[granjan]

I think making good bread is comes with experience.  I think breadmakers are good for mixing and proving but I prefer to cook the bread in the oven.  I usually make by hand though as I like to use 3 lbs at a time.  You get to know when it feels right   

My mother used to make it in an old china washbowl that she used to keep in a cupboard at the side of the fireplace when she wasn't using it.  One day, our tom cat bought a pregnant cat home who decided the bowl was a good place to have her litter so that brought an end to that   

[Livinhope]

That is such a lovely story.   

Is it true that the 'wetter' the dough the more open textured the bread is because I detest this close stuff.  Obviously it would be stickier within reason not sloppy.

[granjan]

If it's too dry, it will be heavier but it shouldn't be sticky either.  I use 3lbs strong flour, 2 sachets of dried yeast, 1 1/2 pints of water (third boiling water and the rest cold to get the right temperature), a knob of butter and 3 teaspoonfuls of salt.  I tried less salt but it just didn't taste right.  Knead it for about 10 mins.
 

[Livinhope]

I have just got to give it another go.  I think I'll try a smaller quantity of ingredients.

[Motivator]

Making a ferment from flour and water is near enough free . The bread tastes to die for.

[Livinhope]

Isn't that sour dough bread?

[compostqueen]

I asked at Tesco in the Bakery section for some yeast. I was given a few ounces for 20p. It was priced up and I had to pay at the till

So, not quite true to say it's free. Stingy devils 

[Ice]

That is such a lovely story.   

Is it true that the 'wetter' the dough the more open textured the bread is because I detest this close stuff.  Obviously it would be stickier within reason not sloppy.

If you like an open texture try making a ciabatta style dough.  You don't knock back the final prove, just pour it onto a baking sheet carefully.  Lovely open textured bread.

[mumofstig]

I asked at Tesco in the Bakery section for some yeast. I was given a few ounces for 20p. It was priced up and I had to pay at the till

So, not quite true to say it's free. Stingy devils 

well I never have had to pay....yet....perhaps too many people are now asking

[Dabhand]

Making a ferment from flour and water is near enough free . The bread tastes to die for.

Hi could you explain this a bit further please, I'm not sure if you mean it's made without yeast or not?  Thanks

[mumofstig]

The ferment uses natural yeast.....it's a sour dough starter.

Look here

[compostqueen]

I cheated the other day and brought a focaccia bread mix which I made by hand rather than the machine which went on Freecycle 

It was really rather good and tasty. I was impressed 

[BelgianPhil]

Livinhope, usually when my bread was too 'closed' it was because i didn't knead it long enough. You have to knead really long to release the gluten from the flour. It's the gluten that form the skin of the bubbles. The gas in the bubbles comes from the yeast.

I've been baking for just under 5 years and it really comes with experience. I started with a bread maker (or three) and now i have a Kenwood Pattisier to knead the dough. I bake it in my electrical fan oven.

The two things that changed the taste and texture of my loaves the most are these:
1) when you preheat the oven, slide an empty roasting tray in the bottom of the oven. When you slide in your loaves, pour half a pint of cold water in the tray. The steam will give you a lovely crust.
2) the no-knead bread. It sounds mad, it takes ages but the taste is insane. These are the best loaves i have EVER made. And i made roughly 450 so far. This is the recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html
Try it and you'll never look at home made bread in the same way.

I'm salivating just by the thought of this bread :-)

[Livinhope]

Does this recipe really only use a 1/4 teaspoon of yeast?  I presume it's the yeast granules you usually get these days.  The bread looks exactly like 'real' bread should look.   I'd like to give this a go tomorrow when I'm on my own all day.  My oven is also an electric fan oven, which I absolutely hate together with the ceramic hob.  Before Christmas I want to get a calor gas cooker (we have no gas anywhere near us) and then I can cook as cooking should be done.

[BelgianPhil]

Yep, only 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, 400 ml water, 700g flour and 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt. The bread hasn't got that yeasty taste that breadmachine bread has.

I feel your pain, we're renting so we can't get rid of the hob. The oven is fantastic though. I really miss our gas hob.