Breadmakers and slicing bread.

[thedollshouse]

I like the idea of buying a bread maker, my reservation has always been slicing the bread, I can't use a kitchen knife for toffee. Someone once told me that some breadmakers come with an inbuilt slicing device but I can't seem to find any that do.

Any ideas?

TIA

Lakeland do a sort of gadget thing that helps slice bread evenly. I think that it is called the Even Slice or something similar. Don't know how it works, though.

I'd try to find a gadget ...I hate slicing bread. I'd be interested in a bread slicing gadget as I make a lot of bread...

I bought the Panasonic all-singing-all-dancing breadmaker and it is partly for reason you mention that I have fallen out of love with it and have reverted to shop-bought bread. It currently sits like in the corner of our kitchen until I can figure out a) how to slice without faff and b) how to make a loaf that still tastes nice the next day. However, plenty of other folk will disagree with me and sing the praises of breadmakers, guess it's down to the one you buy?

Thanks all I will have a look at the Lakeland slicing device. I make a complete hash of slicing french bread so don't think a breadmaker is for me unless I can find something that helps me to slice the bread.

I'm crap at slicing bread but I bought an electric knife when I got the breadmaker and it's dead easy, never had any problems with doorsteps

Had a panasonic for last three years -best on the market. Always, always use an electric carving knife. Let the bread cool a bit before carving. You can speed up the cooling process by cutting it in half straight away and leave the two halves crust side down to let the steam out. Plus with the carving knife you can cut other stuff with it!

I've read a lot of mixed reviews about the Lakeland slicing thing, so check these out if you haven't already.

I would echo what Bari said about letting the bread cool. In fact, we're in a nice little routine of making the bread in the evening once the DCs are in bed, letting it cool overnight on a rack and then it's cold and ready to slice in the morning.

My breadmaker is the Panasonic one, and it has a 'rapid bake' function that takes 2 hours rather than the standard 4 hours. We've found that the rapid bake bread has a denser texture and so it's a lot easier to slice evenly. Obviously, you might or might not like a denser textured bread, but in our house it's largely used for toast so it makes no difference really.

And as with anything, the sharper your knife, the more accurately it cuts.

Learn to slice bread yourself

Apparently you need to let the knife do the work - do not exert pressure, otherwise you squish the bread, just gently saw. Or something.

I'm still crap at slicing bread, but less crap than I was. Fortunately I like my bread thick.

Get one of these.

An electric carving knife was my saviour.

OK, I still have blips where I produce strange wedges of bread but on the whole its much better with an electric knife.

Oh, and wait for the bread to go cold before cutting.

Thanks all. Otter I think I am beyond learning to slice it myself, I can't even make a sandwich properly out of shop bought sliced bread.

I could actually do with going on a cookery course that just deals with using knives as I haven't got a clue, dh cannot bear to watch me on the loose with a knife!

you dont have to bake loaves - i think rolls taste much better - all it involves is removing the dough from the machine, roughly dividing up, let rise until double in size and putting in the oven for 15 mins- it is a LOT quicker and you can be more creative than with a big loaf