Do any of you guys use a bread machine

[Marnie]

I haven't used one for years, I found a brand new one at a rummage sale for ten bucks a while back so today, decided to try it. I know it's my first try with it and I should give it a couple more times possibly before I judge the machine but this is what I find. For one, it takes 3 hours, it seems like alot of current for one small loaf of bread. The crust all the way around is tough but after chewing my way through it, the bread itself is just ok, nothing to great. I think that the frozen bread that a person makes in the oven is alot better, easier to make and a hundred times better tasting. I'm wondering if others make and like their bread machine, I don't know if its' even worth another try, any idea's out here?

 

[Matt73]

I use one, but for rice bread (I'm gluten intolerant). Rice bread is pretty much only good when toasted, so I have no complaints. I have also made "normal" bread for Kev in it. I find it's the recipe. I've had great, yummy outcomes (or so I'm told) and not so great (like what you described). You just have to tweak with and find good recipes. My sister made a beautiful olive loaf in hers. It looked amazing and was fluffy. So, you can make a nice loaf of bread in them.

 

[Cathy_H]

I bought one years ago. I don't use it much - like everything else............. It is one of those things that you've got to use and keep trying different recipes. I've been most satisfied with my wheat bread............. I've made a yummy wheat, sour kraut, caraway seed bread a few times... If you eat a lot of bread this could be great but since we try not to eat a lot of bread it doesn't get much use. When I make bread it is usually yeast rolls so I don't use the bread machine much.

 

[chandab]

I got a bread machine as a wedding gift; I only use it occasionally and have found I only have good luck with one recipe. [in my machine that is the sweet butter bread recipe. Oh, and I can make pizza crust in it, as that doesn't require you to cook the bread, it just mixes it all up for you.]

 

[muffntuf]

I just bought one about a month ago, unpacked it last week and made two loaves. The first was horrible, great tasting, but I put the crust on Medium and it was tough.

The second loaf I left on the light side for crust, added a 1/2 c more water, made sure the water was 125 degrees before putting it in the pan. Mixed all the dry stuff together before dumping in to the pan and the yeast was last.

Much better.

I picked up some gluten, am going to try that to see if it will soften the loaf a little bit.

 

[CyndiM]

In general I love mine but I don't use it very often. The bread has never gone uneaten.

 

[minih]

I love mine, in fact I am on my second one. Burned the first one up. I use the white bread recipe that comes with the machine that you add the powdered milk and no eggs so it will not spoil since I put mine on early in the morning and set the timer for the afternoon when I get in from work. I use the light crust recipe and it is always soft and moist. I love to put a roast, potatoes, and carrots in the crock pot with onion soup mix over those and have my bread machine going. Walk in and supper is ready for all.

House smells wonderful too.

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

My mom has one. She is currently in bread making mode. My fave bread that she makes is the english muffin bread. YUMMY

She makes a white, sour dough, and who all knows what else in it.

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

I use my bread machine every 2-3 days on average. The end of July my 37 year old husband had a heart attack and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Our diet had a MAJOR sodium overhaul (among other things) and we were shocked by how much sodium was in a plain slice of bread! I started making NO sodium rolls and they are awsome! Try this:

1 cup water

2 tablespoons real butter

2 med. eggs

3 1/4 cups bread flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon yeast (I use the jar kind)

set the machine on dough cycle (about 1 hr 40 minutes)

Split into 12 rolls, let rise 30 minutes (I put them on the pan, cover with wax paper and then cover that with a towel)

Bake 12 minutes at 375 degrees

These are SOOOO good that my co-workers beg me to bring them in. NO sodium can't get any better than these--the are like resteraunt yeast rolls!!

 

[Shari]

If I want bread, I have to make it myself and also had to go, "no added salt/sodium diet" but for a different health reason. Like FairytailGlennMinis said, you would not believe how much salt is in, not only bread but every thing else! OH!

I can't do it by hand any more, so I bought a bread machine. Like making bread by hand,, there is still a knack to it. Takes me the same time to do it by hand (when I could make bread that way), as it takes the bread machine. So I would recommend to keep trying.

Here is one of the recipes I tweeked... Very good with lots of flavor.

1 1/2 cups orange juice + 2 Tablespoons

1 Tablespoon of water - this is only used if the day is on the drier side

3 Tablespoons of Apple sauce

1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

2 cups of whole wheat

3/4 cup rolled oats

2 cups Bob's red mill unbleached white

2 Tablespoons Bobs Red mill wheat gluten

1 tablespoon of Sugar, can be brown sugar if you like

1 package of yeast.

The orange juice/water and apple sauce needs to be luke warm, I use the microwave

Once that is warm add to the bottom of your bread machine pad

Add the oil and apple cider vinegar

I normally add the package of non GMO organic yeast next, because it does need to proof but if you are using *regular yeast*.. it will be the last thing you add.

Next add the whole wheat, rolled oats and then the unbleached white flour, the wheat gluten goes on top, along with a Tablespoon of sugar

You have the put the ingedients in the machines in the correct order, other wise it will not turn out right.

Use the 4 hour white bread

Once it is done, take it out and place on a cooling rack.. wrap a clean kitchen towl around it, let it cool, then place the bread in a ziplock baggy or wrap with plastic wrap. Home made bread will have a crust on it, its not like what comes out of a store now a days.

 

[whitney]

I use mine once a month and freeze the loafs. I try to eat low carb so my receipes are for low carb bread. My wheat turns out better than the white but I make mine from premade mixes when they run out I'll do some recipe testing. I LOVE MINE.

 

[Just Us N Texas]

I have one but don't use it often anymore. I too found out that a medium crust is too hard, and the bread just doesn't taste as good. I don't care for wheat bread, so I just use the white recipe that came with the bread machine. I wonder if I used plain flour instead of bread flour if that would make a difference? It just tastes a little dry for homemade bread to me.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Have one and used it a LOT in past yrs.......then it's been packed for last 8 yrs. But, I'm ready to get it out again. Will have to go thru the "testing" stages, again

and remember that I like it a lot. My son used to ask me to make him some after he had been eating it at my table. It does have the small or larger loaf size and I like that as I am NOT a big bread eater on a daily basis, just enjoy good bread/rolls when I do have them!

I've even made small "cake breads" in mine with success. Generally used the recipe book that came with it. MUCH less expensive than the boxed mixes.

 

[Shari]

I don't like 100% whole wheat either.. is why I mix things like I do and use the flours I have. For more moist bread,, apple sauce does wonders!!

 

[Cathy_H]

FairytailGlenn-

Is that no salt butter, lightly salted, sweet cream butter or just plain butter?

I make yeast rolls for the holidays and I might try this one also. Thanks

 

[wildoak]

I have one and used it quite a bit when I first got it. Finally had to put it away though, as I seem to be the only one eating most of it and I could just live on bread!

Jan

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

Cathy H--I use unsalted butter only.