The bakers' thread

[annedonnelly]

Thoughts on bread makers - Panasonic, Sage etc.?

I like my Panasonic - I've used it for years without any problems. Stick to the same couple of recipes mostly & it's not the fancy one that automatically adds extra ingredients part way through the cycle. Sometimes use the timer feature so that I can set it away & have bread ready early in the morning.

Of course, the problem with all breadmakers is that they leave a hole in middle of the loaf where the paddle goes.

 

[annedonnelly]

I was gifted some marrows and wasn't sure what to do with them. For a random recipe I found on the internet I'm very pleased with this.

 

[EltonFrog]

I made a pavlova today, the first for about 45 years.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Thoughts on bread makers - Panasonic, Sage etc.?

My Panasonic (I think it’s the SD-255) is excellent and has been very reliable. It has that extra compartment for dropping in seeds or nuts part way through the kneading. It wasn’t cheap though at around £90 when I bought it.

I can also strongly recommend the Biffinet bread machine that is sometimes available in Lidl. We got one for our daughter and it’s just brilliant, it even makes jam. Not bad for £29.95! It’s also sold in Tesco’s under their own badge. Great workhorse for making bread every week.

While looking for an image of it, it appears to be sold under numerous labels so you ought to find one somewhere.

 

[C R]

I've been baking barbari for a while, getting close to the real thing, but not quite there. A couple of days ago my mother in law found a couple of videos on youtube, and it turns out I was baking at too low a temperature.

Today followed the video instructions, bake at 250 for around 15 minutes. That's what I was missing. Forgot to take a photo as the bread came out of the oven, this is what was left after 30 minutes.

This is what it should look like

MIL was impressed, so happy with the result.

 

[annedonnelly]

Has anyone made their own proofing box? I'm thinking of trying an insulated box (or maybe a bag that can be squashed down for storage) with a heat source inside - hot water bottle perhaps. Or would a dish of hot water be better to add some humidity?

Any thoughts please?

 

[C R]

Has anyone made their own proofing box? I'm thinking of trying an insulated box (or maybe a bag that can be squashed down for storage) with a heat source inside - hot water bottle perhaps. Or would a dish of hot water be better to add some humidity?

Any thoughts please?

I use our bread maker in dough mode for that.

The hot water bottle sounds like a good idea, though the temperature will change as the water cools, and you need to start with the water always at the same temperature to have repeatable results.

 

[OldShep]

Has anyone made their own proofing box? I'm thinking of trying an insulated box (or maybe a bag that can be squashed down for storage) with a heat source inside - hot water bottle perhaps. Or would a dish of hot water be better to add some humidity?

Any thoughts please?

If you’ve not got a warm draught free place maybe you could use the oven?
I use the oven to make yoghurt. Heating it to 100C for 20 minutes then I switch it to light on only and it’s still warm in the morning when I remove the jars.

 

[Dave 123]

I made some flat breads yesterday. Flour, natural yogurt and a bit of baking powder. Nice!

 

[annedonnelly]

If you’ve not got a warm draught free place maybe you could use the oven?
I use the oven to make yoghurt. Heating it to 100C for 20 minutes then I switch it to light on only and it’s still warm in the morning when I remove the jars.

I use a vacuum flask to make yoghurt - put the milk/youghurt mix into the warmed flask & leave for about 24 hours.

I've a gas oven & I wouldn't expect it to stay warm for long. I do sometimes put the bread in the grill part to proof with the oven on below but I'd rather not waste the energy having the oven lit.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Has anyone made their own proofing box? I'm thinking of trying an insulated box (or maybe a bag that can be squashed down for storage) with a heat source inside - hot water bottle perhaps. Or would a dish of hot water be better to add some humidity?

Any thoughts please?

What is the reason for the proofing box? I mean, do you have problems with your proofing environment that makes this necessary?

Any draught-free receptacle will do and you want to be careful not to have it too warm. Time is your friend when bread making and the longer the proof the better the loaf. I’m proofing one in my kitchen now, in a 2lb tin with clingfilm over it. My kitchen temp is currently 17C and the loaf will be ready to bake in about 90 minutes. I wouldn’t proof it in a room that was anything over 22C.

Edit to add: It has in fact taken only 60 minutes for my dough to rise and I’ve just put it in the oven now.

 

[Poacher]

Has anyone made their own proofing box? I'm thinking of trying an insulated box (or maybe a bag that can be squashed down for storage) with a heat source inside - hot water bottle perhaps. Or would a dish of hot water be better to add some humidity?

Any thoughts please?

I use our bread maker in dough mode for that.

The hot water bottle sounds like a good idea, though the temperature will change as the water cools, and you need to start with the water always at the same temperature to have repeatable results.

Sounds like a plan. Maybe a rectangular plastic storage box full of hot water, to ensure your dough doesn't tip to one side?
Here's a bit of lateral thinking, though. How about a thermostatically controlled propagator?
Damned if I'm going out to the greenhouse in the pouring rain to check, but I think mine can be set to anywhere between 5 and 30 c, and seems quite accurate.

 

[C R]

Sounds like a plan. Maybe a rectangular plastic storage box full of hot water, to ensure your dough doesn't tip to one side?
Here's a bit of lateral thinking, though. How about a thermostatically controlled propagator?
Damned if I'm going out to the greenhouse in the pouring rain to check, but I think mine can be set to anywhere between 5 and 30 c, and seems quite accurate.

Good idea, the advantage of the bread maker is that it does the mixing and kneading too. Did I mention that I am a lazy so and so?

 

[Poacher]

Good idea, the advantage of the bread maker is that it does the mixing and kneading too. Did I mention that I am a lazy so and so?

Proud and lazy owner of a Panasonic SD-2511 here, which goes a long way to explaining (but not excusing) my weedy arms! When I use it to produce dough, usually a white French rustic with 90% type 55 and 10% wholemeal, it gets proved on the baking tray in a bin liner in any suitable room - often the greenhouse.

 

[Reynard]

I just pop the bowl or banneton with the dough inside a large clear plastic food bag and knot the handles.

The bulk ferment and proof are better when carried out if it's cooler. More often than not, I'll do the bulk ferment overnight in the fridge (summer) or in my unheated hallway (winter). A longer process gives you more flavour. And the clear bag lets you keep an eye on the dough without having to open it.