Food and Drink Homemade bread - Page 3

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-02-2014, 08:36 AM

I know there are some bread bakers here. The wife and I have started making our own, usually once a week for a couple loaves that will last all week. One goes in the freezer until we're done with the other.

I can't remember who, but there are a few accomplished bread bakers here. What are your top 5 tips for baking better bread?

kcxiv · 05-03-2014, 08:10 PM

anyone do any gluten free breads? that shit doesnt agree with my body anymore. I eat it, but it makes me feel like crap and gluten is hard to digest for anyone in general, but i have tried some from Costco its not bad, but i rather just make my own it may be cheaper.

**srvy** · 05-03-2014, 08:31 PM

Irish Soda Bread. This is old old recipe in family from the Emerald Island.

3 cups unsifted flour 1/3 cup sugar
1Tbl spoon baking powder 1 tspn baking soda
1 tspn salt 1 egg slightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk 1/4 cup butter or margarine melted

Combine in large mixing bowl flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Blend eggs and buttermilk. Add all at once to flour mixture. Mix untill dry particles are moistened. Stir in butter mix well. Pour into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 oven for65 to 75 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center should come out clean. DO NOT UNDERBAKE. Remove and let cool on wire rack. Place in airtight wrap and let set for 8 hours before slicing. If have no butter milk, mix 2 tablespoons vinegar to milk to fill 2 cup measure.

This is a simple quikbread but so good. can be served at dinner but is sweet enough for a dessert bread. Try it you can thank me later.

headsnap · 05-03-2014, 09:11 PM

I have a bread maker that also churns butter. I will stick a pint of heavy cream in there for 1/2 hour, make the butter, reserve the buttermilk for the bread and flavor the butter(basil garlic and cilantro are my favs).

For the bread I use the French bread recipe that came with the machine but use the buttermilk plus water to balance the recipe. I DO NOT USE THE MACHINE TO BAKE, the first half of rise will happen in the machine, the 2nd half rise is after the loaves are rolled and prepared, then I bake in the oven on a bread stone.

There is nothing like homemade bread with homemade butter!

Groves · 05-04-2014, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fruit Ninja

anyone do any gluten free breads? that shit doesnt agree with my body anymore. I eat it, but it makes me feel like crap and gluten is hard to digest for anyone in general, but i have tried some from Costco its not bad, but i rather just make my own it may be cheaper.

I'm sure you've done this, but make sure it's the gluten your body can't handle.

We know people that react horribly to wheat, but when they sourced some non-GMO wheat their bodies tolerated it fine.

We know others who use kamut instead of wheat and their bodies don't have trouble even though kamut has plenty of gluten.

saphojunkie · 05-05-2014, 12:09 AM

I made a sourdough starter that I use to leaven all of my bread now. I actually have two different starters that I use - one that I really clear all the alcohol out if when I feed it and one that I mix a little back in for more sourdough tang.

There are lots of benefits to using a starter or mother dough over commercial yeast like fleischmans, not the least of which is flavor. But using starter means the bread has natural yeast which does a significantly better job of predigesting gluten. Most people aren't actually allergic to gluten, they just eat shitty bread. There are also micro bacilli that help break down the gluten - again, these are absent in commercial bread.

Now, this bread won't last very long - four days. But guess what? It isn't supposed to. Bread shouldn't be on a truck for four days , then on a shelf for four days, then in your house for a week and still be "fresh."

If you don't want to go through the extra time of leavening with a starter, you can still use the starter and add regular yeast. It will be softer and more spongy, but still get some if that deep flavor.

My best advice is that you need to buy a bread cloche. They are sixty bucks at Williams Sonoma but you will totally love it. It turns any oven into a Brick oven.

Buy a little spray bottle and give it a good spray. Then cover and 30 minutes later you'll have a perfect sourdough boule.

Also, King Arthur bread flour, purified water, and you can switch out the sugar for honey, which is nice. I have a good baguette recipe I will post later.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-30-2014, 01:06 PM

So I've learned that an S-hook on a stand mixer does a significantly better job at kneading that the standard C-hook.

Take that for whatever it's worth.

Still on the hunt for the perfect loaf. Spent a little extra money on some quality pans, and that's made a bit of a difference.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-30-2014, 01:07 PM

Oh, and the bread flour makes a difference. King Arthur > White Lilly.

**Donger** · 05-30-2014, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I love baking my own bread, but I'm not accomplished at it at all. I have a breadmaker and I just follow the recipes in the book that came with it.

There are few pleasures in life greater than pulling that bread out, all hot and aromatic, and grabbing a cold stick of butter out of the fridge for the first slice.

The wife just got a breadmaker. Have you had any issues with our altitude and failures?

Groves · 05-30-2014, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Spent a little extra money on some quality pans, and that's made a bit of a difference.

What have you noticed?

I notice that when I split a batch between glass and metal pans that the loaves in the glass pans always rise higher than the metal pans. This is all before going into the oven.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-30-2014, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

The wife just got a breadmaker. Have you had any issues with our altitude and failures?

Doesn't it bother you that the breadmaker leaves a giant hole in the loaf where the agitator sits? Back when I used a bread maker, I'd let it do the kneading and proofing, then take it out and put the dough in a bread pan and bake it myself.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-30-2014, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groves

What have you noticed?

I notice that when I split a batch between glass and metal pans that the loaves in the glass pans always rise higher than the metal pans. This is all before going into the oven.

I don't think I've noticed any difference pre-baking. The texture and crusts are better in the better pans. Better color, too. Seems like more even baking.

**Donger** · 05-30-2014, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Doesn't it bother you that the breadmaker leaves a giant hole in the loaf where the agitator sits? Back when I used a bread maker, I'd let it do the kneading and proofing, then take it out and put the dough in a bread pan and bake it myself.

Since we haven't tried it yet. no. But, I imagine that we're not going to like that...

Thanks!

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-30-2014, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Since we haven't tried it yet. no. But, I imagine that we're not going to like that...

Thanks!

OK, so "giant hole" might be an exaggeration. It's not like a doughnut.

But since you don't remove the agitator, the bread bakes around it, so there will be a hole in the bottom of the loaf and a shape in the middle like whatever the agitator is shaped like.

It doesn't affect the taste at all, but it does make sandwiches a little more dicey to eat.

JohnnyHammersticks · 05-30-2014, 01:17 PM

I tried making homemade bread once. Got busted for counterfeiting and did 10 years in San Quentin.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 05-30-2014, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

I tried making homemade bread once. Got busted for counterfeiting and did 10 years in San Quentin.

True story: The guy that taught my dad how to run a printing press is a convicted counterfeiter.

He was previously a convicted bank robber. They taught him how to run a press in prison, so he figured he'd print his own money.

He always said the only reason he got caught was because his money was better than theirs.

05-02-2014, 08:36 AM
Fire Me Boy! Cast Iron Jedi Join Date: Nov 2004 Casino cash: $9999900 VARSITY	Homemade bread I know there are some bread bakers here. The wife and I have started making our own, usually once a week for a couple loaves that will last all week. One goes in the freezer until we're done with the other. I can't remember who, but there are a few accomplished bread bakers here. What are your top 5 tips for baking better bread?
Posts: 35,253

05-03-2014, 08:10 PM	#31
kcxiv In Search of a Life Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Central Valley, Cali Casino cash: $8807996	anyone do any gluten free breads? that shit doesnt agree with my body anymore. I eat it, but it makes me feel like crap and gluten is hard to digest for anyone in general, but i have tried some from Costco its not bad, but i rather just make my own it may be cheaper.
Posts: 29,110

05-03-2014, 08:31 PM	#32
srvy Fight, build, win! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: KC Casino cash: $1661250	Irish Soda Bread. This is old old recipe in family from the Emerald Island. 3 cups unsifted flour 1/3 cup sugar 1Tbl spoon baking powder 1 tspn baking soda 1 tspn salt 1 egg slightly beaten 2 cups buttermilk 1/4 cup butter or margarine melted Combine in large mixing bowl flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Blend eggs and buttermilk. Add all at once to flour mixture. Mix untill dry particles are moistened. Stir in butter mix well. Pour into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 oven for65 to 75 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center should come out clean. DO NOT UNDERBAKE. Remove and let cool on wire rack. Place in airtight wrap and let set for 8 hours before slicing. If have no butter milk, mix 2 tablespoons vinegar to milk to fill 2 cup measure. This is a simple quikbread but so good. can be served at dinner but is sweet enough for a dessert bread. Try it you can thank me later.
Posts: 24,362

05-03-2014, 09:11 PM	#33
headsnap "Think ZOOM!" Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Space Station #5 Casino cash: $1917236	I have a bread maker that also churns butter. I will stick a pint of heavy cream in there for 1/2 hour, make the butter, reserve the buttermilk for the bread and flavor the butter(basil garlic and cilantro are my favs). For the bread I use the French bread recipe that came with the machine but use the buttermilk plus water to balance the recipe. I DO NOT USE THE MACHINE TO BAKE, the first half of rise will happen in the machine, the 2nd half rise is after the loaves are rolled and prepared, then I bake in the oven on a bread stone. There is nothing like homemade bread with homemade butter!
Posts: 18,393

05-05-2014, 12:09 AM	#35
saphojunkie MVP Join Date: Aug 2011 Casino cash: $4736250	I made a sourdough starter that I use to leaven all of my bread now. I actually have two different starters that I use - one that I really clear all the alcohol out if when I feed it and one that I mix a little back in for more sourdough tang. There are lots of benefits to using a starter or mother dough over commercial yeast like fleischmans, not the least of which is flavor. But using starter means the bread has natural yeast which does a significantly better job of predigesting gluten. Most people aren't actually allergic to gluten, they just eat shitty bread. There are also micro bacilli that help break down the gluten - again, these are absent in commercial bread. Now, this bread won't last very long - four days. But guess what? It isn't supposed to. Bread shouldn't be on a truck for four days , then on a shelf for four days, then in your house for a week and still be "fresh." If you don't want to go through the extra time of leavening with a starter, you can still use the starter and add regular yeast. It will be softer and more spongy, but still get some if that deep flavor. My best advice is that you need to buy a bread cloche. They are sixty bucks at Williams Sonoma but you will totally love it. It turns any oven into a Brick oven. Buy a little spray bottle and give it a good spray. Then cover and 30 minutes later you'll have a perfect sourdough boule. Also, King Arthur bread flour, purified water, and you can switch out the sugar for honey, which is nice. I have a good baguette recipe I will post later.
Posts: 12,574

05-30-2014, 01:06 PM	#36
Fire Me Boy! Cast Iron Jedi Join Date: Nov 2004 Casino cash: $9999900 VARSITY	So I've learned that an S-hook on a stand mixer does a significantly better job at kneading that the standard C-hook. Take that for whatever it's worth. Still on the hunt for the perfect loaf. Spent a little extra money on some quality pans, and that's made a bit of a difference.
Posts: 35,253

05-30-2014, 01:07 PM	#37
Fire Me Boy! Cast Iron Jedi Join Date: Nov 2004 Casino cash: $9999900 VARSITY	Oh, and the bread flour makes a difference. King Arthur > White Lilly.
Posts: 35,253

05-30-2014, 01:17 PM	#44
JohnnyHammersticks MVP Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chandler AZ Casino cash: $2711254	I tried making homemade bread once. Got busted for counterfeiting and did 10 years in San Quentin.
Posts: 12,808