This is my daily schedule....can I make bread around it?

[LocalEdLeicsshire]

I would really like to start making my own bread - if possible, in the oven. We get through a lot of bread, a loaf a day, pretty much. I'd like to make wholemeal.
So....every morning I have about 10 minutes to spare. Then about 7 hours later, I have a reasonable period of time to bake things. The bread would then have to be able to stay fresh overnight, for toast the next morning. We have a nice warm airing cupboard for 'rising' if necessary.
You people who know about such things: can you tell me a recipe that would fit nicely around this schedule?!

I have a breadmaker with a delay function. I set it up before I go to bed to be ready for about an hour before we get up. I find that fresh bread is too fresh, it needs to sit for a bit. But then I'm talking white not wholemeal.

Hi, LocalEd!

I have the very recipe for you - it's an overnight, no-knead bread which takes about 10 minutes in the evening - and a few minutes the next day, and then proving and baking time.

This post has three ways to make bread - look for Method C.

HTH! B&W

Thank you both. Breadandwine - tell me if this would work. In the evenings, I prepare the mixture and leave overnight. In the morning I shape into a loaf and put in the tin - and then leave for 7 hours until I return from work. Then I bake the bread at that point. Would the 7 hours be too long to leave it? Would it just ferment madly?

I make two smallish loaves a day, I do it when I get in from work (4ish) we then have one loaf for that evening and one for the next morning.
If you don't cut it the whole loaf will stay perfectly fresh for the next day.

In the evenings, I prepare the mixture and leave overnight. In the morning I shape into a loaf and put in the tin - and then leave for 7 hours until I return from work. Then I bake the bread at that point. Would the 7 hours be too long to leave it? Would it just ferment madly?

It could work - if you only use a minimum amount of yeast and you left your loaf to prove in the fridge (bakers do this all the time - known as 'retarding').

Give it a go, using 4gms or less of fresh yeast - or 2gms or less if using dried yeast.

When you've shaped the loaf, put the tin in an oiled plastic bag (this will prevent a 'skin' from forming) in the bottom of the fridge.

Whatever happens, you'll finish up with a decent loaf - which you can then use as a 'marker'. Once you've made this you'll know how to adjust the quantity of yeast either up or down - you'll know how long - if at all - you need to leave it before baking.

And, with every loaf, you'll gain more experience and knowledge.

Please let me know how it turns out - I'd be very interested to hear. If it works out as I think it will, I can add this info to my blog. You won't be the only one who could use this technique!

Ok, Breadandwine, I think I might give this a go. I'm thinking that we might be able to do something together with your blog....I'm the local editor for the Mumsnet Leicestershire site (user name kind of gives it away). I'm currently trying to drive traffic to my site. I might do a kind of running thread on the Leicestershire site about my breadmaking efforts, with links to your blog - and put it all on the local facebook site too. Your blog could link back to my thread....perhaps?

I did wonder about your name!

That sounds good to me - and I'd certainly be very happy to link back to your site.

I'm up for anything that gets more people making their own bread.

Just tell me what you'd like me to do - and I'll do it!

OK. I will get onto it - need to get the flour and the tins, etc. and then will get it all going!

I use the half-sponge method, where 10 minutes in the morning to mix all the water, all the yeast and half the flour is ample. use a bowl where there is enough room for plenty of fermentation. Cover with cling film and leave for your 7 hours (or more if you need to).

Then, in the afternoon/evening, mix in the balance of your flour, salt and any other additions such as honey, oil, seeds etc and knead for 5 - 10 mins. Leave to prove in your warm cupboard until doubled in size. Knock back, form your loaf and leave to double in size before baking.

I find that the second mix and first prove takes about an hour in our not terribly well heated kitchen, but whilst the cooker is on cooking supper. Knock-back and second rising about an hour, and then 40 mins to cook.

I leave the loaf out to cool overnight, uncovered, and it is perfect for breakfast, sandwiches etc. I bake a loaf containing 700 gms flour, 450ml water and then the other odds and sods which all adds up to about 1200-1250gms which then weighs 900 gms when cooked. This keeps me going most of the week, but even with sandwiches for lunches, you could probably get away with one loaf every other day. The thing with a half-sponge method is that it improves the keeping qualities.

Sounds good, SHD!

The longer yeast and flour have to mature together, the tastier your bread will be! And you're right, it also improves the keeping qualities!

I generally use 50gms Spelt, 300gms White and 350gms Wholemeal. 1 dsp Yeast, 1.5tsp Salt, a dollop each of Golden Syrup and Olive Oil and then a couple of handfuls of pumpkin seed/linseed/sunflower seed. 450ml water. I mix the water with the spelt/white flours, then add the wholemeal at the second stage. I find that the long ferment of the Spelt gives a nice nutty flavour.

You've reminded me I have two bags of spelt in my cupboard - that'll be my next loaf.

Interestingly, I also make my bread with 700g of flour - although I use 490g of water (70% hydration). If I'm doing it overnight I'll use 7g of fresh yeast - if I'm not, I'll use double that - and 7g of salt. Plus 50g EVOO.

I flatten this out into a medium-sized roasting tray. When it's baked and cooled I cut it up into 15 x

I use golden syrup (just a smallish dollop) as it is much cheaper than honey, and it feeds the yeast just a little bit more to help the rise. The yeast I use is dried active yeast.

Thanks, that's interesting. I've never used any form of sweetener in my daily bread, just flour, water, yeast and salt.

I do, however, often include a glug of fruit juice (purely for the vitamin C), which helps the gluten and speeds up the process.

Most of my teaching is in two hour slots, so time is a factor.

I did include some grated apple in a sage loaf, but it got so bloody wet that I had to add quite a lot more flour. Tasty, but sticky beyond belief!

I had the same experience with chopped, fried (with curry powder) onions!

The onions kept releasing moisture as I kneaded - so I had to keep adding flour! Now I fold them in gently, after the dough is kneaded.

Well, everyone, thanks for all the advice. I'm going to go easy on the apple, sage and onions for now - get the basics sorted first. In fact, I've set myself a challenge: to invent a basic, lifestyle-friendly, Mumsnet Loaf! Come and see what I'm doing on the local page - give me your advice, shout me down, etc. It's all here: local.mumsnet.com/Talk/local_leicestershire/1976127-This-is-the-Bread-Thread

I make bread three times a week or so. I start around 6.30pm use a fairly basic recipe - flour, yeast, water and salt.
My times are like this (roughly!)

6.30-6.40 weigh and mix
6.40-6.50 knead and shape
6.50-7.40 rise
7.40-7.45 knock back and reshape (usually in loaf tin)
7.45-8.30 rise
8.30-9 bake.

I then leave it on a wire rack until I go to bed (around 10.30). It's great for sandwiches for a day or two and for toast for another day after that.

I am a bread baking convert, I only started in October and have only bought bread twice since then!

Oh and I do my rises in my kitchen just covered in cling film. I've been told that the whole 'warm place' thing was based on a time before central heating and that a normally heated home is perfectly warm enough.

I am a bread baking convert, I only started in October and have only bought bread twice since then!

Hi LLL

Great stuff!

When I begin a course I always ask the students if they've made their own bread. If they answer 'Yes', I then say, "Well, you know the secret, then!"

When they look a bit puzzled I tell them - and the rest of the class - that the secret is, they know just how easy it is to make bread!

BTW, you can save the cling film and just use a dry tea towel!

Think you're right about the 'warm place' thing!