My first attempt at making my own bread :(

[mulewagon]

If I have to start bread in the machine late, I time it so that it starts in the early morning, and is ready when I plan to get up. That way, it doesn't sit on the warmer for long.

I use a Zojirushi (great machine!) that I picked up almost new at a yardsale for 4 bucks. I found the manual online and printed it.

BreadMachineDigest.com has a troubleshooting chart for bread machines under the "Help for Beginners" link. Also see the link for your first loaf, which tells you how to adjust the water and flour to get the right consistency.

 

[ORChick]

From what you write it sounds as though the machine made the bread in the evening, and then the finished loaf sat in the warm machine all night. If that is correct then that is most likely the problem.
Now, I don't use a bread machine so don't know the ins and outs of how it works. But I am sure that leaving the finished loaf in the warm machine can't be right. It should be removed when the baking is finished.

 

[homestead wanna be]

None of the bread machine recpes I have ever seen make soft bread like we are used to.

Wannabefree, I found this recipe on this forum & we love it! It makes for a nice soft loaf, great for sandwiches. I use warm water, and I eliminate the molasses & double the honey. I also use one large pullman loaf pan instead of 2 smaller pans.

I've been making 1-2 loaves per week & we've given up buying bread completely.

Soft White Bread
1 1⁄2 cups milk, water or whey
2 tablespoons butter
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
1 1⁄2 teaspoons yeast
3 3⁄4 cups flour
Soft White Bread

I mix this in the bread maker. Once the dough is ready, divide into two loaves and put in greased loaf pans. Let rise for 50-60 mintues. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes, till top is a nice golden brown color. Remove and let sit for 15 minutes and then remove from loaf pan to cool on wire rack. Wait at least an hour before slicing it. and an electric knife is recommended.

I just tried this recipe yesterday. I don't use a bread machine. I just put it all in a stand mixer and then bake. I made one loaf instead of 2. This turned out very soft and is excellent for sandwiches. The other recipe I was using added eggs. I'll see how this one holds up over a day or two. So far it has gotten rave reviews from the hubby and kiddos!
Thanks!

 

[moolie]

From what you write it sounds as though the machine made the bread in the evening, and then the finished loaf sat in the warm machine all night. If that is correct then that is most likely the problem.
Now, I don't use a bread machine so don't know the ins and outs of how it works. But I am sure that leaving the finished loaf in the warm machine can't be right. It should be removed when the baking is finished.

ditto this--we make our dough by hand, bake the loaves after rising the dough once in the bowl, a second time in the pans, and then pop the loaves right out of the pans to cool on a rack once baked. Leaving the baked loaves closed up in a hot machine probably really messed it up--the humidity wouldn't do great things and it was probably over-cooked by the time you got to it.

Try again, but take the loaf out right away after baking and see what you think.

Then once you are used to home made bread, take it up a notch and let the machine make the dough and then bake the loaf in a pan in the oven.

Finally, if you are into it, get into baking by hand--it's very therapeutic and it's also fun to play around with recipes.

 

[Jo-Ann]

I just tried this recipe yesterday. I don't use a bread machine. I just put it all in a stand mixer and then bake. I made one loaf instead of 2. This turned out very soft and is excellent for sandwiches. The other recipe I was using added eggs. I'll see how this one holds up over a day or two. So far it has gotten rave reviews from the hubby and kiddos!
Thanks!

Glad you liked the recipe! I've found it usually keeps well for about 3 days. I sometimes slice the entire loaf & freeze it. We pull out what we want & then toast it.

 

[easygoinglady]

wanted to start with a basic bread.

Here was the recipe

1 package dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons sugar
5 1/2 cups flour

I left out the sugar.

This is likely your number one problem. The sugar (or honey,etc) is necessary to activate the yeast. What i do is start out with water that is hot, but definately not boiling (it will kill the yeast). If its hot and you can still stick your finger in it without burning yourself, its probably ok.
Water
yeast
sugar
salt

Let that sit for 10 to 15 minutes and you will see the yeast beginning to activate, get bubbly, smelly yeasty and increase in volume. Once you know your yeast is activated, THEN add your flour.

Here is a link to a great tutorial that will inspire you to continue to bake bread and just how simple and straight forward it can be. In addition to being a great overall resource

ok, i was going to post the link, but cant.....google.... grandmother bread at chickensintheroad dot com

 

[stubbornhillfarm]

wanted to start with a basic bread.

Here was the recipe

1 package dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons sugar
5 1/2 cups flour

I left out the sugar.

This is likely your number one problem. The sugar (or honey,etc) is necessary to activate the yeast. What i do is start out with water that is hot, but definately not boiling (it will kill the yeast). If its hot and you can still stick your finger in it without burning yourself, its probably ok.
Water
yeast
sugar
salt

Let that sit for 10 to 15 minutes and you will see the yeast beginning to activate, get bubbly, smelly yeasty and increase in volume. Once you know your yeast is activated, THEN add your flour.

Here is a link to a great tutorial that will inspire you to continue to bake bread and just how simple and straight forward it can be. In addition to being a great overall resource

ok, i was going to post the link, but cant.....google.... grandmother bread at chickensintheroad dot com

You beat me to it! This is absolutely correct. And if the yeast didn't do what it was suppossed to, it may still rise, but not be as open and airy. So it would be more heavy and rubbery. When I make bread by hand I do as described above for the yeast. When using the bread machine, the order that the ingrediants are listed is best. To omit a critical one like the sugar is going to leave you with a less appealing loaf.

Bread making is a craft in itself. Don't give up! Keep trying. When making bread from scratch (no bread machine) humidity and temperature play a big factor and as you gain more experience, you will be able to see how to adjust the recipe for those varying conditions. Have fun!

 

[mythreesons]

None of the bread machine recpes I have ever seen make soft bread like we are used to.

Wannabefree, I found this recipe on this forum & we love it! It makes for a nice soft loaf, great for sandwiches. I use warm water, and I eliminate the molasses & double the honey. I also use one large pullman loaf pan instead of 2 smaller pans.

I've been making 1-2 loaves per week & we've given up buying bread completely.

Soft White Bread
1 1⁄2 cups milk, water or whey
2 tablespoons butter
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
1 1⁄2 teaspoons yeast
3 3⁄4 cups flour
Soft White Bread

I mix this in the bread maker. Once the dough is ready, divide into two loaves and put in greased loaf pans. Let rise for 50-60 mintues. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes, till top is a nice golden brown color. Remove and let sit for 15 minutes and then remove from loaf pan to cool on wire rack. Wait at least an hour before slicing it. and an electric knife is recommended.

--------------------------------------

After a couple of months, I realized that I should have given credit to the original author of this recipe. I found it on this site under the topic SIMPLE White Sandwich Bread, post #9, by miss_thenorth. Thank you so very much for the recipe.

I'm curious you mention that you bake the bread for only 15 minutes?

 

[Jo-Ann]

I'm curious you mention that you bake the bread for only 15 minutes?

I bake it for only 15 minutes because in 15 minutes it's done. I went back & checked the original posting, http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9895, post #9 by miss_thenorth, and I looked in my recipe box, and 15 minutes is correct.