My bread maker broke today but ..

[Besswess88]

I have a kitchen aid with a dough hook, do I actually need a bread maker?

It’s a James May one. I’ve tried it for times now. I’m actually wondering if it’s heating up because it never feels warm and I would have thought it would give off a fair amount of heat.

Janes Martin Wahl 😆

so no long hours of kneading Which bread needs hours of kneading?

You can leave dough in the fridge overnight (I think to prove rather than to rise) and have fresh baked rolls for breakfast.

@Strawberrylemincake Did your breadmaker not come with a recipe? That's usually the best to start on - not all breadmakers put the ingredients in at the same time. Check your yeast is fresh, make sure you put the right amount of everything in, and don't let any salt get near the yeast.

@Blue5238 - I'm following the recipe you shared, with some interest, as I've never made bread without kneading before.
I'm only at the point of stretch and fold (just done my first one), but am I right in thinking the dough isn't really going to rise? I'm so pre-conditioned to the 'leave it until its doubled in size' rule, but if I get it out of the bowl every hour and stretch it, then it's not going to form the air bubbles and rise?
I'm not questioning the approach, more seeking reassurance that it's going to work! I guess the scientist in me likes to know how it's working...

Reviewingthesituation
Are you using a sourdough starter or yeast?

You will feel a change in texture more than a noticeable huge size difference. So towards the end of your stretch and fold (last of 3-4 stretches) it will be hard to stretch. After another hour of sitting it will have relaxed and expanded so initially will stretch more easily, then get harder towards end of folds again etc
But yes a much more gradual process than with higher yeast method

It will also rise further in the oven. Here's one of mine from the other day:

@jimmyhill

15 minutes kneading in the KA will produce bread orders of magnitude better than anything that's just been stretched a couple of times

Not necessarily. You can let the dough do the work. Dan Leopard's book was instrumental in me starting to make bread again - my hands don't knead well any more and I now don't have to rely on the Chef's dough hook!

It depends a lot on how you like your bread!

You can see from how much the slashes have spread out how much oven rise

That's a good looking loaf

I'm using a sourdough starter. I have yeasted bread perfected (if I say so myself!), but I haven't made much sourdough. I've had my starter on the go since end Oct, but have used it mainly for things other than bread. I have made a couple of loaves, which were perfectly OK, but just fancied giving your approach a go.
I'll let you know how it pans out...

I love our bread maker. Perfect bread every time. I’m naturally lazy though.