What important things do I need to know about making bread?

[lisad123]

Have a new mixer including a bread hook. I am just making basic loaf, need to know the basics?

What happens if I leave it in airing cupboard too long/too little

What good things can I add

How do you make tiger loaf?

I burnt my first loaf, how come when it was in shorter time than recommended.

1. depends how long you leave it for if it's just a bit nothing really happens
2. absolutely anything you want, herbs/cheese/olives/sundried toms
3. http://www.butcherbakerblog.com/2008/07/29/cracking-the-tiger-bread-mystery/tiger bread recipe
4. your oven has a hot spot, your oven temp isn't as acurate as you think, there was a bit too much sugar in your recipe, the loaf tin you used was a different shape, one of a million reasons, post the recipe for more in depth analysis.

There are LOADS of really good online recipes for bread:

www.bakingmad.com/recipes/whitebreads?gclid=COu6ypnrvrMCFebLtAodgUgA4w

www.wessexmill.co.uk/recipe/bread.html

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2060/easy-white-bread

HTHTiggaxx

3 should read http://www.butcherbakerblog.com/2008/07/29/cracking-the-tiger-bread-mystery/ tiger bread recipe

grrrrrrrrrrr tiger bread recipe

GRRRRRTiggaxx

Thank you
I use just using the recipe from the bag of flour, but did put in too much sugar, so that explains the burning.
The second load look and tasted better but still not as light and airy as I would like, still quite heavy.
Will look and try those recipes later :)

Can I use olive oil instead of butter?

If you want it to rise and be airy you need to beat the crap out of it - more kneading = nicer bread.

If I hand bake bread I'm usually mad as hell, I always need for 3-5 minutes longer than the mixer says.

If you're new I'd follow recipes rather than get creative - you can always mess about when you've found a bread recipe you love.

HTHTiggaxx

It's all in the knead! It needs to get to that lovely smooth silky elastic stage, so knead it until it gets there.

It's not in the kneading. Dan Lepard's recipes never require much kneading. All his bread recipes that I tried work. Max 30s kneading spread out over 1/2 hour.

Tried a few and best one so far is baking mad one