Save $ Making Bread In Bread Maker Machine?

[buckwheat]

Would you come out saving more money by making your own bread instead of buying a $5.00 loaf? Or does it cost more money to make your own. Anyone have a recipe to share? I would be interested in doing this if it doesnt take a whole lot of time. Thank you.

[CajunChic]

I buy the mixes for machines because I haven't ventured out to mixing my own flours just yet.I find it is better because the loaves are bigger. I also like the taste and texture better from fresh baked bread. I like Bob's Red Mill wonderful bread mix and I add flax seeds to it. Definitely worth the investment!

[BlessedMommy]

I bought a bread machine and I find that I don't use it much. It's so easy to mix it up in a bowl and I really like the shape of the bread better when oven baked. Gluten free bread requires no kneading, so it really isn't hard or all that time consuming to make it by hand.

 

My next item on the wish list is a Kitchenaid.

[C-Girl]

I bought a bread machine and I find that I don't use it much. It's so easy to mix it up in a bowl and I really like the shape of the bread better when oven baked. Gluten free bread requires no kneading, so it really isn't hard or all that time consuming to make it by hand.

 

My next item on the wish list is a Kitchenaid.

 

The Kitchenaid is essential. I found one on craigslist for $70.

 

I haven't found any store bought brands that I like at all. Udi's is like cellulose foam packing. I've been working on creating my own, and it's definitely worth the cost to have fresh bread, and it's so easy! It's way, way easier than wheat bread because you basically beat the crap out of it in the mixer. It takes zero finesse. However, the cost savings depends on the quality of your ingredients.

 

My bread mix consists of 2.5 cups gluten-free flour mix, 0.5 cup buckwheat flour and 0.5 cup almond flour, using yeast (of course) xantham gum, sugar, salt, and 50ml olive oil and milk for the wet ingredients. I use chia seed mixed with hot water in place of any eggs. I'm still working on making it without milk to create a dairy-free version. The milk and chia together make it a bit gummy but it holds together well when sliced and when making sandwiches without toasting. I've put a tablespoon of ground flax seeds in to give it that whole wheat texture, and that works pretty well. I'm still perfecting it. When I'm satisfied I'll post a recipe!

[BlessedMommy]

Can you clean a used Kitchenaid well enough to use it on gluten free items? I've thought about used, but I'm a little nervous about gluten. 

[LauraTX]

Can you clean a used Kitchenaid well enough to use it on gluten free items? I've thought about used, but I'm a little nervous about gluten. 

Most of us here who had one when we went gluten-free have kept it.  The smooth metal bowls are easy to clean with no nooks and crannies.  The beaters cost about $10 to replace and I replaced my one I used most often since it had some cracks in it and needed replaced anyways.  The smooth outer side is easy to wipe down, and you can remove the top cover to expose the machinery and clean off any gunk that has accumulated there.  If it saves you a good amount, I would say it is worth the work.

[gaye8310]

After trying over 100 bread and roll recipes, this is my favorite.  It stays moist enough for sandwiches for five days; after that, it needs to be toasted.  Expandex is the key (it's modified tapioca starch; available on-line);  also key is using Cup4Cup flour (it has powdered milk)--there are "faux Cup4Cup" recipes for the flour on-line.  Cup4Cup is usually cheapest at drugstore.com

1 T bread machine (instant/rapid rise) yeast (NOT regular yeast)

1 T sugar

1-1/2 c warm milk (about 105 degrees)

11 oz. (about 2.5 c) Cup4Cup flour:  start with about 4 T Expandex, then add C4C to 11 oz

1 t salt

3 eggs

1-½ T oil

1 t cider vinegar

 

Grease or spray with Pam three mini pans or one 9x5 pan (probably could use 2 8x4 pans).

 

Combine the yeast and sugar in a bowl. Gently stir in the warm milk. Let this mixture sit—bubbles and foam should form, but it doesn’t have to “bloom” as much as regular yeast.

 

Combine the flour, Expandex and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add the eggs, oil and vinegar and beat.  Add the yeast mixture and beat for 4 minutes.  Dough will be like thin cake batter.

 

Bread Machine Directions (from the original recipe; I haven’t tried this)

Scoop your dough into the bread machine and smooth the top of the dough. Bake bread using an 80 minute setting that allows for 20 minutes of kneading, 18 minutes of rise, and 42 minutes of baking (with NO paddle). Or (again, with no paddle) use a 38 minute rise and a 42 minute bake. 

 

Conventional Oven Directions

Scoop the dough into a greased pan;  use a spatula to press along the top (to avoid large air holes in the baked bread). Allow the dough to rise in a warm area until it is about 1 inch from the top of the pan (35-40 minutes).  While rising, preheat oven to 375° (350°for mini loaves).

 

Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes.  Bake mini loaves for 20 minutes at 350°.  Internal temperature should be about 210°.

 

Remove from pan(s) and set on wire rack to cool.  Can be sliced after 5 minutes or so, or allowed to cool completely--I prefer to let it cool completely before slicing it.

[C-Girl]

OK my recipe is working out pretty well, so here goes! I find using milk for part of the wet ingredients helps make a crispy, brown crust. If you want a softer/lighter loaf, just use water. You really do need that digital scale to measure because of varying degrees of humidity.

 

Start with 250g of your favorite all-purpose gluten free flour mix with xantham gum.

(My mix is a modification of the GFOAS blend using 2 parts white rice (42g/ 140g cup), 2 parts brown rice, 1 part tapioca starch (21g), 1 part potato starch plus potato flour (7g per 140g cup) some ground flax seed for texture (2g/cup) and pectin (2g/cup) and xantham gum at 3g/cup).

 

Add to 250g gluten-free blend w/ xantham gum:

70g almond flour

70g buckwheat flour (certified gluten-free - the stuff Nuts.com sells is not, neither is Bob's Red Mill)

63g whey protein isolate (NOW Foods) (still working on trying the bread without it - the bread needs more protein from somewhere, either this or two eggs, adjust your wet/dry accordingly)

37g sweet rice flour (I use this in place of Expandex and it works really well, and isn't expensive)

(I know it seems complicated, but you can mix all the above in a pre-mixed blend except the whey protein)

1 tbsp sugar

1.5 tsp salt

2 tsp Red Star yeast (Fleishman's tastes awful in gluten-free bread)

 

Mix 100ml boiling water with 30g chia seeds, let it turn into a gel

Warm the rest of the water/milk (another 330ml) to yeast-rising temp (110F) I use 1:1 water to milk

Add 50ml olive oil (some people swear by mixing the xantham gum in the oil, I haven't noticed a difference)

 

Mix it all on low in the Kitchenaid with the paddle (you won't need a dough hook, this dough is sticky but loose) until blended.

Then, turn the mixer on med-high and just let it go to town for 5 minutes! No finesse needed.

 

Lightly grease a 4x8 bread pan (or use parchment paper, which works great)

Scrape the dough into the pan, and be sure to smoosh it around to get rid of any air pockets.

Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise one hour in a warm place

 

Bake 35 minutes at 350F

 

Resist the urge to cut into it until it's back to room temp.

 

Let me know if you try it, and how it works for you.