UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

Well new battery put in scales so I'm ready to rock 'n' roll!

Making the tomato, cheese and onion bread again. Let's see how it turns out this time now that I've weighed everything out. Got to wait just over 4hrs. now, can't wait.

Still on my first bag of flour. It was a big Allinsons one out of Asda for £2. Might even get another loaf out of it, so really economical as I've now done 6 loaves out of it already.

I've watched Paul Hollywood making bread last night and sent for his book. I love my Kindle but not for cookery books. It should come tomorrow.

That sounds good Lynne, I think I prefer a proper paper book when it comes to things like cookery books.

I've been watching his programme too. Not sure if I'm watching him more than the bread making though ;o)

Yep, got to be a proper book - I write all over mine!

Ah...I could never write in a book.

Only cookery books Vanessa! I write down notes to myself about what I changed in the ingredients, cooking time, when something worked really well. Also who I made it for - and if they liked it!

I couldn't write in any other sort of book!

I get most of my recipes online, print em off and add them to a big folder. Mine are always written all over

I pull up online recipes on my iPad and use it in the kitchen.

I've got loads of freebie cookbooks in my archive and have never read a single one. I'd delete them all if manage my kindle wasn't such a faff.

I have used the bread mixes every time. I suppose I am the ready meals of bread bakers.

I seem to do both. Quite happy to use a mix or even mix it with strong flour or use a recipe that came with the machine. So far all have been good eating. And that is what matters most.

Well I made my tomato, cheese and onion bread and it came out perfect this time having the scales working again.

It didn't last very long this time as I ate the last bit this morning.

I might buy a couple of mixes to keep for emergencies.

Tesco had an offer on Wrights mixes . A buy two get one free but they only had one left on the shelf. That Paul Hollywood book is good. He uses Wrights flour too.

Well I'm just coming to the end of my 3 kg. bag of flour and I've done seven or eight loaves out of it and it only cost £2. I've got plenty of yeast left so I reckon an ordinary large white loaf costs me about 30p or there abouts. Bit more for my sundried tomato one but still must work out less than half price and nicer than a shop bought one, bigger too.

Woe, woe is me. I have just screwed up to loaves! The first had too much flour and the second not enough water. I started yet another going and D*m me the machine said it was was too hot to start and came up with the fault message. I don't think I should have tried baking today... I do hope the last one comes out OK.

Oh Pat, what a shame. Are they inedible? I was lucky with my one where I couldn't weigh the ingredients. Although it looked funny and was squidgy, luckily it tasted fine.

I'm sure your next one will be fine.

I forgot to put the yeast in the last loaf that I made - came out rather flat! We still ate it though...!

This morning I used the breadmaker to bake a cake. I copied down a recipe that Patti shared some time ago for apple sauce cake - I always make it in the bread maker and it turns out really well.

:0)

Ha! I forgot the yeast once. Made a nice rectangular hockey puck. Completely in edible. Threw it outside for the birds and even they wouldn't touch it.

I was slouching around in the recipe thread last night for a bit. So many lovely recipes in there.

I've not cooked nor baked properly in ages. I'm still making the most of all the wonderful bakeries and restaurants here.

The last loaf was fine. the first was too hard and crunchy to eat but the second would be ok to eat but again a bit too hard. I really got to sort out how I read recipes. I think I must be cross eyed at times.

I tried to make a ginger cake in my microwave twice. Both times they came out half inch deep and harder than a brick.

Believe it or not I really can cook. Well some times at least

Pat (Scorpio) wrote: "I tried to make a ginger cake in my microwave twice. Both times they came out half inch deep and harder than a brick.

Believe it or not I really can cook. Well some times at least"

Since I can't cook I think I would be best to cross breadmaker off my wishlist (it could be on for for when I get a sparkly new kitchen)

Patti (It's a grape life) wrote: "Ha! I forgot the yeast once. Made a nice rectangular hockey puck. Completely in edible. Threw it outside for the birds and even they wouldn't touch it.

I was slouching around in the recipe thread ..."

Surprisingly, it did rise a bit, which is why we were able to eat it. Must have been some natural yeast somewhere...? I know that with wine making, sometimes the natural yeast of the fruit skin is enough to ferment the wine, maybe some natural yeast in the flour..? Don't understand it...

Pat (Scorpio) wrote: "The last loaf was fine. the first was too hard and crunchy to eat but the second would be ok to eat but again a bit too hard. I really got to sort out how I read recipes. I think I must be cross ey..."


Can't you turn the hard loaf into breadcrumbs and use it that way...save wasting it?

Vanessa wrote: "Pat (Scorpio) wrote: "The last loaf was fine. the first was too hard and crunchy to eat but the second would be ok to eat but again a bit too hard. I really got to sort out how I read recipes. I t..."

Good Idea, will do that.
I bought some garlic bread mix this morning will give that a go next and may be even mix them up a bit.

Oh.

Ummmmm

A cheaper option for garlic loaf. Just as convenient as buying a mix, I think.

Do a regular white loaf but add a teaspoon of garlic flakes and a teaspoon of dried parsley flakes when you add the dry ingredients. Reduce a bit if you're doing a smaller loaf.
Oh and be careful as the weather warms up. The warmer your kitchen is, the bigger your loaves will be.
I could never make a large loaf when the a/c wasn't working. The dough would spill out over the top of the pan and make a mess of the machine.
Oh yeah...

Was it Karen or Lynne? Someone said add a couple drops of lemon juice or vinegar to the water to get a fluffier loaf. Especially if you have hard water.

Forgot that I started doing that. Works a treat! Has to be only a teeny drop though.

That must have been Lynne - I haven't heard that tip.

I made cheese and onion bread a while ago but used wholemeal bread flour and found that the taste of the wheat was too strong so drowned out the cheese and onion flavour. I rarely buy white bread flour, so I must get some in so that I can try again.

I've been in Germany this week. I can't wait to get the breadmaker back on. Real bread again!

Yeah and didn't tell your co-mod you were going.

Jerk.

Well I've finally gone shopping and got some more bread flour. Now got to think what to make.

They didn't have a sundried tomato mix in my Asda, so I'll have to have a look around somewhere else to get it and keep it for emergencies.

I got one in Tesco. It's quite a dinky wee packet too

I always got vac-pacs of sundried tomatoes from Aldi or Lidl to take back to the island. Can't recall which.

Were dead cheap.

My co mod doesn't read her emails.I'm sure I told her.... Or did I :)

I want to add cheese.when should I do it so it doesn't completely disintegrate

Simon (Highwayman) wrote: "I've been in Germany this week. I can't wait to get the breadmaker back on. Real bread again!"

Never had a problem with German bread, if anything I thought it was quite good.

My latest made up recipe for a dark, sweet loaf:
200gm rye flour
200gm strong bread flour
200gm malted seeded flour (Waitrose)
384gm water
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon sugar
1 Teaspoon yeast
1 Tablespoon black treacle (Mollasses in the USA)

Makes a dark brown loaf with the taste of rye that I love. Most importantly my partner approves!
I'm getting the hang of making up my own recipes. It seems that the ratio of water to flour is quite crucial in getting the right texture/density. 64ml/cc per 100gm of flour gives good results for a variety of loaves.
Having said that the numbers on the side of the measuring cup that came with the breadmaker are really hard to see when its got water in it - so i'm never that precise.

Simon (Highwayman) wrote: "I want to add cheese.when should I do it so it doesn't completely disintegrate"

Just before the second knead.


Simon (Highwayman) wrote: "My co mod doesn't read her emails.I'm sure I told her.... Or did I :)"

You didn't.

I have a rapid white setting. Does anyone have any experience using it?

The Germans bread seems sweet....

I used to use the rapid white sometimes. I found it worked better if I added an extra 1/4 teaspoon yeast.

Finished that cup of tea and think yet?

Just made a wholemeal seeded loaf (made it by hand as my mum thinks it tastes better than using the breadmaker) and it looks delish! We're going to cook a camembert cheese in the oven and then dip the bread in it for lunch - naughty but oh so good :)

That sounds lovely Miffy.

Find that the bread in my machine is not so great. But I now use it for mixing kneading and proving dough. throw the ingredients in when I get up then take it out and knock back divide into rolls and give second rise and cook in oven then cover with towel and have fresh morning baps for breakfast.

Fiona, were you using the right dried yeast for the machine? The one for machines doesn't have to be knocked back or proven twice.

I've just put a seeded wholemeal loaf in. Not done this one before so it'll be interesting to see how it comes out.

Has anyone made a sourdough bread? It looks a huge faff and a bit wasteful, plus you need days in advance to make the starter. I've never tasted it so don't know if its worth having a try.

I've never tasted sourdough bread either...will have to find a baker that sells it so I can taste it myself.

Tell me when you do Vanessa. Where I live there isn't any, we only have one bakers and Tesco, if I go to the next town there's the same baker, Tesco and Morrisons but I understand the taste is 'distinctive'.

I don't think there's any 'artisan' type bakers near me here so I think I'm going to have trouble finding it. I've got plenty of supermarkets and there's a place which does a small selection of cakes but have not seen bread.

When I was a child living in the City of London we used to go down Petticoat Lane to Middlesex Street where there's a Jewish bakery called Kossoffs. As you walked down the road you could smell the wonderful bread they made, it was fantastic. Don't know if they're still there now. I bet they did sourdough bread but I don't remember if we ever had it.

I loooove home made bread. Is that what we're talking about here? I often make unleavened flat breads though, quick n simple :)

Not to mention delicious.

What a staple treat it is...for the entire World.

Hi Harry...yeah a few of us have recently bought breadmakers. I used to make mine by hand years ago but haven't got any worktop in my kitchen to work on so I've bought one.

Didn't know you could cook as well...man of many talents eh?... and where's my blueberry bon bons? ;o)

This is the recipe I used for years n years back home. Was gobsmacked to find it by googling!

http://baking.about.com/od/yeastbread...

Should have known Patti would be the one to come up with something - but how would you describe the taste?