Help me bake my own bread!

[brutusbaldwin]

To save money and turn myself into domestic goddess of days gone by, I would love to start baking bread. I don't have a breadmaker and can't afford one. What do I need and what do i do? Would like the bread to be 50/50 as I need the kids to like it!
Thank YOU

I have recently taken up bread making too, and I love it. I usually make a 1kg loaf using 670g of flour (I use 50/50 white/wholemeal or just white depending), 400ml water, 7g dried yeast, 30g butter/marg, 7g salt. Mix the years t with a little water first. Then mix everything together and knead well for 10-15mins. Then leave in a bowl covered with a damp tea towel or clingfilm until it has doubled in size. This will happen in about an hour in a warm room or can even be left overnight somewhere cooler. Then knead again for about 10 mins. Place in a lightly greased bread tin or on a baking sheet and leave to rise again for 10-15 mins. Glaze with milk and put in oven at 190 degrees for about 30-40 mins. It'll sound hollow when tapped underneath when it's cooked. Enjoy!!

I did an easy one from the Times
it doesn't come out like 'normal' white bread but is delicious and makes fab toast, and there's no kneading so no floury mess everywhere. Mine rose for 24h at room temp and was fine.
No-knead sourdough-style loaf

Sounds good Mrs B. My breadmaker is on the side ready to freecycle- never worked well so I'm going to try this recipe.

I found this recipe easy to follow & it worked! Plus it gives ideas for other variations

Bluekangaroowonders...

I was coming on this thread to cry as my breadmaker blew up last week and was just going to put a new thread on entitled 'anyone got a bread maker they don't wnat?'

If you would like some money for your breadmaker instead of freecycling then I am very interested in buying a 2nd hand one.

Or, if you found it never worked well, mine never did till I disovered the 'wrong' yeast.

Don't buy the breadmaker yeast, buy the Allinsons one that needs to be reactivated in warm water first. Put that in the liquid required for the recipe, wait till its got a good froth on top then add the dry ingredients. Works perfectly every time for us - and that yeast makes the loaf smell a LOT better than the tampered-with dried instant stuff.

Ruthchan- made that bread today from your receipe.It turned out lovely! Thank you very much, it was very easy.

Brutusbaldwin: Great!!I'm glad you liked it!!