I've just been given a breadmaker

[TheQueenOfTheNight]

If you have a breadmaker at home, how /when do you use it and what do you make in it? I've been given one from a friend which I haven't used yet. It has options for different loaf size and crust settings.

I'm interested in making things like rolls and baguettes as well as loaves if possible. I've a teenager, so fresh bread could be really popular. Photo attached, it's a Russell Hobbs 23620 Fast Bake Breadmaker

You will be able to find the instruction manual online and could download yourself a copy.

I got a bread maker a few months ago. So far I've just made standard white or granary loaves in it, and I don't make all our bread in it. I might use it a couple of times a month.

I'm going to make the dough for home made pizzas tomorrow, that will be the first time I've used it just to make dough (ie. not bake as well).

I use mine all the time, mainly for normal loaves but also for things like banana bread and pizza dough. If you want fresh bread in the morning you can set it on a timer. I’ve never tried rolls or baguettes, loaves are a bit simpler as you just measure out the ingredients then the machine does everything.

I use ours all the time

I think it’s a more basic model - we were also gifted it - and have now decided if it breaks we will replace.

I make a medium loaf most days, one is almost finished now, just baking so house smells of bread, with dark crust setting. When it’s baked it cools on a cake rack to let steam out the bottom otherwise ours can get a little damp towards the base but it’s fine if you cool it like this

The rolls we make are our teenager’s favourite bread in the whole world.

And the pizza dough is amazing, really stretchy so rolls out very thin.

Thanks @frozendaisy for the tip about cooling on a cake rack

Most of the recipes in the instruction manuals, produce cotton wool american bread. They have far to much sugar, milk powder and often eggs.
My basic recipe is 400g strong white bread flour (or a 50/50 mix white and wholegrain). 285ml water, 1 tsp salt, 0.75 tsp caster sugar, 1tsp fast action yeast. Basic program, machine set for a 1.5lb /600g loaf, dark crust.
You will find the bread doesn't keep well, day 3 it's really only good for toast, so I slice the whole loaf and freeze what I won't use in a couple of days.