Questions for those who make their own bread

[loriannh]

I have some questions for those of you who make their own bread. I recently bought a Kitchen Aid mixer (my dream appliance).

I made two loaves of bread yesterday - my family loves me. It was SO good and actually pretty easy.

But here's my questions:

1-Yeast is expensive. I bought three envelopes for $2.99 so each loaf was $1 in just yeast. How can I do this cheaper? I saw the glass jars of yeast - is that a better way to do it?

2-I want to buy flour in bulk at Costco. What would I store the flour in? I have a huge pantry so I have room.

Any other suggestions for getting the price down?

Thanks -

Lori

[ducklite]

The jars are definitely less expensive. I just keep my flour in the bags it comes in, but mine seldom last more than 4-6 months.

My DH loves fresh made bread as well, but DS and I don't eat much bread. So when DH isn't out of town I'll make a loaf for him. I made a loaf on Sunday and he took the half that was left back to NJ with him when he left yesterday.

Anne

[dworbust]

I buy my yeast at Costco in the bag. Then I store it in the freezer so it doesn't go bad. It is about 1000% cheaper to buy it that way....no exaggeration! 1 packet of yeast is slightly less that 1 tablespoon. ~Susan

[grlpwrd]

I don't buy flour in bulk, but you could store it in a food grade container. Maybe go to a restaurant or store and ask for one they are discarding that holds many gallons or maybe if you have a friend or relative that has one (I had a bucket full of popcorn and I have since used it to store cat food), similar to the huge one that detergent comes in, but you would need the food grade one. You could buy one new, but it's pricey. Try online or a restaurant supply store.

I bought my flour storage containers from www.kingarthurflour.com. They have containers to hold 10 gallons and 5 gallons or you could buy a set of them or there is one that holds 18 cups of flour.

I also buy my yeast in bulk at Costco and store it in my freezer.

Happy baking! :)

[loriannh]

If I keep it in the freezer do I have to get it back to room temperature before I use it? Or can I use it as is?

Can you tell this is all new to me? My DH wanted to know what alien took his wife :rotfl2: I'm trying so hard to lower our food bill..we're a family of 6 and our grocery bill was not pretty.

Thanks -

Lori

[shirleyb]

I love my kitchenaid mixer for making bread. I buy the jars of yeast, and just measure it out, but when I get a chance to hit the Amish store that sells spices in bulk, I know yeast is really cheap there.

My family loves the English Muffin toasting bread for making toast. It is really easy.

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I buy yeast in bulk at the local natural foods store, 1/2lb in a bag. It's cheaper than Costco. One packet of yeast=2 1/4 tsp :)

I actually stock up on flour when it goes on sale every year in Oct/Nov/Dec. I currently have about a six month supply in the basement. I used to have to freeze excess flour but this basement is very dry and stays cool all year so I don't have any problems. I buy regular unbleached white flour (whatever is on sale) and the King Arthur whole wheat flour.

You might want to get flour at Costco now, then watch for the good sales next fall :)

[dworbust]

I let the yeast warm up for a few minutes before I use it. It depends on your recipe. Some recipes have you soften the yeast in warm water. You don't need to let it warm up because the water will do that. If you are mixing the yeast into the dry ingredients and then adding in the liquid (Some recipes for the mixer do it that way) you can let it sit for a few minutes. But honestly, I make bread every day and I am usually in a hurry so I don't let it sit out more than a couple of minutes and I've never had any problem.....ever. I've had other problems, like forgetting the salt.:) But never a problem with the yeast. I store flour in 5 gallon buckets in my storage and I have a smaller canister in my house that I refill. I buy 25 lbs of flour at a time at costco. 25 lbs fits into a 5 gallon bucket perfectly and it should keep for a couple of months if it is tightly sealed. I guess that depends on your climate though. If you aren't going through it quickly enough, store it in the freezer. No need to let it warm up as you use it. Good luck. ~Susan

[tinkarooni]

This is one of my favorite things. Home made wheat bread.
I buy my yeast in bulk at Sam's. Put in a tupperware container in the freezer it has lasted now about 2 years. I always bring to room temp before I use. 1 packet = 2 1/4 tsp. I don't knead my bread. I use the kitchen aid mixer on med high for 8 minutes. Voila! No messy counter. I let rise with a damp kitchen towel on top so dough stays moist. These days I let rise next to the fireplace, takes about 1/2 hour!

Check allrecipes.com if you are looking for some bread recipes. The Honey Whole Wheat III is great and super easy!

Good Luck! Baking bread has saved us a fortune! Do the math, 2 loaves a week at $2.19 per loaf...$227.76 per year. The cost of ingredients bought in bulk are minimal and I believe that the homemade bread is better for my family.

[meandtheguys2]

We use SAF yeast. We get it at our local health food store.

http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/index.php?page=index_v2&id=83&c=6

My favorite recipe. I love my kitchenaid. We make four loaves a week, eat, and give one away.

Cost analysis...
http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/index.php?page=index_v2&id=641&c=6

[DianaPrincessofWales]

My mother is the world's best bread and buns baker. She told me about the brand "Firm-a-pan" yeast. She wouldn't use anything else. It is originally from Canada so I used to stock up when I went back home. Just lately I saw it in my small home town grocery store in the bakery isle. It comes in a smaller bag for around $3. So that's where I buy it then I store it in the freezer and lasts me at least a year. Obviously the bakery uses it and loves it too. It calls for only about half the amount you would use in your recipe. I use almost the same amount because of the MN humidity (esp. in summer).

[crisi]

Sourdough bread - no yeast at all once you get the starter going.

[punkin712]

You could also try the infamous No Knead Bread recipe. It only requires 1/4 teaspoon of yeast per loaf.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?ex=1173330000&en=496dbbad22874065&ei=5070

[kellia]

I don't mean to hyjack the thread, but I have made a couple of loaves of break in a bread machine and they turned out really dense. Is that normal for a bread machine or do you think my yeast is old?

[ohiominnie]

I don't mean to hyjack the thread, but I have made a couple of loaves of break in a bread machine and they turned out really dense. Is that normal for a bread machine or do you think my yeast is old?

I love homemade bread and make it fairly regularly. Someone in the family thought that meant I needed a bread machine. I used it and hated it. TRIED to like it several times, but my bread always came out very dense. I tried varying lots of things then decided it wasn't that hard to make it myself. So I gave my bread machine away. Fast forward a year and someone else in the family thought I needed a bread machine. Ugh. Used it for pizza crusts for awhile, but then sold it in a garage sale. For as much as I used it, it took up too much shelf room in the pantry.

Nothing beats my homemade bread. :)

[kellia]

Ok, the bread machine is going in the garage sale, then! Thanks!

[katerkat]

How do y'all make bread? I noticed a couple people mentioning their Kitchenaids and hating breadmachines. I have a bread machine and I used to make everything in it, then I used to use it to mix/knead then bake it in the oven. I haven't done it in a while so I don't know how well the oven baking method worked - I liked not having to spend the mix/knead portion not in the kitchen, though! I used to love making bread but haven't done it in a while.

[middleofamerica]

Does anyone have a great and easy recipe for bread that uses the Kitchen Aid mixer that doesn't put out a lot of loaves. There would probably only be three of us eating it. I have the mixer, but have never tried making bread with it. I've used my bread machine, but as others have said, it always turns out too dense--so I gave up on home made bread. Any recipes would be great!

[SusanToo]

My family does not like the bread that comes out of the breadmaker. So, I just use the breadmaker to mix it and let it rise, then I take the dough out and put it in a greased bread pan, let it rise again and then bake it. Much easier on my hands as I don't have to knead it.

[Newfie2000]

This is truly a bduget-minded tip but it has worked great for me and saved me a lot of $! If you are looking for food-safe containers to store things such as the large bags of flour in try your local bakery! I have gone to many different bakeries over the years and have always had no problem obtaining containers from them. Sometimes they are free of charge and sometimes they cost me .50. What they will give you are the containers or buckets (generally equivalent to 5 gallons) that they get stuff such as fruit filling in. They work great, have excellant covers, are obviously food safe, are heavy-duty and usually even have carrying handles on them. I can't beat the price and when the ones I am using start to show any signs of wear I just take a trip back to the bakery. Hope this helps some of you!

[peggster]

I'm also looking for a good recipe. I'm particularly interested in one for whole wheat bread. I like mine dense and chewy, and preferably no or low fat. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[SusanToo]

Does anyone have a great and easy recipe for bread that uses the Kitchen Aid mixer that doesn't put out a lot of loaves. There would probably only be three of us eating it. I have the mixer, but have never tried making bread with it. I've used my bread machine, but as others have said, it always turns out too dense--so I gave up on home made bread. Any recipes would be great!There is a Basic White Bread recipe that come with my mixer. It makes 2 loaves of bread. You could freeze the second loaf, if you like.

1/2 cup low-fat milk
3 Tbs. sugar
2 teas. salt
3 Tbs. butter
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
5 - 6 cups all purpose flour

Place milk, sugar, salt, and butter in small sauce pan. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups flour. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be slightly sticky to touch.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch baking pans. Cover. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes in middle of oven, or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

[SusanToo]

I'm also looking for a good recipe. I'm particularly interested in one for whole wheat bread. I like mine dense and chewy, and preferably no or low fat. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Whole Grain Wheat Bread

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
5 - 6 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup powdered milk
2 teas. salt
1/3 cup oil

Dissolve 1 Tbs. brown sugar in warm water in small bowl. Add yeast and let mixture stand.

Place 4 cups wheat flour, powdered milk, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and salt in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 15 seconds. Continuing on Speed 2, gradually add yeast mixture and oil to flour mixture and mix about 1 1/2 minutes longer. Stop and scrape bowl, if necessary.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

Dough may not form a ball on hook. However, as long as hook comes in contact with dough, kneading will be accomplished. Do not add more than the maximum amount of wheat flour specified or a dry loaf will result.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape each half into 2 loaves, place in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch baking pan. Cover. Let rise in warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes longer. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

[middleofamerica]

Thanks a lot SusanToo!!:)

[Plantlady]

jars of yeast are MUCH cheaper. Measurements are right on the jar.

[luv2mickey]

Try the Kitchen Aid recipe for French Bread it is so yummy especially if you use a French bread pan. The bread is crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.

[loriannh]

The recipe posted for white bread is the one I used yesterday. It is so good. It made two loaves and I made one of them into cinnamon bread. I rolled it out into a rectangle (approx 9 x 14). I put some butter on it and sprinkled sugar/cinnamon. Then you roll it up and stick it in the loaf pan as usual to rise again. It made excellent toast this morning for breakfast.

I'm also a bread machine flunkie. I thought it was a great invention but it just doesn't make that good of bread. Not to mention the one little loaf was gone in one meal with my family.

My grandmother always made her own bread so this is bringing back old memories. With the kitchen aid it is so easy -- it definitely takes the work out of it. It still takes time though since you have to let it rise two times.

Thank you so much everyone for your excellent advice. I'm going to head to Costco tomorrow to buy yeast and flour.

Lori

[kellia]

I have a Kitchen Aid mixer, I got it used, it's probably older than I am but still works like new! But, I never got any instructions with it, so I guess I don't know all of it's uses. Do you use the "hook" attachment to make bread in it? (I have to admit I had no idea what that was for! :blush: )

[samanthacatangel]

Thanks to you guys, I was inspired to bake bread yesterday (we were out of bread, and you know if I went to the store I would have came out with more than bread!!)

I have a stupid question...

I do not know if it was b/c I made it in a bread machine, but I let it cool completely and I still have a problem with it crumbling when we cut it with a very sharp cerrated(sp?) knife.

So, how do you keep bread from tearing when you slice it? DH likes it for sandwiches, but I always seem to have this problem. Is it b/c I used the bread machine?

Thanks for any help!

Samantha

[meandtheguys2]

If you have an electric knife it works great! That is the best we've found for slicing thinner slices.

[crisi]

How do y'all make bread? I noticed a couple people mentioning their Kitchenaids and hating breadmachines. I have a bread machine and I used to make everything in it, then I used to use it to mix/knead then bake it in the oven. I haven't done it in a while so I don't know how well the oven baking method worked - I liked not having to spend the mix/knead portion not in the kitchen, though! I used to love making bread but haven't done it in a while.

By hand, no kitchenaid, no bread machine.

I have a kitchenaid, but I don't use it for bread. I think bread machine bread doesn't taste right (too dense).