wanted a breadmaker though, it would be worth spending the extra on a Panasonic. It's one of those areas where you do pay for what you get.

[katelily]

Would endorse panasonic recommendations. Used to make bread the traditional way now and then, but it does take ages. This way you can spend 2 mins putting everything in breadmaker before you go to bed and wake up to smell of freshly baked bread...