Bread making machines

I bought one from Wilko's, in a sale, 7 years ago. It was not a panasonic, just a £14 "Sabichi". My reasoning was: I'll try it and if I get usage out of it (rather than a phase) I'll invest in a "proper" one.

I've baked loaves, cakes; made pizza dough for stromboli and calzones and this machine is still going strong, 7 years later! You even get "proper" breadcrumbs for other dishes

Over that time, I have pre-measured bags of mix so I can just add the water, add a bag of mix and leave it to do its job. I've frozen loaves/rolls/buns/cakes.

Sometimes, I still make dough by hand (gets the angries out ) but, in summertime, the machine pays for itself by not heating up the kitchen when we're already melting from the heat of the sun!

I do think they should come with a health warning though: having fresh baked bread on tap plays havoc with the waistline

 

I am very lucky. I live only minutes away from our little local Supermarket, run jointly by Budgens and Jempsons. The latter is a private supermarket that is in Peasmarsh(Paul McCartney's neck of the woods). Jempson's bakes its own bread and I've got to know Arthur, the Breadmaker manager. I ring him up and he sends over to my local store a 16kg bag of the two below, when I need them. They sit in 2 large plastic containers in the dark, under the stairs and I decant off what I need into little bags for for my "Breadkit" bag of goodies which contains mixed nuts, dried milk,malt extract and also lives under the stairs. I make bread for friends too and always take a loaf to a dinner invite:
I use 1)Heygates Norfolk Crunch Malted brown bread 16kg = £14.50
2) Heygates Opal bread (white) flour 16kg = £9.50
I anticipate having to pay a lot more for both these items in this coming Autumn / Winter

 

We have a German-brand Clatronic. But it is relegated to the pantry as we are able to buy freshly-baked bread at all shops.

 

I daren't store large amounts of flour. I would get moths breeding in it.
As it is I have to use up bags of flour quickly. And that's having them stored in "air tight" glass containers! (Same goes for nuts.)

 

You can store flour in the freezer

 

Hi Mandy. I find the little critters can't get into my deep polythene storage boxes. I have learnt, over the years , the need to keep ALL flour based items in sealed containers. Including pasta, cous cous and rice!! They will find their evil way into everything.
PS. I love french "Francine" flour and will always grab a few bags from Auchan if and when we pop over to Calais thru' the tunnel. Trouble is, the cost of a day trip to la belle France is nearly prohibitive now.

 

Good point Mum. Though I haven't got the room in there. I've got two freezers and they're both chocka'.

 

Have any photo's of your boxes? I've tried "tupperware" type ones with no luck. My glass ones have a good rubber seal on them but even they get penetrated occasionally.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Sorry, lost this piccie temporarily. Think I bought them in Morrisons a couple of years ago?

 

I treated myself to a Panasonic SD-254 and it makes lovely bread but I have to admit I seldom use it. I think there was some scare on at the time that bread was going to be short in the shops so I bought the breadmaker and a load of different bread flour and yeast and stuck it all in the cupbard instead. If we start to run out of bread then I will stick a loaf in but if that occurs once a month that is very unlikely. But then we are not great bread eaters. I have a friend who makes a loaf everyday for her and her hubby that seems a lot to me for someone who is supposed to be on a diet!!

 

We are not GREAT bread eaters. I know what you mean about the weight probs. Actually, I have scaled down the Panasonic recipe for a medium loaf from 400 grams of flour to 300 grams. A smaller loaf which doesn't go stale 'cos it gets eaten up more quickly. Only us 2 at home as well,

 

Thanks Jenny. The seals are not dissimilar to ones I've tried.
Do you think French moths are more determined.
I suppose it has to pointed out that these moths eggs can already be in any flour you buy. Just that you tend to eat the flour before they get chance to hatch.
So Mum's freezer storage is possibly the best idea as it kills everything.
I think I'll have to buy another freezer.

 

Nothing can survive a 6 hour french bake style loaf Mandy!!

 

I still make the largest loaf then cut it in half and freeze it. It saves on electricity, as it takes the same time to cook both.