home made bread recipe

[AndreaL]

Does anyone have a recipe or any secret tips to making the perfect home-made loaf?

I failed with a Stottie Cake( type of oven bottom bread made in Newcastle, U.K.) and just made one of those pre-packed Laucke crusty whites- which also looks miserable.

Thing is, my lovely husband is using reverse psychology on me " Oh, well, some people just can't make bread, you either have it or you don't".

Which is like waving a red flag to a bull as he knows I will not rest until I have produced the perfect loaf- after which I will beat him to death with it!

A fool proof foccacia and pizza recipe would be great too.......... oh and before I forget- does anyone know how to make naan bread, chapatis and samoosas?

[lyall]

andrea....you got too much time on your hands..i used to be a very big baker in south africa, but have given up here, the flour just doesnt seem right to me, too heavy or something..I know i sound wierd, maybe its just here in tassie, and we have such limited shops, so maybe you better off....I can think of about 100 better things to do than bake though....

but if you want someone to proof taste, give me a shout..you can post some to me...lol....I think im the only woman in the world who doesnt own a recipe book..i google anything i want to make...

have you ever made samoosas.. i made them a few times...FAR TOO MUCH WORK!!!!

hows the boerweors/biltong going?

[AndreaL]

Hi Lyall

Haven't got too much time but sometimes just feel the urge to get creative.

I go through phases where I only want to do one thing- like make sausage and boerewors- which I did and they were eaten, then I get bored and want to try something else.

I am going through a " comfort food" phase at the moment- home made sausage rolls for " Mr reverse psychology" to take for night shift, I will have a cheese and asparagus quiche.

Gardening was my thing last week- so the garden is looking good.

Lyall, I will do anything to avoid having to deal with " file 13", the first drawer in my buffet is crammed with paperwork, medical bills etc, from the past 3 months.........please don't make me do it!

Earlier in the week I did an op-shop fest and got loads of cook books- I like to look at the pictures and recipes for inspiration and tweak them to my taste.

I am about to volunteer as secretary for our local support services, and do reading at the primary and help out at the kindy if needed, so time isn't much- I like to be busy.

I'm looking for work, but have lost a bit of confidence and would like to ease in gently through volunteering and training.

( I had a fantastic cheese and garlic naan at Airlie Beach and must have more.........)

Reason for edit: I sound a bit hyper don't I?

Maybe I am coming out of my funk since the folks left- either that or the prozac has kicked in!

Edited June 3, 2009 by AndreaL

[polly]

We have had quite a bit of success with the recipes that came with our breadmaker.

[AndreaL]

Polly..... My breadmaker hates me, I turned out one glorious loaf and the rest have been yuck.

I am quite a catastrophic cook and often end up with dough oozing out the lid!

I always boil carrots dry and once defrosted chicken in the microwave with clingfilm over and forgot to remove the clingfilm when I put it in the oven.

The only thing I am ace at is curries, but I am not sure how authentic they are.

[polly]

My husband bakes our bread. He says you have to measure very well. Also, make sure you keep the flour and yeast in a cool, dry place. Our yeast spoiled in the heat wave over summer, so the bread wouldn't rise properly. Also don't use warm water, it kills the yeast apparently.

We have started buying the smaller bags of flour, since it affects the bread the older the flour is / the longer it is in an open bag.

Hope the tips help. Sure you will get it right again.

PS so it is the flour, not you

Edited June 3, 2009 by polly

[abdul]

My husband bakes our bread. He says you have to measure very well. Also, make sure you keep the flour and yeast in a cool, dry place. Our yeast spoiled in the heat wave over summer, so the bread wouldn't rise properly. Also don't use warm water, it kills the yeast apparently.

We have started buying the smaller bags of flour, since it affects the bread the older the flour is / the longer it is in an open bag.

Hope the tips help. Sure you will get it right again.

PS so it is the flour, not you

hi polly

want to help with a homemade recipe.just a question/s?does the breadmaker proove the bread?and do you get dry yeast and/or compresed yeast .

[polly]

We buy the Laucke bread flour mix. It comes with a separate packet of yeast in the bag. We just put in the flour, water, yeast, etc., set the timer and the next morning it 'tings' for us.

If you use a home-made recipe containing milk, it starts mixing it immediately. It takes about three hours I think. It lets it rise and everything. If you are making dough for pizza or rolls, you just set it so it doesn't bake. You then just take out the dough when it completes and put it in the over (rolled in balls, or whatever). We bought some dry yeast I think. The powder type stuff. (I stay purposefully ignorant so hubby keeps making the bread )

Hope that answers the question

[lyall]

yum...i dont eat much bread, but that is making me soooo hungry...(i dont even eat pizza since we here...i might have a braai sandwich twice a month and a hamburger roll maybe once a month..so no point in making it..it just sounds so darn delicious!)

so, based on this i should be thin right? wrong...!...i heard on tv the other day people who have SAD pick up weight without any explanation if they stay in a cold country....thats my excuse and Im STICKING TO IT)

polly i like your husband..he sounds like a treasure! mine doesnt even know where the cups are kept....a real boere seun!

andrea....i would probably have the same thing with the bread maker as you..the other day i did a whole roast with that little pouch that comes in the meat with the gel stuff in...i chucked it out when i saw it in the roasting dish, no one even noticed...except me, everyone was asking why i didnt have any meat...ha ha!!!

[AndreaL]

hi polly

want to help with a homemade recipe.just a question/s?does the breadmaker proove the bread?and do you get dry yeast and/or compresed yeast .

Abdul

There is a dough function on my bread maker but I am quite happy to knead by hand and get rid of some frustration.

I could be wrong but believe that the amount of fluid you add to your flour is different depending wether you use the bread machine or go by hand.

It is dried yeast we get at the supermarket.

Guy's I have just made sausage rolls, using a really nice traditional pork sausage from the deli at Coles ( it is fairly new and the meat is more chunky and has a good amount of fat, hubby says they are the cloeset to renown he's had since we got here)

Also made bacon and egg pie and asparagus, feta and chilli quiche( I have chilli with everything and grow them in my garden)

Bet I am making you hungry now!

[lyall]

you are just like riaan, he wants chilli as well with everything....even in soup...

andrea, i dont think i will ever get used to the sausages here....i think they are horrible, my butcher agrees with me, he comes from the uk....what were those ones called do you remember?

but yum...when i move to qld i will come and visit you for all your baked goods, so better start practising now

[abdul]

hi .

i think some baking theory will help all.sucessful baking has 3 important commandments.temperature,temperature and

temperature

..first,few more questions.

does the mixer have variable speeds? need the breadmaker recipe can anyone help with a 'breadmaker' recipe?

thanks

[DesV]

Hi

Try this site it is a shop in Perth that specializes in home baked bread http://www.allaboutbread.com.au/

Happy Baking

Des

[Michele R]

My mother-in-law is a fab baker so will miss her delish treats dearly once we're in Aus. She also has a bread machine and I have decided that will be the first appliance I'm going to buy in Aus. I love Naan bread, so if anyone has a recipe for that, I would really appreciate it!

[Enrica]

hi .

i think some baking theory will help all.sucessful baking has 3 important commandments.temperature,temperature and

temperature

..first,few more questions.

does the mixer have variable speeds? need the breadmaker recipe can anyone help with a 'breadmaker' recipe?

thanks

Successful bread making has 3 components

1) Good quality water

2) good quality bread flour

3) good and live yeast

Try and use room tempature filter water or bottled water

Good quality bread flour......specifically the ones for bread. If you use the normal flour you need to add improver

Your yeast must be fresh................check your expirey dates and store your yeast in the fridge.

If you are making bread by hand , always make sure you yeast is "alive" ....add the yeast to 50mls of luke warm water and a dash of suger. Mix gentle and leave to stand for about 20 mins, if

it forths , then you know the yeast is alive.

The average bread recipe , which can be used for pizza based or bread or roosterkoek

300mls water

500 grams of flour

and 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil

7grms of yeast (one of those sachets) or about a heaped teaspoon full

Mix add the water and yeast to the flour. Mix and kneed to you hearts content, until you have a smooth dough. You might have to add more water.....you need to develop a feel for the dough. Leave in a wrm place to rise ( about 2 hours) , knock down and knead again.

Leave to rise again for about 2 hours. Knock down and shape in the breads you want , or roll in to balls to roll out foir pizza bases.

If you want other recipes for bread,let me know

Cheers

Enrica

have fun, there is absolutly nothing nicer than home made bread.

[Michele R]

The average bread recipe , which can be used for pizza based or bread or roosterkoek

Now you've started something Enrica, haven't had roosterkoek in ages and it's raining cats and dogs in Cape Town today and am just craving comfort food. Now I'm craving roosterkoek!

Edited: Spelling

Edited June 4, 2009 by Michele R

[AndreaL]

Just to let everyone know I have succeeded!

I have made two beautiful loaves, I'm really glad I didn't give up- Polly I said my breadmaker hated me and I was right, I don't think it worked properly, it was a panasonic.

On Monday I went to my local op-shop and there was a brand-spanking new- never been used- breville bread maker for $20, I brought it home and swapped it for the dud one and made a wholegrain loaf with the "defiance" bread mix- perfect.

I have just made a crusty white with laucke bread mix and that is also good- the bread is better on the longer cycle than on the rapid bake.

I'm going to start experimenting with additions like chilli's and olives etc- but it is so easy with the breville bread oven and you can also make jam in it too.

Enrica- thank you for the advice and I would love any recipes you have to share.

and............ the special award for going above and beyond the call of duty to help a damsel in distress goes to...... Abdul

Thank you so much for your p.m's and excellent advice- I think once I understood the chemistry of breadmaking, it was much easier............. now we have to move onto other challenges, I think if you have a winner naan recipe there are many of us who would love to use it......... and the veg biryani recipe is a must too.

Thanks everyone.

[thehulls]

Just to let everyone know I have succeeded!

I have made two beautiful loaves, I'm really glad I didn't give up- Polly I said my breadmaker hated me and I was right, I don't think it worked properly, it was a panasonic.

On Monday I went to my local op-shop and there was a brand-spanking new- never been used- breville bread maker for $20, I brought it home and swapped it for the dud one and made a wholegrain loaf with the "defiance" bread mix- perfect.

I have just made a crusty white with laucke bread mix and that is also good- the bread is better on the longer cycle than on the rapid bake.

I'm going to start experimenting with additions like chilli's and olives etc- but it is so easy with the breville bread oven and you can also make jam in it too.

Enrica- thank you for the advice and I would love any recipes you have to share.

and............ the special award for going above and beyond the call of duty to help a damsel in distress goes to...... Abdul

Thank you so much for your p.m's and excellent advice- I think once I understood the chemistry of breadmaking, it was much easier............. now we have to move onto other challenges, I think if you have a winner naan recipe there are many of us who would love to use it......... and the veg biryani recipe is a must too.

Thanks everyone.

What did hubby have to say?

[AndreaL]

He enjoyed the bread- he has taken some of the brown to work, great big thick slices with bacon and egg.

He knows me too well- I become obsessive when I want to learn something new and have to master it- then I tend to lose interest!

At least I didn't have to beat him to death with it!

[polly]

Congratulations! Can't believe you got it so cheap. They usually go for around $200

[thehulls]

He enjoyed the bread- he has taken some of the brown to work, great big thick slices with bacon and egg.

He knows me too well- I become obsessive when I want to learn something new and have to master it- then I tend to lose interest!

At least I didn't have to beat him to death with it!

I would have eaten all in front of him and not given him ANY - lol...