Does ii work out cheaper using a breadmaker?

[TitsalinaBumSquash]

Im toying with the idea of getting a bread maker, we only usually eat about 3 loaves a week of wholemeal bread.
Does anyone know if it will work out cheaper in the long run making my own bread, I would also use it for dough for Pizza bases as well.

Home made bread doesn't keep well because it contains no preservative. What I do is slice the bread as soon as it has cooled, wrap it in an airtight bag and put it into the freezer. I can then take it out a slice at a time.

dh does it at 250, in a metal casserole, half hour with lid on (but he checks after 20 mins) and then ten mins with lid off.

he puts clingfilm over the dough when it's rising, giving it a right good mix before setting it to rise. when he gets it out he does give it a good old bash around and foldover with a spatula, but rather than do it on the counter he puts it into a silicon baking dish that i have so that the 'batter' doesn't spread so much. (it's so much more slidey than normal dough at this stage). he reckons that doing this for a while makes the bread more useful for sarnies etc. without that it's too holey, although still completely delicious and restauranty.

he does two loaves at a time, one gets eaten, the other sliced and stuck in the freezer. it makes the best toast you'll ever eat.

oh and he 'cuts' a slice through the dough 'boule' just before it goes in as he read somewhere that it lets the steam escape during cooking. it sure looks purty anyway.

I bought a load of seeds from the local market, £1.80 for about 500g. As I use about 75g in a 1kg loaf, that should work out nicely. That loaf is comparable to the Sainsbury's freshly baked loaves at 85p for a 500g loaf, although I use half white and half brown flour...

its also cheaper in the sense that you dont run out of bread, so dont need to nip to the shop and spend a tenner instead of £1 on JUST a loaf!

you cpuld well be right there, I very rarely nip to the shop. I have a milkman, so don't nip to the shop for milk as I get 6 pints on 6 mornings and when in the supermarket I usually buy 10kg - 15kg of flour at a time which will last a fair while.

has anyone had flour delivered in bulk form a Mill?

Mars-do you have a recipe that you always use that you could share?

I would prefer to make my own than bread machine but the only simple recipe I have is quite tedious!

look at the clip i linked to, tully. honest, it's delicious.

look at the clip i linked to, tully. honest, it's delicious.

Definitely cheaper as you can bake to your needs so little waste and no extra trips out to buy bread.

Even if you use the ready mix packets it's still cost effective - Hovis granary mix is 65p in Sainsburys and their own brand multiseed is 75p - both delicious!

I keep mine in a lock-n-lock bread bin with a piece of kitchen roll in the bottom and it keeps really well

tullytwo I use the recipe in the River Cottage Family Cook book.

500g strong white flour
1 tsp salt (recipe says 2 but we found it too salty)
Sachet of easy blend yeast, or 2 tsps
2 tbs olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
300ml warm water

Flour, salt and yeast in bowl. Mix.
Spoon olive oil and sugar/honey into measuring jug, make up to 300mls with warm water. Stir well
Pour oily water on flour, little at a time
work together into soft, slightly sticky dough.
Knead for 10 mins (this is why good music is essential)
Shape into ball. Pop in bowl and cover with cling film or tea towel

After 1.5-2 hours push your hand through dough to flatten it. Knead for half a minute.

Shape and bake.

I tend to make bread rolls cos the Reprobates love them.

forgot to add... after shaping bread, leave for a further 20-25 mins.

I have to disagree with Bunbaker on the keeping properties of homemade bread. Admittedly I bake using a half-sponge method which does have better keeping properties due to its longer ferment, but I bake a 2lb loaf every week (700gm flour) and it lasts all week, just loosely wrapped in a poly bag (actually has a hole or two in it) left out on the work surface. Don't store in the fridge as I was told that this slows down the good bacteria so they cannot feed on the bad bacteria.

Thanks very much MarsLady-much appreciated.

Aitch I will definitely give it a go too-on the link he says all purpose flour but would you use bread flour or just plain flour?

I got a breadmaker today! I happened to be ttaking my gran shopping and they had an ex display model on the shelf reduced to only £13! It's a Russell Hobbs one, no box or manual but it only took a 2 second call to their customer services and they emailed me a manual and said if I wanted topay postage they will send me a box! (I declined the box, I Plan to keep it out)

Anyway I now have a lovely loaf of granary baking and some dried fruit soaking for a cake later. :)

Any good tips would be most welcome, I would love a fruit loaf of some sort for my gran.

Also is there nowhere you can get the Doves Farm quick yeast without paying p&p?

Use the doves yeast rather than the fiddley packets - as it is cheaper and better.

use milk rather than water if you want a soft loaf - but don't use the timer if you use milk.

keep everything for making bread - salt sugar and flour in the same place easy to get to - keep the yeast in the fridge. that way the yeast lasts longer and with everything close together it makes making bread easy and you will continue to do so rather than a passing fad.

Wholemeal flour can go off pretty quick - I had a bag which had, I thought it was the yeast but made a white loaf fine - sainsbury gave me my money back and I am careful to not leave wholemeal flour lying around for longer than a month even if in date

tully waitrose and you could try holland and barret or a health food shop

You don't need the breadmaker though, it is even cheaper in your oven?

oops too late!

ooh, Aitch. That looks very easy. Going to try that out.

Bread Flour! Ordinary plain flour doesn't have enough gluten (unless you are Gluten intolerant, in which case I don't know anything to help you).

Sorry, sounded a bit harsh. I meant to say I don't know how to make Gluten-free bread!!!

Well I have a gorgeous loaf and DS and I made the cake from the recipe in the maual. It is a fruit cake but its very light not dense and sticky like a wedding fruitcake.

Here is the recipe incase anyone wants it, i will be using it again, DS wants a slice in his lunch box tomorrow, it will also be lovely with a mid morning coffee or tea.

1 tsp Lemon Juice
2 Eggs
1/4tsp Vanilla Extract
50g Melted Butter
175g (soaked) dried fruit
250g Plain Flour
150g Sugar
1/2tsp Cinnamon
1/2tsp Nutmeg
2tsp Baking Powder

Optional brandy (a splash)

i get doves yeast from tesco...