Unsure of when to start making bread...

[dippingmytoeinagain]

Hi there, I'm after a bit of bread making advice please. I'd like to be baking homemade bread to eat fresh with evening dinner. I don't think I have enough time to make it from scratch when I get in after school run, so would it work if I started it off before I go off to work in the morning, and leave the dough standing until we get in at 3.30?

I do have a bread machine but find the loaves a bit heavy - and my last attempt at handmade was so much nicer. Many thanks!

It seems a long time to leave the dough without knocking it back.

You could try leaving it somewhere cool to slow things down a bit, then when you come in knock the dough back and leave it to rise again somewhere warm.

Make sure you cover the bowl with cling film though or you will end up with a dry crust on top of your dough.

Good luck! :)

Thanks, no harm done in trying I guess. And the house is plenty cool enough as I am still refusing to put the heating on, so find a cool place won't be a problem (and finding a warm one might be!)

Thanks again!

I quite often do a mix overnight, just before going to bed, start off first mix and leave in a cool place covered with cling film, then knock back in morning and shape.

I think most breads are proved too quickly long and slow they taste better and seem to have good texture.

If it's warm you can also slowly prove in a fridge, but I find our utility bit cool enough for an 8 hour 1st prove! If you want to do sour dough you can leave it even longer!

if you reduce the amount of yeast you can more or less have it ready to suit you, with a bit of experimentation. it does dry out on a really long rise as has been mentioned, I use a shower cap from poundland to avoid using yards of cling film.

Try making a sponge before you go to bed, and then finishing off the loaf and first prove early in the morning. Knock back and put in loaf pan, then put the loaf pan (covered) in the fridge, really quite cool. You could then put it in the oven when you get back from the school run. It could be worth a try to see if timings work.

I make sourdough - put starter on first thing in the morning, then bread at lunchtime and ready to bake for dinner. Alternatively, starter overnight, bread in the morning and bake in evening (is more sour that way).

I do it really liquid and bake in a tin, so no crust issues (and no kneading!).