novice bread maker: do i need a bread making machine or can i manage without?

[SchrodingersSexKitten]

Got a small kitchen and don't even have a toaster due to serious space constraints.

Keen to start baking bread and wondering if a bread machine is more than a "nice to have" and if I can get away with using the oven?

what are the secrets of a bread making machine which make it indispensible?

am making bread in my machine as we type - it's much easier, but not essential. You just tip in the ingredients and job done. No kneading, waiting for bread to rise etc. Its one of those gadgets I always use.

But, if space is an issue its not essential, just makes life a little easier.

You can make bread quite easily without a bread-maker, especially if you have a kenwood with a dough hook. Then you can get it kneaded whilst you do other stuff. I think the kneading bit is the most fun though.

What I would say is expect a few disasters. I made a fair bit of crap bread (by hand) in the beginning but now I'm consistent, you need to practice, practice. I do have a breadmaker but I don't use it 'cos I like to shape the dough. I think the big advantage of a breadmaker is that you just leave it to get on with it, but then you do end up with a cuboid loaf.

Ok, more questions then:
The reason I am keen to get started on bread is that at the mo, we make loads and loads of cakes; DD1 loves baking and we bake almost every day. It is a lovely activity to do together after school but...it does mean we eat loads and loads of cakes too. Very hard to get a 3 year old to get involved in the baking but not the eating.

So, I came up with the idea of switching to bread making, just cos it would reduce sugar and icing and chocolate intake of DCs. They could bake and eat the fruits of their labours with impunity!

So, I need a solution which allows DD1 to get involved in the process. You speak of a bread making machine meaning you just tip the ingredients in, job done. Sounds brilliantly practical and efficient but would it help when half the objective is to get DCs involved in the kitchen, doing an afterschool project en famille?

Would it be better for them to be trying to do the kneading and mixing and what not?

If the aim is to involve DD, then try it first without the breadmaker. All you need to start with is a bowl, spoon and somewhere to knead it.

I sometimes do a quick recipe which doesn't even require kneading, just stirring and slopping into tins; sometimes knead in the food processor; sometimes use the bread machine either for the full loaf or just dough - in that case you still can do a bit of kneading and all the shaping, but its past the messy stage.

I'm not sure about the 'eating with impunity' - IMO there's nothing as moreish as fresh bread!

Grimma - I know, I know! Even healthy homemade bread with wholesome ingredients can be eaten to excess. But at the moment, it's cupcakes with an inch of icing and a chocolate button on top to excess.....lesser of two evils?

A child could do this My favorite way to make bread. You need nothing more than an oven and a casserole dish.

The no-knead bread looks amazing!

I use this - minimal kneading. Quite boring for little ones I think. These buttermilk baps are very lovely though and DSs like to help me shape them.

agree, if you want to do it with dd than forget the bread maker and do an easy recipe.