Topic: Success!

[Simon]

My first attempt at bread making was a great success, and last night, it produced a wonderful, soft, crusty white loaf, which I had a taste of last night, and made toast from this morning.  I used one of the packs of bread mix, so I just had to add water and wait a couple of hours, but at least it worked!  My only trouble was slicing it, as it's so soft, I tend to can't help but squash it.

What's the best way to store bread?  It seemed to be going a little hard on the open side, within an hour, so I put it in a plastic carrier bag, and it seems to have kept OK overnight.

[Sandra]

I always cut the end crust off a loaf then save that to replace over the cut end after cutting more slices Simon, that seems to stop the cut face drying out as quickly and going hard and keep the loaf in a plastic freezer bag.

The secret to slicing a fresh loaf is to let the knife do the work, dont use any pressure and it should slice it as thinly as you like without squashing it.

[Simon]

Oh, I don't want it thin, I like my doorsteps, Sandra.  Good tip about the crust though.  I ate that! 

[Sandra]

I rarley eat the end crust so I use it as what I believe is called something like a sacrificial piece, such as where something rusts in place of the thing that you dont want to get rusty 

[Simon]

It will be interesting to see how they turn out from scratch.  The bread mix tastes fine, but I think it could have done with a little more salt and sugar, just to pep up the flavour.  I also have a 'malty' version to try.

[Baz]

ill have to get our bread maker out and start making some more too.Funny thing about not eating the crusts though,we do the same as Sandra and 'store' it with the cut end of loaf...does indeed stop it drying out as quickly.

anyway if you eat the crusts it puts hairs on your chest doesnt it 


we also got a yogurt maker from santa.its ok still experimenting at the moment.seems a bit thin when its set but has a decent taste to it.


also just remembered that I love the smell of freshly baked bread in the house

[Rik]

We also save the end piece as a 'seal' for the loaf - it definitely helps.

[Simon]

I'll try that next time.

[sam]

I want fresh bread now... of course I don't have anything (or the inclination) to make it and there is a foot of snow underfoot - nah you know what I don't want any now :-D

[Rik]

I'll put a loaf in the post if it will help, Sam.

[sam]

 

[Clive]

Plastic bag is the best way to store it Simon.  Paper bags are absolutely useeless.  Mrs Clive cuts off both crusts and eats them straight away.  Best part of the loaf! 

[Simon]

That's what I thought, Clive.  I have a malty one on the go now.  

The only thing with the breadmaker is, you have to keep an eye on the time, as it beeps very quietly for about 5 seconds when the bread is done.  I would have preferred a more audible alarm, which didn't turn off until you attended to it.

[Clive]

You don't have to worry to much about that pinger Simon.  The breadmaker keeps warm for about half an hour after the pinger to stop the bread from spoiling.  I left mine for nearly an hour the other day because we went out for longer than anticipated and the bread was still as good as ever.

[Simon]

I was more worried about burning it!  Did a malty from a mix tonight, and it was brilliant!