Breadmaker?

[suzer]

Does anyone use one and what do you think are things to look for in one?

Also would be keen for any breadmaker recipes.

[ian mc]

I think most people have one use it a couple of time and then stick in a cupboard to gather dust.Anyone that I know has one tend to do this. They are good and make nice bread but can be a bit of a hassle.

[suzer]

Yep I guess the question is whether it's that much easier than doing it yourself (which I have yet to master). I like to bake so would probably use it often enough.

[cliffy]

I have a Sunbeam that my daughter gave us. We use it quite a bit, but only to make special bread, as there are just two of us now and I eat very little bread. When all the family was home I used to make more sorts of bread and also pizza dough. I now always use the Lauke grain flour and sometimes the small pre-measured packs and add extra seeds, etc as I feel like. There is a recipe book with the machine, but I tend to stick to the few I know. However, it does make lovely bread with so little effort, and I am seriously thinking of getting one for my other daughter, who spends hours making her bread by hand. You can also pre-set, so that it makes the bread freshly for when you want it.
It is absolutely no good for a family needing loaves every day, my lot used to eat a loaf with a meal or for a snack and there was never any left!

[suzer]

Cliffy, what model number is it? Do you have to do any mixing or needing ahead of time?

[Diane]

We go through phases of using ours quite a lot - but it's no good if you're on a diet coz hot bread is the hardest thing to resist, and when you make a loaf, it doesn't hang around long! Get a bigger one rather than a smaller one for that reason!! Usually get it out when we have visitors, and if there is any left over, I turn it into bread pudding afterwards!

The biggest pain with the thing though is to get the mixing paddle out of the loaf once it's cooked - we have one with two paddles which I think is the way to go for a good mix, and make sure we dip these in olive oil before using it so they come out easier. Don't wash the tin with detergent either as that affects the non-stickedness - just wipe it down with a damp cloth after baking. We didn't realise this to start with - and I used it to make jam in which was something in the recipe book supplied, but after that we could never get the loaf out! The company was kind enough to send us a new tin with the above advice after that!!

I've used pre-mixes, and just strong flour with yeast and oil and salt (that's to stop the yeast working after a time apparently) - but they don't seem to sell as much variety of pre-mixes here as they did in the UK - used to be some lovely fruit bread mixes, and onces with olives and nuts in etc. Quality flour is the secret.

There is a shop near Fasta Pasta on NE Road which specialises in breadmaking - never been in there but worth dropping in for a chat I would suggest before buying. Ours is a make called Prima - never heard of it before or since, but it's lasted us well - coming up to about 10 years I reckon now. It has a "quick cook" programme on it which takes about 2 horus from start to finish - just throw everything in and leave it to do the rest - which is what I use most. Tried the longer program but results very similar. Ours has the facility to add extra ingredients (nuts, olives, seeds, fruit etc) in midway (I guess after the first rising cycle) and it beeps at us at that point, but you can just ignore it!

[catherine.c]

We have a Breville 'bakers oven' which we use all the time. It is so much cheaper to make your own bread and there are so many different types you can make, including naan which they are not very good at making here! They have been on special offer in radio rentals, not sure whether that is still on though. I have been told that there is a good flour shop nr the desalination plant where you can buy mixes and seeds etc. by the kilo but I have not been there yet and do not know what it is called.
Catherine

[suzer]

Diane yours sounds good - have a model number?

Also would love your bread pudding recipe. I've never made it but it's one of my favs.

[Diane]

Spiced Bread Pudding with Brandy Cream - English - Recipes - from Delia Online

...for the bread pudding - add more fruit to taste (I like it with cranberries)

Breadmaker doesn't have a model number - just called Prima Home Bakery - it's very old, sorry!

[cliffy]

"Sunbeam Quantum Smartbake" - fully programmable. No, it needs no premixing or kneading, the machine does the lot. Just put in the water, dry ingredients and yeast, in that order. Make sure the tin is firmly in place, press the buttons and come back when it has finished. Have never had any problem with getting the bread out, but I have never made jam, that's an idea for the future!