Should I Buy A Breadmaker?

[anna34]

My daughter was just diagnosed with Celiac. Will it be useful to have a breadmaker in the house? I've heard that fresh bread is better than the frozen stuff. What do you think?

[sa1937]

I don't have a breadmaker but I debated between it and a KitchenAid stand mixer when I was first diagnosed. The KitchenAid won as I felt it would be more versatile.

Since that time I have baked a number of loaves of bread and then my local health food store started carrying Udi's, which for a sandwich beats most anything I've ever baked. Have you tried it? I wasn't able to get it locally until late last summer (at least that I could find...so much for small town, USA). I do still bake my own bread but always have a loaf of Udi's in the freezer.

[Kimmik95]

There are some pretty decent breads available (UDI's, I think, is by far the best). I would second the kitchen aid mixer over a breadmaker, honestly, I use my mixer constantly and if I want to make bread, I mix it in the mixer and then cook it in a bread pan. I would try out the gluten-free breads first to see if there are any your daughter likes before investing in a breadmaker.

My daughter was just diagnosed with Celiac. Will it be useful to have a breadmaker in the house? I've heard that fresh bread is better than the frozen stuff. What do you think?

[klbh2010]

My daughter was just diagnosed with Celiac. Will it be useful to have a breadmaker in the house? I've heard that fresh bread is better than the frozen stuff. What do you think?

my daughter who is 10 was diagnosed just recently and i have a bread maker and it has been a god send for us she doesnt care for the rice bread or the frozen udi's but Pamela's sweet bread recipe has been her fav so far mine is just the basic sunbeam bread maker nothing fancy but it has helped us.

[luvs2eat]

I have a KA mixer too and no bread maker. I whip up Pamela's bread mix and slop it into a loaf pan or spoon out rolls onto a Silpat (silicone pan liner). LOVE my mixer! It really stands up to the long mixing times for bread mixes.

[Takala]

Fresh bread is like 10,000 times better than the frozen stuff, if you have some sort of problem with the standard gluten free ingredients or a certain sense of taste.

Depends on your cooking style and how many people will be eating the results. Also, your child will have taste preferences and you can chose what kind of flours. Also, if she has another intolerance or allergy, you can then adapt to that.

I bake a lot, but because of my metabolism, if I baked as much as I could, I'd end up weighing several hundred pounds. I tend to make smaller quick breads, high protein whole nuts/grains, on the theory that if I have to work for it, it's not as fattening. On weekends I make pancakes or sometimes low sugar, muffin type things. I made a flatbread yesterday to go with Indian curry, for example. I can make a microwave bread in a bowl, and get 4 slices for 2 sandwiches. I thought my spouse would want more, but he's just as happy with a rice cake or a tortilla, he's not fussy. I got him a loaf of Udi's (I wanted him to taste test that and then stuff I was making, for comparison, as I can't taste normal bread like he can) and it took him several months to go thru it.

When I was going out on trips more, I baked enough on Sundays or Mondays for the rest of the week.

If I had a lot of sandwich eaters, I'd go for the bread machine, as I used one a lot about a decade ago.

[bbuster]

I agree with the others, I also have a KitchenAid Stand mixer and use it all of the time.

I know some people swear by their breadmakers, but I prefer not to use one. I tend to experiment a lot, and different recipes need different rise times. Also I usually don't make a loaf of bread unless we are having company. (I make a lot of rolls, breadsticks, and the like - smaller portions) But whenever I do make a loaf, I save a portion or two of dough in a pyrex container and freeze it. Then at any time I can take it out, thaw (even microwave defrost if I'm in a hurry) and bake a fresh bun or dinner roll in about 20 minutes.

[sa1937]

I know some people swear by their breadmakers, but I prefer not to use one. I tend to experiment a lot, and different recipes need different rise times. Also I usually don't make a loaf of bread unless we are having company. (I make a lot of rolls, breadsticks, and the like - smaller portions) But whenever I do make a loaf, I save a portion or two of dough in a pyrex container and freeze it. Then at any time I can take it out, thaw (even microwave defrost if I'm in a hurry) and bake a fresh bun or dinner roll in about 20 minutes.

Cool! I didn't know you could freeze gluten-free bread dough. I'm going to have to try this!!! Any bread I've made has always been best right after it's baked...and then the next day it's toast. What type of bread do you bake that works well for this?

[bbuster]

Cool! I didn't know you could freeze gluten-free bread dough. I'm going to have to try this!!! Any bread I've made has always been best right after it's baked...and then the next day it's toast. What type of bread do you bake that works well for this?

I have successfully done this with just about every type of bread I make. For a loaf I usually make Bette Hagman's Featherlight Bread recipe. I have another recipe (not sure where it's from) for dinner rolls that has plain yogurt as part of recipe.

I have a collection of small pyrex and corelle containers with rubber/plastic lids ranging from 3-5 inches diameter. Whenever I make bread dough, I take one of these and spray with Pam, put in a portion of dough and smooth it out, then spray with Pam again and put some plastic wrap directly on the dough, and then put the plastic lid on and freeze it. If I am planning ahead, I will take it out of the freezer in the morning and put in the fridge, then take it out as I am making dinner and I bake it in our toaster oven. In a pinch I have even used the microwave to defrost it immediately before baking.

A small portion like this bakes in about 15-20 minutes, so easily while I am making whatever else for dinner.

[sa1937]

I have successfully done this with just about every type of bread I make. For a loaf I usually make Bette Hagman's Featherlight Bread recipe. I have another recipe (not sure where it's from) for dinner rolls that has plain yogurt as part of recipe.

I have a collection of small pyrex and corelle containers with rubber/plastic lids ranging from 3-5 inches diameter. Whenever I make bread dough, I take one of these and spray with Pam, put in a portion of dough and smooth it out, then spray with Pam again and put some plastic wrap directly on the dough, and then put the plastic lid on and freeze it. If I am planning ahead, I will take it out of the freezer in the morning and put in the fridge, then take it out as I am making dinner and I bake it in our toaster oven. In a pinch I have even used the microwave to defrost it immediately before baking.

A small portion like this bakes in about 15-20 minutes, so easily while I am making whatever else for dinner.

Thanks a lot for this info! I have the dry ingredients measured out to bake a loaf of French bread today and I will definitely try this. I'm forever fooling around trying new recipes and experimenting by adding additional ingredients. I do have some small round Pyrex dishes with lids.

Am I to assume that you allow the dough to rise once you've taken it out of the freezer and thawed it out?

[bbuster]

Am I to assume that you allow the dough to rise once you've taken it out of the freezer and thawed it out?

If I have time, yes - I'll put it in a warm spot for 10-30 minutes.

[sa1937]

If I have time, yes - I'll put it in a warm spot for 10-30 minutes.

I tried it and it worked!!! Had a wonderful sandwich for lunch today using a freshly baked bun. Now I need to figure out how to find more storage space in my freezer, which is absolutely crammed! Maybe I could put dough in a cupcake pan, freeze it and then pop it out to stick in a freezer bag so it wouldn't take up so much room. I can then put it in the Pyrex baking dish to thaw and bake. There is nothing that compares to freshly baked bread...especially gluten-free, which is usually so disappointing the next day.

[bbuster]

I tried it and it worked!!! Had a wonderful sandwich for lunch today using a freshly baked bun. Now I need to figure out how to find more storage space in my freezer, which is absolutely crammed! Maybe I could put dough in a cupcake pan, freeze it and then pop it out to stick in a freezer bag so it wouldn't take up so much room. I can then put it in the Pyrex baking dish to thaw and bake. There is nothing that compares to freshly baked bread...especially gluten-free, which is usually so disappointing the next day.

Glad to hear of your success!

My new favorite toy is a vacuum sealer. When I make a batch of dough for rolls, and I make extra, all the extra dough I just portion out into balls, freeze on a cookie sheet, and then when they are frozen I wrap individually in plastic wrap and then put several into a vacuum seal bag.

I agree - fresh-baked bread is so much better!

Cheers!

Bev

[sa1937]

Glad to hear of your success!

My new favorite toy is a vacuum sealer. When I make a batch of dough for rolls, and I make extra, all the extra dough I just portion out into balls, freeze on a cookie sheet, and then when they are frozen I wrap individually in plastic wrap and then put several into a vacuum seal bag.

I agree - fresh-baked bread is so much better!

Cheers!

Bev

Sounds like a great idea...unfortunately I really don't have room for more new toys. lol I've bought so many and replaced so much ancient stuff since going gluten-free. Guess I'll end up trying the muffin tin, putting the balls of dough in sandwich bags and then in a Ziploc freezer bag so hope it works.

[Takala]

That's why when I do a bun-in-a-bowl in the microwave, I will frequently measure out two batches and put the other one in a ziplock baggie. Stores in the fridge, takes up less room.

Later,

Plunk egg into bowl, add oil and vinegar, and the pre- mixed ziplock bag contents and whatever water is needed. Stir, microwave, quickbread bun.

Also have done this with kasha/chickpea flatbreads that take no egg, that I do on the stovetop.

I don't even want to talk about my freezer.

p.s. You have to remember to LABEL this stuff with the sharpie pen with what it is, and what you need to add. and the date. Because you will not remember.