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Baking bread

28 replies

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 04/02/2008 20:59

Ok - baking bread for the first time. It has done the required time in the oven, but how do I know it is cooked all through. I don't want to slice it and find it is all doughy inside.

Why did i decide to have a domestic goddess moment toda?

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captainmummy · 04/02/2008 21:01

Turn it upside down and tap on the bottom - it should sound hollow, and feel light for it's size. If it doesn't sound hollow it's not done.

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 04/02/2008 21:02

Ta - going to tap now!

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ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 04/02/2008 21:09

Yay! It's hollow! I have freshly baked tonight!

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ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 04/02/2008 21:10

Bread - freshly baked bread

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captainmummy · 05/02/2008 12:04

So how was it? Yum I bet! I have started baking a cotttage loaf every friday evening now, leave it overnight to rise and bake it in te morning. Then the kids descend like locusts and I have to go to waitrose to buy a loaf for lunch.

slng · 05/02/2008 12:11

captainmummy- do you leave it to rise in the fridge or just out at normal(?) temperature? I want to try that - nothing like freshly baked bread, is there?

captainmummy · 05/02/2008 12:22

I leave it overnight in the kitchen (which is actually quite cold) with the bowl over it. In the morning it's (usually) risen enough to bumg in the oven straight away. I have started making pretzels too, they are really popular!

slng · 05/02/2008 13:37

I'll try the bread first!

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 05/02/2008 23:27

Only just got on MN today and I should have been in bed ages ago!

The bread was indeed yummy, thanks CaptainM. Now Mr GoodBits wants a freshly baked loaf every week. We'll see......

LOL at having to buy a loaf for lunch - shows how good your baking must be!

Stupidly, i thought you could only bake a loaf of bread if you had a bread maker and I was loathe to buy another useless piece of kitchen equipment that would end up unused, like the juicer and sandwich toaster. Then it ocurred to me that people did bake bread before the advent of these machines! Duh!

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captainmummy · 06/02/2008 10:17

Yeah don't buy a breadmaker - they make plant-pot shaped bread that's abcsolutley solid like clay. Much nicer to make a cottage loaf or baguette, jsut needs a bit of thumping(kneading in my house) - lol at Mr Goodbits!

Beadmum · 06/02/2008 13:56

I want to start baking my own bread but dont want to get a breadmaker.
Have looked up loads of recipes but dont know what would be best. Can someone please post a recipe that works great for you TIA

slng · 06/02/2008 14:18

Beadmum - I use Delia's basic white bread and wholemeal bread recipes to start with. Now I do anything between white and wholemeal and add anything I feel like to the bread (like sunflower seeds and honey and even grated vegetables - garlic and courgette is nice - I look at expensive breads in supermarket for ideas and do them at home!) and it somehow seems to work.

ecoworrier · 06/02/2008 15:33

Same here, I have some ordinary every-day recipes and then adapt them at will. Half white, one third wholemeal and one-third rye is a lovely mix. Add a couple of handfuls of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, seeds or raisins, perhaps a teaspoon of herbs or spice and you've a different bread for every day of the week! My children love toasted cinnamon and raisin bread for breakfast, or last week I added a bit of cocoa powder and some walnuts for chocolate-nut bread.

My basic recipe is 3 lb flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 oz fresh yeast and 1 1/2 pints warm water. Nothing else. If you use dried yeast you need half the amount of fresh and follow directions on packet rather than my yeast directions below.

Dissolve yeast in a little of the warm water. Mix flour and salt in large bowl. Add yeasted water and mix, adding the extra water until the dough comes together and leaves bowl clean - you might not need it all, or sometimes you need a bit more water.

Knead dough on floured surface for 5-10 mins, then put in covered bowl (tea-towel is fine) until doubled in size - 1-2 hours. Then punch the risen dough down, knead briefly and shape into rolls or put into bread tins - this amount makes 4-5 small loaves or 2 large ones. Leave to rise for 30 mins or so, meanwhile pre-heat oven to 225 deg C. Bake for approx 30 mins for small loaves, 40-45 mins large loaves. You can take loaves from tins for 5 mins for a crustier finish. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If you want a different effect, you can glaze the top of the loaf with milk or an egg and water mix before baking, and if you like, sprinkle with cheese or seeds or oats.

Just halve the above recipe if you only want 1-2 loaves. For rolls, bake for 10-15 mins. Depending on your oven, you might need to reduce heat while bread is baking - I tend to do mine for 10-15 mins at 225 deg, then turn it down to 200 deg for the rest of the time.

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 06/02/2008 21:29

Wow! Thanks for those ideas EcoW.

I cheated and bought flour with seeds already in by Hovis, you can get this as white or wholemeal flour. And used dried yeast. Made Mr GoodBits laugh by saying here is a freshly baked Hovis loaf!

I made a smaller loaf than above about 1kg (2lbs I think) only because that's the only loaf tin I have! Hey - I've only baked bread once!

Now not only does Mr GB want a fresh loaf as often as poss, my mother would like one too!!

If there's anyone else who would like one contact EcoW, obviously she's an expert!

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Beadmum · 06/02/2008 22:53

thanks so much, great instructions ecoworrier. Cant wait to try it out tomorrow

ecoworrier · 07/02/2008 08:51

Not such a maths expert though - I've just realised I have one half, one third plus one third making 1! I meant one half white, one quarter rye and one quarter wholemeal. But any combination is good, just experiment!

I've been making bread on and off for over 20 years now, and have rarely bought bread for the last 10 years. I do now own a breadmaker (it was bought for me as a gift), but I have to say it just doesn't do the job as well as I do! The bread isn't as good, it's not any quicker and I can make several more loaves in the same time! I've only ever made 3 breadmaker loaves I would be proud to call my own - my children differentiate between our 'breadmaker bread' and 'proper bread'! I think we're all just bread snobs...

I've got some dough for naan bread rising in the fridge as we speak, so along with a quick lentil dahl that will be a very easy and yummy tea!

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 07/02/2008 10:09

Grrrr - EcoW you're just showing the rest of us up now. I think I'll have to do another loaf today just so I don't feel so inferior. At least I will double the number of loaves I've baked!!

Baking bread = happiness?

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captainmummy · 07/02/2008 11:19

EcoW - what recipe do you use for naan? I would like ot try making them at home, as the dc only like the little mini ones (?) and I suspect they are quite easy?

Beadmum - there is a quickand easy recipe on the packet of breadflour usually.

ecoworrier · 07/02/2008 11:37

I have tried several naan recipes and most worked OK. The one I use most uses 1 lb white bread flour, 1 lb S.R. flour, 1 tsp salt, 3 1/2 fl oz plain yoghurt, 1/2 oz fresh yeast and enough warm water to bind into a nice dough.

Just make dough as normal, then leave to rise in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Then roll into naan bread shapes, as big or small as you like (the above quantities make about 12 really large ones. I use half for one meal, then freeze the rest). Pre-heat grill to high. Brush one side of naan with a little oil and grill until it puffs up and is nicely browned, turn and do the same for the other side. It only takes a minute or so, but this is the most time-consuming bit because it's quite a large quantity of dough and my grill only takes a couple of naan at a time. That's why I make a large batch and freeze some for later, they re-heat beautifully.

If you like, you can fold in some extras while shaping the naan - some toasted almonds or cashews or some sultanas or dessicated coconut, or a combination of the above. Or for more savoury tastes, some poppy seeds or herbs or crushed garlic.

captainmummy · 07/02/2008 12:47

thanks eco - I think for my family i'd do half the quantity and still have loads left for freezing!

daydreambeliever · 07/02/2008 19:03

Oh hi Captainmummy, I have a suggestion re homemade bread- irish soda bread- doesnt need to be risen then knocked down again (whoops have forgotten proper words but YKWIM). Sodabread made with 8 oz wholemeal, 8 oz white flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and buttermilk - thats the only problem, buttermilk can be hard to get hold of. Just bang it all together and bake it for 30 mins. Its yummy but it has to be eaten that day ish cos it gets very crumbly and soft.

captainmummy · 07/02/2008 21:16

DaydreamBeliever (Monkies fan, huh?) - I love soda bread, and I make it using natural yog instead of buttermilk. Slightly differnet taste, more tangy I suppose but quite authentic. Makes great toast the next dayif not all eaten up, and breadcrumbs which can be froz.

WildStrawberries · 07/02/2008 22:34

Oh that's interesting re: the soda bread daydreambeliever. I make it with 1 lb flour (10oz wholewheat and 6oz plain white,) 1 teaspoon bicarb, small pinch of salt and buttermilk. My grandmother used soured milk but I imagine yogurt would work very well - it certainly does in scones.

ItsNotOnlyTheGoodBits · 07/02/2008 23:02

Mmmm that naan recipe sounds yummy EcoW. Something else for me to try. Along with the soda bread. Where do you get buttermilk from? Although I'll prolly use yogurt instead.

Heavens I might even turn into a 'mom' here! I'll be baking cakes next...

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daydreambeliever · 07/02/2008 23:47

Oh natural yoghurt, well that sounds good. I used to live in rural Cnada and it was v hard to get buttermilk, I wish Id known that then. Well I will try that!