topic Re: @Sharke: Making bread } in Kitchen

@Sharke: Making bread ?

SouthernBee — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 23:43:39 GMT

@SharkE: Bread machine delivered yesterday. Reading whole wheat bread recipe which indicated needed: vital wheat gluten and bread flour plus the whole wheat flour and of course every where that I searched are sold out. I have ordered 3 boxes of the whole wheat bread machine mixes to be delivered May 1st. Any other suggestions or help. Thanks. Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

gardenman — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:14:08 GMT

The reason they recommend gluten and bread flour is because whole wheat and other flours like rye, have lower protein/gluten amounts and won't rise/develop as well as higher gluten bread flour. You can cheat and use all-purpose flour and the flavor will be fine, just the texture will be off. You might need a bit less water also as the higher gluten flours tend to be a bit thirstier.

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

SouthernBee — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:38:50 GMT

@gardenman : Thank you. Difficult finding any fresh bread locally especially any healthier bread. I am not a bread maker doing it by hand and thought bread machine would help and especially not to make big mistakes with previous ingredients during this difficult time. DH just ask if I could find a good whole wheat roll recipe and use the bread machine to mix and then bake in oven? 😁😁 Please let me finish researching one thing before asking for something else, at my age - really difficult to multitask. Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

gardenman — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 18:50:19 GMT

@SouthernBee

Don't be intimidated by bread/roll making. For a beginner, you'll probably be happier giving it a final knead/shaping by hand and baking it in your oven than using a bread machine. Bread machine breads have an annoying tendency to collapse into bricks at a whim. There are tons of step by step YouTube videos on baking that can walk you through the process. It's really not hard. I've been making breads and rolls since my teens (I'm now 61+). Bread machines are great for the initial mixing and kneading and first rise, but things can go awry after that. If you take over at that stage, give it a good knead and shape it however you want, things are less likely to go wrong.

Try to avoid the high hydration doughs (really wet and harder to shape) as a beginner and stick to the lower hydration/easier to handle doughs. A very easy beginner bread is the one from Charles Van Over's book "The Best Bread Ever." He's a little on the lunatic fringe side of temps and ingredients but the basic recipe is very simple, easy, and uses few ingredients. His recipe calls for 4.5-5 cups bread flour. 2 teaspoons salt. 1 teaspoon yeast. And 10 ounces (one and a quarter cups of water). He recommends mixing everything in a food processor, but you can also do it by hand, mixer, whatever. (I use my old Kitchenaid mixer.) Once it's mixed you give it a good knead. Simply plop it out on a clean hard lightly floured surface and press down and away from you, rotate it ninety degrees and repeat until the bread feels right, or you get tired. Then plop it into an oiled bowl, cover the bowl (I use plastic wrap) and let rise until doubled. When doubled, take it out of the bowl, whack it in half. Shape each half into a nicely shaped loaf of whatever shape you want, cover and let rise again. Bake it in a preheated 450 degree oven (ideally on a pizza stone, but it's good anyway.) A few spritzes of water when you put it in and a few more in the first few minutes to help get a good oven spring, and in 20-25 minutes you'll have two delicious loaves of bread. It's pretty much a fool proof recipe.

People have been making bread for millennia, so you'll be fine. Some bakers make it sound like nuclear physics and make it a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Just relax, master a simple recipe and then build upon it. Bread is essentially just flour, salt, yeast and water. As long as you're not too far off with any of those you'll be fine.

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

fthunt — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 19:17:03 GMT

@gardenman That was very nice of you to give - new bread baker - so many tips. Wish I had them back when I bought a BM. Hated the hard-rock square dense loafs machine put out. Gave machine away - as fast as possible. LOL

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

sann — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 21:53:31 GMT

@gardenman wrote:
The reason they recommend gluten and bread flour is because whole wheat and other flours like rye, have lower protein/gluten amounts and won't rise/develop as well as higher gluten bread flour. You can cheat and use all-purpose flour and the flavor will be fine, just the texture will be off. You might need a bit less water also as the higher gluten flours tend to be a bit thirstier.

True. I use all purpose flour no problems.

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

SouthernBee — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 23:53:07 GMT

@gardenman : Wow- thank you for the great details.Found the book you suggested and ordered a used but like new book with EDD of 5/2. O/T: still enjoying the LG Phone that you provided great reviews. Happy Baking. Thanks again. Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

SharkE — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 01:44:07 GMT

What's the sense in getting a bread machine if your gonna have to do all that stuff yourself ? LOL I'm not gonna throw in all that stuff then take it out and knead it, shape it, etc.

I don't do that whole grain stuff, so, can't help you there. Nose around King Arthur site those chicks are on the ball, you tube is a must have website.

Why I liked those Zo machines so much better then the ones that make that square, high lump of bread. Zo's shape the bread more like a loaf of Wonder Bread, longer.

I just throw in ingredients in order they tell you too, use the Basic Fast cycle and walk away. It does the mixing , kneading, rising, baking all by itself. Bell goes off. I lift it out make sure that wingnut thing isn't embedded in it and let cool and break out the butter. LOL

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ?

SouthernBee — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 16:22:01 GMT

@SharkE : I will use the bread machine to make loaves but DH just requested rolls. Trying to make healthier choices. Tonight made a stir fry and substituted beef for chicken, used low sodium broth and soy sauce. Then substituted white rice for brown. Totally shocked that DH asked for more. Didn't complain about brown rice. I might be wrong but the cuisinart bread machine that I purchased looks like the results should be more like a regular shaped loaf of bread, this pan is square where years ago when I had a bread machine the results were more like a round loaf.Southern Bee.

Re: @Sharke: Making bread }

SharkE — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 02:42:26 GMT

I started taking prevastatin pill and now I can eat again, my cholesterol went from 223 to 180 in 6 months. Can't wait to see where it goes after another 6 months. I'm satisfied with 180. I threw out all the butter subsitutes LOL

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SouthernBee — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 22:01:39 GMT

medium size loaf baked on medium crust.I think I measured the amount of honey wrong and used less. Combined whole wheat and all purpose flour. Tasted good. Crust was a little hard but not chewy . I am short and bread machine on counter and difficult to see buttons and display screen. I was trying to select the light crust instead to prevent over baking. Appreciate any suggestions. Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SharkE — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 22:17:45 GMT

You might try 'light' setting next time. Put machine on the kitchen table and run extension cord if cord won't reach. Like that long shape better then those squared high loaves.

I use 'medium' setting on mine, but, I just make white bread not that whole grain, so, you might want to use 'light'. All in all looks fine to me.

Mine is not perfectly level on the top either, but, doesn't bother me gonna get ate. LOL

Congrats ! Liking that new mixer ? I would had bought white LOL

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SharkE — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 22:23:28 GMT

Best thing about bread machines is they just make one loaf. DH is odd and he might eat one piece. I don't like to freeze bread or anything much for that matter think it's takes on a 'smell'.

When I make it by hand on a Sat. that will make 2, but, I give away the other one on Sunday to somebody in church. I like to eat bean soup with homemade bread , also.

I buy those bread loaf sleeves from King Arthur, so, makes it look like it's from a bakery. LOL

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SouthernBee — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 07:51:18 GMT

The bread machine is convection with 3 loaf sizes and has 16 different bread cycles. I wanted what you use but everything was sold out. When this popped up on the Bed Bath and Beyond site quickly purchased and then sold out. DH desperate for me to purchase something. DH could not stop eating the bread yesterday and only about two slices were left.
I love the new mixer and need to make cream cheese pound cakes because I have two boxes of cake flour that needs to be used before the expiration date and this will be a good test for the new mixer. Will make pound cake in medium size loaves and put them in the freezer. I appreciate all your help and suggestions. I was worn out yesterday. Took all morning to read the manual for the bread machine and get everything ready then cooked dinner while the bread was baking. DH was very happy. Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SouthernBee — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 08:02:21 GMT

Bean soup and fresh bread sounds delicious. DH was eating the bread yesterday so fast that I thought none would be left for me but managed to grab two small pieces. I don't like the frozen bread but two friends say they can't tell any difference 😳😳. I will look for the bread sleeves. I have the lock n lock bread keeper but the sleeves would be good if I decide to give any bread as gifts but first I need to practice more for better results 🍞🍞.Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

gardenman — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 10:54:44 GMT

I typically make two loaves at a time and freeze the second loaf. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and it tastes fine a week or two later. I tend to let it thaw, then slice it, butter it, and toast it under the broiler, and it's very, very good.

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SouthernBee — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:26:57 GMT

@gardenman : Thanks for the tip. I have no success with freezing store bought bread. Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SharkE — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 14:44:21 GMT

I don't have any trouble with store bought bread because it has so many

preservatives added, but, homemade gets that 'frosty' (LOL) smell.

Could just be , we women, have stronger noses. LOL

DH says "Instead of throwing milk down the drain why don't you freeze it"?

I say MYOB I'm not that tight (not tight at all ) that I'd do that it would be watery and smell awful. Man, could squeeze a nickel till it bleed. It's a family trait. If he thinks I'm gonna throw something away he'll hide it or eat it real fast.

yep, I love being married. My last one I'll bet the farm on that !

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SouthernBee — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 15:02:58 GMT

@SharkE : 😁😁😁 My DH is the exact opposite because his mother was not a good cook, always extended milk with dry milk then would freeze it. He said she never threw out milk and used it until carton empty. I put milk in back of refrigerator if near expiration date and use to make cornbread, but if he sees it- pours it out. I know about food safety and never use anything spoiled. He had 9 siblings and said many nights he went to bed hungry😢😢. Southern Bee

Re: @Sharke: Making bread ? Used bread machine today.

SharkE — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 16:43:09 GMT

yeah, lots of stories out there in the country and big city LOL

His mother would go outside and mow half the day and chew gum

come in the house, take gum out of mouth, lay on the counter,fix dinner,

put that old wad of gum back in her mouth and go back outside !

I can't make these stories up ! The thought of putting in a fresh piece of gum never occurred to her I guess.

EWWWWWWW

Course, she lived during the depression . She's the one I spoke of who said they never knew there was a depression because they raised chickens, cows and had a vegetable and strawberry garden. Had raspberry bushes. Canned everything they could from tomatoes,strawberries, peaches. They had potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, corn. She made the kids clothes, made quilts, etc.

Idle hands were the devils workshop. LOL She was thrilled to get to go to 'town' once a week, buy material, stuff like that.

Sure different today. You think people from back in the day would eat out 2-3 days a day , every day ? People worked like dogs back then, now, we all lay around and whine. LOL She didn't have a automatic washer either.

One of those old wringer types and hung out clothes. She didn't have to worry about jogging and keeping weight off. ROFL