Sick and tired of bread prices!

[bluefairy21]

This is the recipe I have been making a few times a week lately. This recipe is adapted from my favorite cookbook, America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. This posted recipe makes a whole wheat loaf but the original recipe and the one I make uses all-purpose flour for the 2 1/4 whole wheat flour.

http://gourmetorgourmand.blogspot.com/2008/03/rustic-honey-whole-wheat-bread.html

2 cups bread flour
2 cups plus 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 envelope instant yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 Tb honey


Mix the dry ingredients (minus the 1/4 cup whole wheat flour) in the bowl of a standing mixer using the dough hook. At low speed, add the water and honey and mix for about one minute, until the dough comes together. Turn the mixer off and cover the bowl right on the mixing stand with plastic wrap for 15 minutes.


Increase the speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, 10 minutes. If you need more flour, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Your dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick a bit to the bottom).


Turn the dough out to a lightly floured counter and knead for one minute. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free area for 1 - 1.5 hours.


When the dough is doubled in size, turn it out to a clean counter and dimple it with your fingertips. This will release some of the air. Once the dough is flattened a bit, pull up the sides to form a tight ball. Place the shaped dough on a sheet of parchment and cover loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let it rise again for about 1.5 hours.


Place baking stone in oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. Place a cast iron pan on the bottom of the oven (or very bottom shelf) and preheat it as well.


Let the baking stone heat up for about 30 minutes and no longer than one hour.


Once the dough has risen again, slice an "x" in the top with a very sharp knife or razor blade. Slide the parchment paper with the bread onto the baking stone. Pour 1.5 cups of water in the cast iron pan to form steam. Using a mister, mist water on the bread and on the walls of the oven. Bake for 30 seconds, remist the bread and walls. Bake for 30 seconds, re-mist again. Bake for 30 seconds and mist for a final time.


Bake for an additional 12 minutes (or less if it is getting too brown) at 500, and then lower the oven temperature to 400F and bake for another 20 minutes. When the bread is done, it will sound hollow when thumped.


Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

 

[Purseval]

Bread machines don't have to be expensive or fancy. I have a $50 model from Walmart that makes great bread.

I bought mine from a yard sale for $5, it had never been used. Bread machines are something that show up pretty often at yard sales. The King Arthur site has some really nice, easy bread machine recipes that use regular flour instead of the more expensive bread flour. Also, as another poster mentioned, the jars of yeast from the wholesale clubs are way cheaper than buying packets from the supermarket.

 

[Swimalie]

I got a Zojirushi bread machine (originally over $180) for $7 at a thrift store!

Granted, it is an older model....but it works perfectly and for $7 I am not complaining.

Dawn

Zojirushi's rock! My husband got one from my parents for Christmas in 2008. He makes bread about once a week. It's awesome. This past Sat he made Hot Cross Buns that were so yummy! He will make half and bake them at half the time and then put them in the freezer for later. Then the other half he fully bakes for that day.

He loves this cook book http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265056517&sr=8-1

 

[tinkarooni]

I got a Zojirushi bread machine (originally over $180) for $7 at a thrift store!

Granted, it is an older model....but it works perfectly and for $7 I am not complaining.

Dawn

Ohh you lucky thing. I bought one of these new....Ouch! But I do love it and totally have gotten my money's worth a hundred times over. I make all of our bread and rolls homemade. it is better than anything you will buy at the store.

I used to use the kitchen-aid mixer, just let it knead about 4-5 minutes or so and than let it rise, shape and rise again. Now I use the breadmaker multiple times a week.

Just a little hint, you can take most bread recipes and add about 1/2 whole wheat to make a whole wheat loaf. You can also throw things like wheat germ and flax seed to get some of those expensive breads they are now charging $5.00 a loaf for. Outrageous!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I pay $1.26 for a large loaf of wheat bread at Wal-Mart. Would you guys say that is expensive?

 

[deerhart]

both flour and sugar can be stored in your freezer until use (or to store larger qty's while you have an daily use container).

By freezing it you keep out any bugs getting in.

I keep a large container for flour and the next size down for sugar. They both hold about 1 bag. The rest sit in my freezer until its time to refill my containers.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

If you make it in a stand mixer, how long to you knead it for? I'd rather use my oven than the machine, but not sure how long to mix it for. Thanks!

I use it for about 2-3 minutes on a pretty low setting, maybe around 2 or 3, with the dough hooks. I also hand knead it a few times just to make sure there isn't any weird chunks or anything that didn't get mixed in right. I also let it rise the first time right in the mixer bowl.

Oh I wanted to add that is with bread flour, if you use regular flour or wheat you need to let it mix longer to develop the gluten.

 

[JerseyGirl84]

Anyone have any good Gluten Free bread machine recipes? My daughter is on a GF diet (no wheat) and the pre-made bread is terrible. I've been buying a mix (Namaste) and making it in the bread machine, but the mix is $6 a loaf. Thanks.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I used to swear that my bread machine was my favorite appliance. But since I never baked the bread in the machine, I decided to try using my Kitchenaid. Well, I ditched the bread machine! The Kitchenaid does all the work, and I get to bake it into a normal loaf or rolls. My problem is that homemade bread tastes so good, I usually eat too much.

I used to buy those big packages of yeast from Sam's, and I kept it in the freezer. Never bought the 50 # bag of bread flour, though.

 

[casjen]

for less than $1.50. I go to the outlet where the bread is still fresh and unexpired. I go once or twice a month and load up the freezer. I work so making bread (more than 2 loaves a week for my sandwich loving family) would be exhausting.

Kudos to those who have the time to do it. I don't mind spending $1.50 a loaf.

 

[tinkarooni]

I'm not sure if the price of bread could be different based on your region but for me to buy whole wheat bread with no High Fructose Corn Syrup runs me about $3.50. If I want to buy any type of bread with added grains, oatmeal etc it costs upwards of $4.25. If I want to buy a specialty bread like from Panera I have to tap into the HELOC on my house.

 

[justintime]

for less than $1.50. I go to the outlet where the bread is still fresh and unexpired. I go once or twice a month and load up the freezer. I work so making bread (more than 2 loaves a week for my sandwich loving family) would be exhausting.

Kudos to those who have the time to do it. I don't mind spending $1.50 a loaf.

I also don't have the time to make bread, and I also don't think I have ever paid more than $1.50. I can get two loaves at BJs (Maiers brand) for $1.50 a loaf. Usually though, I just get the grocery store brand (ShopRite) for 99 cents. Just this past week, they had it on sale for 77 cents. I got extra and put in my freezer. I use most of it for the kids lunches, and they think the grocery store brand tastes fine. My husband prefers the Maiers brand that I get from BJs. I'm sure the homemade tastes a lot better than what I buy, but since I don't have the time, I don't think that $1.50 or less for a loaf is all that bad.

 

[jenjersnap]

If you think regular bread is expensive, try having to buy gluten-free. I'd be perfectly willing to make it but have yet to find a recipe that works.

 

[DawnM]

I would love a new one! I want one where the loaves lay flat like a real loaf of bread. Mine is a stand up 1.5 pound model.

Again, not complaining since it was super cheap and still works like a workhorse, but still.....

I do half and half whole wheat. I did 100% whole wheat and it turned out ok but the family prefers half and half.

I would like to try Ezekiel bread too. Those are $4.50 a loaf! YIKES!

Dawn

Ohh you lucky thing. I bought one of these new....Ouch! But I do love it and totally have gotten my money's worth a hundred times over. I make all of our bread and rolls homemade. it is better than anything you will buy at the store.

I used to use the kitchen-aid mixer, just let it knead about 4-5 minutes or so and than let it rise, shape and rise again. Now I use the breadmaker multiple times a week.

Just a little hint, you can take most bread recipes and add about 1/2 whole wheat to make a whole wheat loaf. You can also throw things like wheat germ and flax seed to get some of those expensive breads they are now charging $5.00 a loaf for. Outrageous!

 

[hippiemama76]

Totally inspired me to order the bread machine about which I've been on the fence! Bread is so expensive here (whole wheat/multi grain/ no HFCS) and we don't eat enough of it to justify the price before the loaf goes bad. Homemade always tastes better, and you can control the ingredients that go in - so much healthier!!

Anyone grind their own flours?

Also anyone who reads VeganDad's blog, he's doing breads lately, just remaking the recipes to be vegan friendly! YUM!!

 

[DawnM]

Yes, I have a wheat grinder. I wish I would be disciplined enough to use it all the time....I do it for a while and then get lazy again.

Dawn

Totally inspired me to order the bread machine about which I've been on the fence! Bread is so expensive here (whole wheat/multi grain/ no HFCS) and we don't eat enough of it to justify the price before the loaf goes bad. Homemade always tastes better, and you can control the ingredients that go in - so much healthier!!

Anyone grind their own flours?

Also anyone who reads VeganDad's blog, he's doing breads lately, just remaking the recipes to be vegan friendly! YUM!!

 

[toddlers_mom]

Yum, love homemade bread. I think it tastes better than regular storebought for some reason!

 

[toddlers_mom]

for less than $1.50. I go to the outlet where the bread is still fresh and unexpired. I go once or twice a month and load up the freezer. I work so making bread (more than 2 loaves a week for my sandwich loving family) would be exhausting.

Kudos to those who have the time to do it. I don't mind spending $1.50 a loaf.

Using a bread machine to make bread truly requires little work. You put the ingredients in and the machine does it for you.

 

[delmar411]

Using a bread machine to make bread truly requires little work. You put the ingredients in and the machine does it for you.

we pay less than .50 a loaf for wheat bread with no HFCS in it so I doubt I could make it for less after paying for the machine, supplies and utility cost involved in running/cleaning a machine.

but I do agree homemade bread certainly tastes better than store bought.

 

[Purseval]

we pay less than .50 a loaf for wheat bread with no HFCS in it so I doubt I could make it for less after paying for the machine, supplies and utility cost involved in running/cleaning a machine.

There is actually very little involved in running or cleaning it. You dump the stuff in, set the timer and walk away. When it's done all you clean is the pan, whch is teflon and doesn't require much more than a wipe with a damp cloth.

Bread machine bread is far better than storebought but it also spoils faster and costs more to make. We make loaves as a treat, not for everyday use.
We buy marked down bread at kroger for .49-.69 cents for white or wheat 24 oz loaves and .89-.99 for their premium bread like Flax, Rye or Pumpernickel. We just load up the freezer when we see it marked down.

but I do agree homemade bread certainly tastes better than store bought.

yes, even better than the premium breads.