I just made my first loaf of bread...granted it's in a bread machine but it turned out awesome and smells great. Does anyone still make completley hand made bread? Is there a difference in taste? IE: hand made vs. machine. Either way, it beats store bought.
I used to make my own bread by hand. However, nowadays I make it in a bread machine too. So much easier and I agree that it tastes so good compared to the stuff you buy in the supermarkets.
The crust is a bit too toasty for my taste. The recipe in the book said to use the medium setting. Maybe I'll try light next time. But dang is this good.
I make bread completely by hand but it is touch and go as I dont have a lot of strengh and energy due to my illness whether it will turn out light or heavy I have had a few that are inedible and a few that are really nice, I would love a bread machine but dont have room in my kitchen for one at the moment, there is something sattifying about making your own bread and tastes a lot better than the store bought if it isnt rock solid, my favourite are sundried tomato and herb and rosemary foccacia
I want to try to make it by hand but someone told me it wouldn't work because Florida is so humid, so I shyed away from it. Also, having a three month old daughter doesn't help matters much.
I have made bread by hand for years and years but not in the last 3 1/2 years since my oven died and I just haven't replaced it yet. We bought a bread machine but we have yet to get a decent loaf out of it, even baking on the light setting overcooks it making the crust almost too hard to get a knife thru. My F-i-L gave me the recipe he developed for their machine, maybe it will bake better than the store bought mixes we have been trying.
My oven doesn't work either. [It's a piece of crap, anyway.] I'm in a rented home so I can't replace it unless I plan on leaving it behind if I move. :-? But! I like the recipes in this book, it even makes sweet breads and whatnot. [I hate the loaf shape though, it's so odd.] Anyhow, if you'd like a recipe let me know. They turn out pretty good.
I have a bread machine also, and it is good. I've never had the trouble with the crust being too hard. But then again, I like a crusty crust! My Dad always made it from scratch when he was alive and I do miss that. But today with everyone so busy all the time, I think the bread machine is a great invention...
My mom used to make it from scratch; one of the reasons I'd like to try. It used to smell so good. But I agree, nowadays everyone has such a busy lifestyle. :-? Where's the time to take the time?
I make bread from scratch and I use a bread machine but I never use the bread machine mixes. Dan makes great bread, too. He does it both ways. My oldest and youngest sons both make bread from scratch. They say using a bread machine is not making it yourself. dooley
i make homemade bread too from scratch. we even grind our own grain. for those of you who don't have ovens that work, you might think of getting a solar oven! i started a thread (with pics of baking bread!) here... http://www.gardenstew.com/viewtopic.php ... olar+ovens never tried a bread machine...tho have been tempted!
I had a bread machine for years. Loved it. It finally got so the bread wouldn't come out of the pan. (guess I used it too much) I can't make bread by hand. I always over knead and get really heavy bread. Even knowing the problem. I still over do it. Maybe I should just buy another bread machine.
jungseed, i didn't know one could over do the kneading? i thought the more we kneaded it the lighter it would be, tho a lot depends on the flour. since we grind our own wheat, it tends to be a lot heavier. i'm hoping that i can mix some sorghum (that we grew) flour with it to make it lighter.
I was always told that was what caused my dense bread - over kneading. But then again, I never got anything but dense loaves so maybe it really was something else. I should try it again just to see what happens.
