Does anyone bake their own bread without a breadmaker?

[Millie1]

If so, please tell me about it!

I've tried a couple of white loaves in the past but they've been terrible. Now I've got two boys who would love fresh crusty rolls for their lunchboxes (if I buy them, they'll be a day old by the time they eat them).

If it's of any relevance re the baking part, at the moment I'm using elec oven but Aga will be going back on in a few weeks so any experiences of bread-making in an Aga would also be useful.

Thanks

I do.

What recipe are you using?

There is a great one on the MN recipe page. Wait. I will link

I've never used an Aga but I do bake bread by hand, as it were. When you say your loaves are 'terrible', Millie, what do you mean exactly? Do they not rise well? Or are they doughy? Have you made them in tins or are they freeform? Sorry, lots of questions but more detail, please!

here

Have used the recipe for pizza base too.

I don't but my ds does. It is an easy recipe from a children's baking book & you can use it to make a loaf or rolls. Tastes great but don't know if that is down to the recipe or ds! Will look it out tomorrow.

Okay, I tried a couple of white loaves (recipe plucked from a book) a few years back. Both in a tin and just a round circle IYKWIM. Actually, as I think about it, neither had yeast - must have been some sort of a soda bread recipe. They were tastless with chewy crusts.

I guess a basic recipe to start off with would be great and any tips - MmeLindt, link would be fabulous, thanks.

Afraid I'm going to go to bed now as I'm falling over on my feet with tiredness but I will check back in the morning. Thanks all

Brilliant - thanks MML. Actually, speaking of pizza bases, I made one the other day - same ingredients as that but with a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Are bread & pizza base recipes so similar?

I can look out my soda bread recipe tomorrow too. It is great.

I use the recipe that comes free on the flour-bags, and it seems to work fine! You can make soda-bread of course, but for 'real' bread you need yeast - dried is easiest. But I would highly recommend a really good bread flour. Waitrose do a brilliant Canadian strong flour which is the business. Once you've mixed all the ingredients, knead it really thoroughly, till the dough feels completely smooth and springy and 'alive', and then give it a good hour or so to double in size, in a bowl, preferably in a warm place, and covered up with a tea-towel or even clingfilm. Then tip it back out on the worktop, punch it down to knock out the big air-bubbles (dcs always enjoy this bit). Form it into the shapes you want, or put it in greased tins, and leave it another 30 mins or so to rest and rise again. Then bake in a good hot oven. I haven't tried the MN easy bread recipe but it's probably pretty similar?

We make all our bread. Have done for a year. Since getting the river cottage bread book. It's fantastic. I use their basic recipie but have adapted it so it's easier to measure out. It is...

1kg flour (you can buy 1kg bags if in a rush. Then you don't even need to get the scales out)
1 sachet yeast
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups of warm water (=600ml, i use the cup measure that came with the breadmaker... Oh the irony!)

I use his kneeding technique and imo it's this that makes the differance. I can describe it if you like.

Also if you want crust, use a hot oven and put a dish or deep tray in the bottom and pour boiling water in to it when you put the bread in.

Thanks for the tips & recipes. Is the River Cottage book worth buying MoonFace? I've put it in my Amazon basket in anticipation of a 'yes'! Looking forward to experimenting at the weekend!

DP does sometimes but as we don't eat much bread it always gets wasted.

I think the recipe he was using most recently was a jamie oliver recipe.

yes it's fantastic millie. It explains how bread actually works iyswim so the whole process is clear. Then has lots of recipies for things to do with the basic recipie, ie hot cross buns, pizza etc, and then other types of bread things eg, croissents, ciabbata etc, inc sour doughs

I think it's cheeper from the river cottage website. I've got a few of the handbooks and they are all really good.

I use the receipe out of Bread Matters, but it takes 2 days but this is when all the flavours develop and also the nutritional benefits against the fast quick yeast. Believe me its not difficult at all. You start with mixing a sponge mix which is simply the yeast, water and flour. I'd rec a therometer to get the water temp correct. You leave it overnight to rise then add the other half of the ingredients, butter, salt, sugar, knead and shape.

The book is very interesting too and educates us on how bread making has become so industrised which means poor nutritian, high fat and intolerances.

If making by hand you need a good quality flour I ordered mine on-line but waitrose sell a good selection.

Update ... Success

Used Rachel Allen]'s white yeast loaf recipe - it made a loaf and half a dozen rolls. Turned out really well and wasn't at all difficult. DS has asked me to make more rolls tomorrow so he has nice, fresh rolls for his lunch on Tuesday. Practice shall make perfect!

Thanks all!

I use method in our Aga...

I use basic strong flour, sometimes mix of rye, or wholemeal etc.

Make sure the casserole/pot is very hot before you put the bread in. Flour the base.

I second the No-Knead Bread recipe on youtube.

It makes the best artisan/french country loaf with lovely crust.
Makes the best toast ever.

But I found the mix just a touch too wet, so now use less water, mix untill dough comes together but not sloppy.

The best thing about this technique is just how flexible it is. If you forget or don't have time to bake, the dough is happy to prove for 24/48 hours or just bung it in the fridge. I have for up two 3 days and it still made a great loaf.

A handy tip re. water temperature if you don't have a thermometer: use 2 parts cold to 1 part boiling water. Perfect temp, works a treat for me!

We don't have an airing cupboard/'warm place' so I put mine in a basin covered with clingfilm and put it in the oven on the lowest heat possible - about 30 degrees C. It takes about an hour to double in size.

Thanks for all the advice! Today's batch has turned out with a crustier crust but this may be down to me using too much yeast the last time and too low and oven temperature (only discovered today when I re-read the recipe without children pulling at my legs ). Not so sure the crust will suit DS's - they liked the soft crust of the weekend but we'll see. It's so satisfying

Ooh moonfacemama, I have been searching for the river cottage basic recipe since I saw it on tv. I would really really appreciate it if you have the time and inclination to type it out. I would be SO SO very very indebted to you!!!

1.5 lb flour, 2 tea spoon dried yeast, 1-2 tea spoon salt, a dash of olive oil and "enough" luke warm water.
Yeast does go "off" eventually, so if its been open a long while, maybe try some fresh.

Works well for me. I cheat a bit and get the kenwood mixer to do the kneeding. Workable bread or rolls recipe. I do freeform loaves as tin ones tend to be a doughy in the middle.

Bake as hot as you can get your oven, 25 mins for a loaf seems to do it in an elec oven at 230. 10-15 mins for rolls.
I don't bother with a second rise for rolls, but do for bread. A second rise that goes on too long ( more than 30 mins ish IMHO) will result in rather heavy bread.