Making Bread in a Bread Making Machine

Many people have questions about bread makers and making bread in a bread-making machine. Hopefully, I can answer a few of them. A long time ago I bought my first bread-making machine. It sounded like an answer to a dream. I remember I bought it from a “club book” for those of you who remember those. A bit like an Argos book but you pay over 20 weeks mostly.

It was a Hinari. When I first got it I thought it was fabulous. Later on, though I realised it made dense little bricks. The more research I did, the more I realised that this was not bread makers in general, it was just MY bread maker. I didn’t want to go back to hand baking I wanted to be Making Bread in a Bread Making Machine.

So many years later (about 10 years ago) I researched bread makers, joined bread-making forums on moneysavingexpert.com and read lots and lots of reviews.

Whatever I decided to do next had to work and also had to cost an effective (a good investment). I wanted a machine that gave me a nice big fluffy loaf, one that tasted better than anything from the shops. I also wanted one with the possibility of making other bread products, cake, naan bread, even jam.

Yes-I wanted that magic I had believed I could buy many years ago and I knew that I should be Making Bread in a Bread Making Machine.

I looked in Argos, on eBay, on Amazon, researched my prices, noticed what people were selling. I did consider though that if I was going to buy a used one, that possibly it was one which made bricks-hence being sold on. Anyway – after about 2 years of researching in this manner and asking many other people on forums I came to the conclusion that there was only one brand I was going to chance to spend my money on. Every time the answer came up the same. Buy a Panasonic! Lovingly, people refer to them as their Panny.

So I ordered a Panasonic bread maker on Amazon and truly-even after at least 10 years, I am delighted with it. I’ve not made all of the variations I promised myself I would but I use it regularly and have made many things with it.

My favourites are a basic white loaf, a 50/50 white and wholemeal loaf and a spiced fruit loaf. I also regularly make pizza dough for homemade pizzas.

The book that comes with it has many bread maker recipes. I am adding a link to a free download of the bread maker manual which includes the recipes. These are the same recipes I have the same manual which covers many machines. If you already have a machine-whatever brand, these recipes should also work for you.

https://www.argos-support.co.uk/instruction-manual/4239798-panasonic-sd2501-breadmaker-white.pdf

This one is very similar to mine. Many models are much the same as each other. Mine is stainless steel and has a nut dispenser and cost about £149. The nut dispenser is rarely used and not really needed. Mine also has a yeast dispenser-again-not a necessity. Save yourself the extra £50 and don’t bother with the extras unless like me of course, well, you fancy them and want to treat yourself.

It is a one-off purchase so getting it right is important.

So now to those questions

Are bread makers worth buying – are they cost effective and economical?

Yes-they is worth buying if you enjoy fresh bread. If you like unsliced fresh quality bread, the sort which is normally about £1.50 a loaf from the bakery or an artisan bakery – yes! If however, you are just happy with a 45p budget supermarket sliced loaf to make sandwiches you may wonder what the advantage is.

Well, it is like comparing Your cheapest margarine to a block or real butter. One is the real deal and one is just ok. The lovely thing about a bread maker is that you can set it on its built-in timer to wake up to fresh bread each morning. The smell is heavenly.

The downside is you may eat loads of it-finish the loaf in a day and put on weight.

Does the bread keep well?

Not really-it has no added preservatives-just as with any other good fresh bread, it is best eaten on the day. Wrap it in a polythene bag. A previously used bread bag or a clean carrier bag does the job.

Can I make Gluten Free Bread in a Bread Maker?

Currently, sourdough and gluten-free bread are what people are asking about. Yes-a a bread maker can also make these. Do look through the recipes in the link above for the manual.

Can I make dough and Bread Rolls in a Bread Maker?

Can you just make dough and bread rolls? Yes-you makes the dough only, shape it into rolls and bake the rolls in your oven, not in the breadmaker.

Can I make cakes in a Bread Maker?

I have made a cake in mine-the cakes are not that big as they are limited to the shape of the bread pan.

Are Bread Makers noisy?

No – although you do hear them churning your mixture now and then but most of the time they are just proving and letting the bread rise.

However, if you get one with a yeast dispenser and a nut dispenser you will hear a couple of loud clunks when the dispenser opens and adds the ingredients. This is timed to add them at the most important time during the programme. Nuts are added later in the programme after mixing and before proving. Yeast is added a bit earlier.

A bread maker also gets the temperature of the ingredients right before it starts mixing. Bread ingredients need to be slightly warmed. It does it all for you.