Recommendations for Bread Machines

By

Indianone

This is the one I use for my bread machine:

BREAD MACHINE FRENCH BREAD

1-1/3 C water
1 TBSP butter, softened
4 C white bread flour
5 tsp white sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 TBSP "instant" yeast

Add ingredients per directions for your particular bread machine.

MY NOTES: I use instant yeast as I don't have to worry about temp of water or temp of yeast, in fact, the instant yeast can be used straight from freezer.

Also, I use "dough only" setting so that I get a bigger better loaf of bread. I then remove dough from machine, form it into a loaf, put in greased loaf pan, cover it & let it rise in a warm place for approx. 35-45 minutes then bake in regular oven at 350°F for 26-30 minutes. Times really depend on your oven temps; each oven is different, so adjust for yours.

We love this bread recipe & the only time we buy bread is if we run out of the homemade which we can't stand to eat, the baker's bread, that is. Hope you try this & enjoy.

By

Indianone

Just a footnote to my other post. I don't use the recipes contained in the booklets that come with the machine as I don't like them, the French bread one anyway so I found a recipe that works for our taste buds. We haven't bought bread in a couple years or more. Hope any of my post helps you.

By

Indianone

I have 2 Sunbeam bread machines; not horizontal but square if I let machine bake it but I only use bread machine to mix "dough only" - not bake it as I don't like the way it bakes the bread. After 1 hr & 30 mins., which is the amount of time my machine takes to do the dough & kneading, I take it out, shape it in loaves, put in loaf pans, let rise then bake in 350° oven for about 25-30 mins. depending on your oven temp then when baked, I take it out of pan, put on a wire rack to cool for a few hours or eveing then wrap in saran wrap & put in large (2 gal) ziploc freezer bags & put in freezer, thawing out in fridge or on counter standing up when I want to eat it. Great! Mine makes 1-1/2 to 2 lb. loaves. Want a recipe? let me know. I make a day of bread making so I don't have to be baking bread all the time- that's why I have two machines.

By

WIsgal

I would highly reccomend looking at Goodwill, or other Thrift stores. I got a Breadman for myself and an Oster for my sister at Goodwill for $6.97 each. Both the horizontal loaf. Very pleased with both. If you are in an area that you can check back regularly, I 'm sure you can find one. If they do not have a instruction book, you can download many off the web. I have a delicious recipe for Oatmeal/Honey bread that I make all the time.

By

Laniegirl

I do like Grandma, I only use mine for mixing and kneading. I have both a Welbuilt and a Regal which are bottom end bread machines. Both have fallen off the counter, breaking the hinge on the lid, and still work! LOL. Now I set my machines on the floor. The vibrating is what made them fall because they lost their rubber feet and were uneven.

By

T&T Grandma

Make sure you can do 1 pound, 1 1/2 pounds and 2 pounds of dough.
Make sure you can take the dasher out easily. Also see what parts there are on the dasher that would wear out--the inner fins. Then find out what the replacement part is.
If you use your machine alot, order a dasher to keep on hand. For mine it was about $10. When it goes, the bread will not mix in the machine and you waste the product ingredients.
Find out how hot the machine gets. I do not use mine for baking, just kneeding. It makes 3 loaves instead of the 1 when I dump the dough out to raise.

I want to buy a bread machine. I have done some research online, but wanted to know if anyone had any recommendations?