Bread machine help please!

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So I just got one today and I wanted to put the machine on the delay timer overnight to have fresh bread in the morning. But the instructions are not at all clear. Do I put in the time I want the bread to be ready? Or the time until I want the machine to start? Or something else? I've a Kenwood BM200, btw.

With mine it's the number of hours until bread is ready (ie normally takes five hours, but if you want it seven hours later you'd programme it for 12 hours). But mine is a panasonic.
May be worth bearing in mind that bread will not be any good at least until it's had time to cool down (the holes don't stay formed if that makes sense)

Thanks. Do I really need the skimmed milk powder or will just water do?

The skimmed milk powder gives loaves a lighter quality but there are plenty of recipes that don't use it. A knob of butter in the mix makes for a fluffy loaf whereas oil gives you more 'rustic' style results. A little sugar will give you a better-coloured loaf and the salt is vital. If you leave it out, the yeast is not quite so effiicient and the flavour is all wrong.

The milk powder is completely unnecessary. I have never out it in any of my loaves, I just leave it out. the recipe book that cme with my panasonic gave no good reason to include it.

Oh, I never put the sugar in either.

Thanks all. In the end I didn't put milk, but did put butter (well buttery spread), sugar and salt and it is amazing! I am hooked .

Out of interest, does anyone know if it works out cheaper than supermarket bread or not?

It works out way cheaper if you exclude the cost of the machine. And I suppose depending on the kind of supermarket bread you bought. I think may be 30 - 40p a loaf (depending on the kind of flour you use I suppose, too). And not counting cost of electricity.
But most importantly I think the bread is far better - has less salt, less sugar and a much nicer consistency

If you buy smartprice cheap bread then making your own will be more expensive

If you buy organic rustic hand made bread then making your own will be cheaper

For your bog standard £1.20ish per loaf, it depends on how much you spent on the breadmaker. If you calculate only using the costs of the ingredients then yes it is cheaper.

Thanks guys for your replies. My machine was actually free as one of dh's colleagues was getting rid of hers as she never used it, so he grabbed it for me . We usually just buy normal run-of-the-mill (no pun intended haha!) bread so I know that on ingredients it would work out way cheaper. Just wondered if anyone knew if price of electricity etc had been calculated to see overall difference in price.

Otherwise, I completely agree with Rooble, the taste and quality is so much better, no preservatives or other crap and I know exactly what's in it. Makes it worth it, imo, whatever the price.

I often use mine to make dough for things like pitta bread, pizza bases and foccacia which are then baked in the oven

SoupDragon, I am interested in doing that too, esp the pizza bases. Am due ds2 in 6 weeks and am keen to get stuff in the freezer, including ready made pizzas! I love focaccia also, so will definitely be giving it a go. I am very excited about it all

I made pizza tonight and the cost was 1.60 for two pizza, they where fresh and you could tell just tomato and cheddar cheese with mozzerello and a few provinceal herbs sprinkled on 0 they where woffed down .

I search the internet for a local supplier of flour and found a local mill (5 miles up the road) and I can buy organic flour from him in bulk and he delivers. Much cheaper than supermarket flour and no carrying it home.

ivykaty44, that sounds yum. I like the idea of local flour too, may have to look into that. Had a busy day yesterday so no time to test out my machine again yet, but am looking forward to next week when I shall be baking to my hearts content haha!