Bread Maker Virgin...

[kirsty_lee]

My mother in law lent me her breadmaker today, cause i've been wanting to make my own bread. Its nothing flash.. few years old but hey does the job. So question is.. we eat like wholemeal/seeded bread here so if anyone has a recipe for that. Plus also what other awesome bread machine recipes do you want to share? Its grocery day tomorrow so I wanna make sure I have a list of stuff I need.

And also, anything I need to know about Yeast. I've never used it before lol

[Little Chicken]

You can buy bread machine mixes that include everything. They are good to start with. Lanuke ones are good. Just remember to measure everything and add ingredients in the order it says.

[Netix]

You can google bread maker recipes (probably try to use Aussie sites, as measures, products, etc are probably different), as well as reading up on how to use yeast properly. Has it got the book with it? If not, google it too!

I don't have a bread making machine, I just have my bread starter (I call him George, long story), which I just put into the oven with flour, water, oil, and a bit of salt. Apparently starters like that can be more temperamental than yeast in a bread maker.

Good luck. And if the bread fails, at least you'll have something to take to feed the ducks.

[kirsty_lee]

Good luck. And if the bread fails, at least you'll have something to take to feed the ducks.

hahah Yes well she's just had more babies! and they all have a field day in my bloody pool.. so maybe i can distract them away with crap bread ahahahah

[Netix]

lol, I was just being funny, I didn't know you actually had ducks at your place! I was thinking you'd go down to the local park....

[kirsty_lee]

LOL Net... NOOOO We have stupid stupid ducks lol. We've got a bloody creek running through our back yard but no.. the pool is a much much better place to swim. And poo in. And you can't walk anywhere in the backyard without standing in duck poo! I think we're up to about 7 ducks now? She just popped out 2 more babies. *sigh* lol I *use* to like ducks.. going to the park and feeding the ducks, now I spend my days looking up duck recipes

[Netix]

... now I spend my days looking up duck recipes

That is so funny! Maybe you could make a bread trail that leads *away* from your place.... lol

[luna moth]

We buy the Laucke multigrain mix, 5kg at a time, and just use the recipe off the pack.

I also recommend the Home Bread starter pack, buy online, delivered to your door. You get a pizza flour, a multigrain, a barley and corn and.... can't remember, but one other flour, as well as a stack of great recipes.

If you use regular plain flour, you will need to add bread improver, as the generic stuff you buy has a lower protein content and is not "strong" enough to make bread.

Good luck!

[Jewel]

I was a bread maker newbie like 2 weeks ago. Once you start giving it a go you'll be hooked, well I am. Lol. I hang out for the hours to pass to see if my bread turned out good. I've so far had one rock, and one that's risen so much I had to put tins on the lid to keep it down for the last 15 or so mins. Bahaha! It tasted awesome though. The other ones I made turned out pretty well, oh and the pizza dough was delish too.

Sorry I can't really help out much. I am just going by the recipes in the booklet that came with mine, and I'm a super beginner still.

Oh, I was told to keep my yeast in the fridge. It keeps better or something. So that's what I do.

Good luck with it all. I hope it all goes great!

[Jennifer13]

KL, I started with the premixes (the Laucke ones) and we found a mixture of half-white/half-wholemeal got us the consistency we preferred. They do a grain one as well. The yeast comes in the pre-mix packs with directions as to the amount.

I bought a bread book, with heaps of different recipes and as soon as I upgrade the machine (a lot of our buttons are busted since DP took it apart, don't ask LOL) I'm going to give them a go.

I've recently started making it from scratch, it's a few extra ingredients and took a few tries to get the measurements I preferred right. You have to use a bakers' flour or a flour with a high protein level (above 13% is recommended by my bread recipe book) and that can be hard to find in the general supermarket. I actually found heaps of suitable flours at Thomax Dux, but it's a little pricier than using the Laucke mix. Good if you want to go organic or try new varieties/recipes though! GL - I love using the bread maker. I find it actually saves me time, because I'm not running up to the bakery/shop to buy bread any more.

[Raupe]

I don't know much about bread making, but I do know that you always have to use WARM water when using yeast. The reason is ... *clears throat and yells in a creepy-crazy Dr Frankenstein way* "It's ALIIIVE!!" Sorry, I'm a bit crazy today! Basically, if you use cold water the yeast won't activate and if you use hot water, you can kill it. So warm water is the best (about body temp). Good Luck!