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Bread Machines versus Oven Baked?
I'm contemplating getting a Bread machine, but am unsure about whether or not to do so. I have baked bread in the oven (it's been awhile) and while perusing some of the recipes here, have some questions about the adaptability of old fashioned bread recipes and the newer ones I see that are listed specifically for Bread machines.
For instance, I noticed that one recipe called for "Bread flour" - just how different is Bread flour than regular flour? I know that my ancestors didn't have specific flour for specific purposes so am a little confused.
It also looks like the ingredients for "Bread Machine" bread, are a bit more expensive than the ingredients listed in my mother's cookbook for oven baked bread.
Can someone illuminate me in the differences? The main reason I am even thinking about getting one is that the temperature in our house seems to not be conducive to having bread rise and I tend to stick my bowl with dough in the oven on a low temperature to get it to rise.
Thanks!
bethaliz6894 (02-14-2009), brchbell (01-10-2009), faxonfive (01-14-2009), fosterfamily5 (01-10-2009), Janice Terrell (01-14-2009), jkpjohnson (01-14-2009), JoAnn (10-07-2008), Margaret K (01-10-2009), mdowdy (01-14-2009), Niddi (01-10-2009), rtebalt (01-10-2009), suey (01-15-2009), Tarrien (01-11-2009), tsgal (01-14-2009), wilbe95 (10-08-2008)
Bread flour is a High Gluten Flour (it contains barley flour and a bit of Vit c) which gives it greater elasticity and the ability to retain gas as the dough rises.
I loved my bread machine, but I burnt it out way too quickly. it is much easier to bake bread from scratch and have 2-4 loaves at a time instead.
What you can do,if you are experiencing rising issues, is to preheat your oven to 200F. Mix Your dough, place it in a greased bowl, shut off the oven, add a bread pan half full of hot (boiling water) to the back of the oven, and place your dough in the oven to rise. This is a super easy way to make dough rise fast and yummy!
I do this when I make bread, pizza, yeast rolls, etc. It controls the heat/humidity conditions and gives the perfect dough.
If you do Opt for a bread machine, I recommend checking goodwill, you can often find them for $5. a whack. Great buy if you only want a small loaf.
Also, check out Bread machine Mixes on the site for lots of different recipes you can make.
~Liss~
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Thanks, I hadn't thought of the bowl of water in the oven part.
I don't have the time to knead, let rise, knead, etc. that a regular loaf of bread requires.
I use my bread machine like I use my slow cooker, as a way to make something without having to spend so much time making it. For example, I can put together a dinner in the slow cooker and the ingredients for a loaf of bread in the bread machine in the morning & set it to be ready at dinner time; then when I get home after picking the kids up from school I have the time to help them, clean the house a bit, etc. instead of spending 30-60 mins. making dinner.
I don't think the loaves made in the machine are nearly as good as the loaves I used to make by hand pre-children, but the convenience for me is an advantage over the taste. Someday I'd like to make some loaves from scratch again. It was a great way to pass the time when my husband was working retail on a Saturday and I was snowed in the apartment.
I try to make as many whole wheat breads as I can, so my recipes often call for the addition of wheat gluten. This week we are enjoying a loaf of banana oatmeal bread that I set to have ready on Monday morning. And we are eating it with the strawberry jam I made Sunday night. Delicious!
I use to have a bread machine, but have found that it really doesn't take all that more time to do it from scratch because you can make more loaves at one time. I like to do my bread making over the weekend and have it for the whole week.
Kim in SD
The greatest glory never comes from falling, but from rising each time you fall.~Clay Aiken
I use my bread machine in a pinch. You can only make one loaf at a time and we use 3 loaves a day! No one in my family likes it baked in the bread maker so I always have to use the mode to mix only then I put it in my own bread pan and bake. I just gave my bread machine to my son at college-- He thinks it's awesome! I make him up mixes at home and deliver them once a month. He didn't like the store bought mixes! I use my daily dough kneading to relieve all my stress! If I was you I'd forget the bread machine and just keep putting it in the oven to raise!
I love my bread machine ~ put the ingredients in at night and set the timer for finish time & wake up to the aroma of freshly baked bread!!
when you have carpal tunnel or arthritis the breadmachine sure helps, not sure I could knead the 5 or 10 min by hand anymore. Just cooking for 2 now I also don't cook more than one loaf at a time so I feel like I would have to find something else to bake if I used the oven. Used to bake in the oven all the time and like those loaves better (no hole in the bottom) but you just have to evaluate your own needs, for some the breadmachine is better.
Niddi
OK, now I'm wanting to bake bread!
I wanted to buy a bread machine once I found this site. I was telling my MIL about it and she said she had one she could give me. I absolutley love it. I mainly use if for the dough setting. I like the bread baked in the oven. the bread machine shape is weird. I did once make english muffin bread and did the over night timer thing. That was pretty cool. Although the dog kept me up all night because he didn't like the noise in the kitchen. I haven't bought frozen pizza since i got it. I just freeze 1/2 baked pizza crust. It's the best.
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