Re: [london.food] Bread Maker

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From: Rev Simon Rumble
Subject: Re: [london.food] Bread Maker
Date: 22:34 on 05 Mar 2007
This one time, at band camp, Jakob Whitfield wrote:
> I know someone who uses his breadmaker solely as an overpowered
> kneading machine, letting the dough rise outside the machine and
> baking it in the oven. I'd imagine he uses standard bread recipes.

Yes, breadmakers can make a decent loaf, probably better than the 
average supermarket loaf but not much.  The problem is while they knead 
the loaf very well, they're lousy at baking it.

To bake bread properly you want to put it straight into a hot oven.  The 
air bubbles expand, the yeast go into overdrive and the loaf fluffs up 
before dying and having the crust form to keep the shape.  With the 
electric oven in a bread maker, you get a very slow buildup of 
temperature.  Entirely wrong.

So by all means use the breadmaker for day-to-day bread, but when you 
want to make a really good loaf, let it do the kneading and bake it in 
the oven.

I'd strongly recommend making a loaf by hand, too.  Just once.  So you 
know what's going on.

I have a great bread book that wasn't too expensive.  Will look up the 
details for you tonight.

-- 
Rev Simon Rumble <simon@xxxxxx.xxx>
www.rumble.net

"I still say a church steeple with a lightning rod on top shows a lack
 of confidence"
- Doug McLeod

There's stuff above here

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