Bread Maker - recommendations please

[Elisesmummy]

Hi everyone. I am toying with the idea of giving making my own GF bread a go for my three year old and wondered if anyone could recommend a good breadmaker for this and, apart from the fact that it's got to be cheaper than buying shop-bought bread, whether home-made bread tastes better? Thank you! x

[MrsPepperpot]

I have a Panasonic SD-2500 which makes a good loaf from the mixes from Juvela and Glutafin. It is certainly a step up from making by hand, I think that the nature of the substance means that it is good to have the breadmaker which keeps the dough moving and lets it rise without disturbance. The raw GF dough seems quite fragile unlike wheat dough.

There are also lots of other recipes to experiment with in the breadmaker. And it is a bit of an experiment.

Using prescription mixes would soon return the cost of the breadmaker.

None of it tastes like wheat bread but the texture is better than some of the shop GF breads.

[SilverDreamMachine]

Hi Elisesmummy, I`ve used a Morphy Richards breadmaker for 5 years and it`s still going strong. The bread that you end up with will depend upon the ingredients used. I use prescription flour, dried yeast, xanthan gum, salt and a little brown sugar, water and olive oil.

The bread is yummy, but it will get dry quickly so eat it sooner rather than later. You can also put in seeds, fruit nuts etc. to give you some variety.

If you do have a go, persevere as you`ll gradually get the hang of it.

Best of luck

[katethebake in reply to SilverDreamMachine]

Hi silverdreammachine.

I am really curious about your bread recipe because you don't add eggs. Would you mind telling me which gluten free prescription flour you use?

Thanks, Kate

[SilverDreamMachine in reply to katethebake]

Hi Kate, I use juvela`s white and fibre flour 50%/50%, half the sachet of dried yeast they also add to the box, flat teaspoon of xanthan gum, half a teaspoon of brown sugar, half a teaspoon of salt. 14fl.oz of tap water, straight from the tap and not warmed. Lastly 2 good tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. The end result is `yummy` for about 8 hours and then seems to dry out, but can still be used for toast or bread crumbs.

Sometimes when I fancy a change I get Innovative Solutions blended flour and substitute for one half of the mix above. I then do put in an egg, a dash of white vinegar and three teaspoons of dried milk powder. This mix makes a flat topped loaf and one which resembles an aerated Madeira cake! Also yummy!

Hope this helps?

[katethebake in reply to SilverDreamMachine]

that is really useful, thank you. i will give it a go

[SilverDreamMachine in reply to katethebake]

Not sure if you`ve used a breadmaker before, but if not when you add the ingredients and start the paddle, I then wait a few minutes and then use a spatula to make sure all the liquid and flour etc are mixed thoroughly. Only takes a couple of minutes.

[judithbj in reply to SilverDreamMachine]

your bread sounds great, could you let me have recipe please as i'm struggling to find a nice gluten free bread, many thanks, judithbj

[SilverDreamMachine in reply to judithbj]

Hi Judith, not sure if you were asking me or not? My recipes re in the posts above

[Regalbirdy]

Sorry can't tell you the make of my breadmaker, can't find any logo on it

I would say go for it - they are great things to have IMO. I think I have used mine more since going GF than I did before. I always enjoy the taste and the freshness of home baked bread but I find it is quite different in texture than wheat based breads (don't expect it to taste quite the same either, I found it doesn't).

The only thing I find a bit of a pain is that I can't use the time delay function on my breadmaker. Mine normally needs a bit of an extra stir during the first mixing phase, so I have to be at home when I make bread. Like any homemade bread it also doesn't keep as long.

Good luck with your decision.

[DartmoorGuerrilla]

You've all inspired me to start using my breadmaker again. I used it all the time before I went GF but had given up in disgust. I must try again...

[greyton]

I've had my Panasonic SD 253 for years and wouldn't be without it but I find that I can still make a better loaf by hand. As I live in South Africa I can't get flour on prescription but I found a really good book in the UK which you might find useful. It's 'Amazing Gluten-free Bread and Cakes from your Breadmaker' by Carolyn Humphries published by Foulsham. I even got to speak to Carolyn for some advice by emailing the publisher. Good luck with your experiments!

[dobido]

i,ve got a cookworks cheapish bread maker from argos only problem i have is the paddle sometimes stays in the bread leaving a hole in centre of loaf but like you i thought i,d give bread making a try and wasn,t sure as to wether to buy expensive machine and this one is great can bake cakes in it and suppose to be able to make jam in it though not tried yet

[virgolizzy]

Yep - I'd go for the Panasonic too, I have the SD2501-which has a gluten function on it & also it drops in nuts/seeds etc during cooking, but otherwise is the same as the SD2500. Don't use the gluten programme on there funnily enough, just use the standard quick bread programme & use my own mix & it turns out fine for GF bread - never the same as the real mccoy, but tasty & far better than shop bought GF bread. You can use the breadmaker for the rest of the family too, but if your son is super sensitive, get a seperate bowl & paddle for use with GF only. Have fun & remember, you tweak with recipes to get it to how you like it best.

[Henbur in reply to virgolizzy]

Hi would you mind sharing your recipe, I haven't managed to find one that produces a decent breadmaker loaf (Im looking for something similar to an Asda free from or Warburtons GF loaf), though I have found some nice handmade breads on this site

glutenfreeeasily.com/bounti...

[virgolizzy in reply to Henbur]

Don't know what the Asda/Warburtons one tastes like, so have no idea if it compares - doubt it, as home made ones are heavier.

Anyhow, this is the one I use:

350ml sparkling water, 1 egg beaten, 3 tbsp oil (I use rice bran oil), 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1tbsp sugar, 400g Doves bread flour (I use a mix of approx 70% white & 30% brown), 1tsp xanthum gum & pkt of the dried yeast. Added into the bowl in that order (ie liquids first) & then I put it on the quick loaf which is 2 hrs on my machine. Sometimes I have to finish it off on the oven (out of the tin!) if it's not crusty enough for me.

Good luck!

[Henbur in reply to virgolizzy]

Wonderful thank you!

[Fisher123]

If you are close to Liverpool, I have one you can have! Used three times - I am coeliac and eat the bread on prescription, but my 10 year old who is just diagnosed doesn't like it, thought I would try him with home baked , but sadly did not like that either. It's a Panasonic with gluten free setting bought about a month of do ago sitting in box. If you are too far away no prob any other coeliac in north west area welcome. ???

[KazAnn in reply to Fisher123]

Hi there Fisher 123

I am near Liverpool and have seen your posting about the bread maker you no longer use. I have been toying with making bread in a bread maker as I am finding difficulty in digesting the shop bought versions. I was diagnosed in 2006 and am strict with my g/f diet, had the odd slip up in the past, like all of us have had no doubt! For the past few months I am finding that I am reacting to foods we are allowed to eat :-((

My CD is becoming harder to manage. This has spurred me into preparing everything as natural as possible, hence the bread maker was going to be my next purchase. If you still have the bread maker I can collect it if no other coeliac has taken you up on your kind offer.

Regards, Bojangles. :-))

[Elisesmummy]

Thanks so much to everyone for their very helpful answers. Fisher 123 thank you for the offer of your bread maker - I live in Berkshire so a bit far to travel. Feel free to give it to someone else! I will definitely have a think about what to do. Elise's current fav bread is the Genius white or brown loaf and if I manage to time it right I can quite often find loaves that are reduced in price in my local supermarket, which brings the cost down. I very rarely pay full price for a loaf. I then freeze the bread and defrost slices as I need them. But still def thinking of having a go at making my own. Thank you again! Xxx

[Henbur in reply to Elisesmummy]

If you don't get on with the bread maker try the asda free from bread, they have brown or white, it's a huge loaf and it's £2, often on roll back too. Hardly ever breaks up. Genius was a fave of mine, but I got so fed up with having holes and broken pieces that i couldnt use and I think the flavour has gone a little strange, very burnt and treacle like ?since they changed the recipe to compete with warburtons (I eat brown though). Warburtons is good but a smaller more expensive loaf. Sometimes making your own can be very expensive if you don't get prescriptions, a lot of people swear by Juvela mixes and I'd love to try them but off prescription a box costs £7 (cheapest I've found on line) and upwards to £12 and from what I can tell it makes one loaf

If you don't get a loaf that she likes try some of the breads on the link I sent, m little ones happily have roll or French breads, just do open sandwiches if that makes sense

Let us know how you get on

[dobido]

i to love the asda free from bread but i find my local asda run out of it quickly i take it that means others love it too

[Cairnperson]

I like Sainsbury seeded loaf and it is cheaper than Genius, cost 1.99. Or Warburtons seeded .but dearer. Has more flavour than most.

Thinking about a breadmaker though.

[Chester31]

I use a cheap Cookworks breadmaker from Argos - doesn't gave GF programme. Have tried a number of different recipes but the current favourites are GF mixes - Helen's bread mix from Sainsburys and Mrs Crimbles from Amazon.