Any bread bakers here?

[Blue in a Red State]

Machine or by hand? What's your favorite bread? I'm baking a sourdough tonight. Machine, then shaped by hand and baked on a pizza stone. Mmmmm.

[JimmyJazz]

1. I make one bad ass Challah by hand

:7

[Blue in a Red State]

4. Do you make it just for special occasions?

Or anytime at all?

[JimmyJazz]

6. Anytime these days. I've pretty much got the recipe down

I love to make it on Saturdays when I'm making stew. Nothing smells better in the house than fresh baking bread.

[theshadow]

5. My 83-year-old father....

... does, too. I've never been able to get the hang of it. My kids inhale the stuff.

[JimmyJazz]

9. It's easy - it just takes a bit of patience!

I love kneeding the dough by hand - i would never use a bread maker - but, I don't fault those who do.

[GOPisEvil]

2. Wanna bring some bread for garlic toast tomorrow?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2233126

:D

[Blue in a Red State]

14. Sure!

As long as you save me a hunk of that lasagna. BTW, I'm just over yonder in Leander...

[Sabriel]

3. I cheat and use the machine for kneading and proofing

But I do the rest by hand. Such as it is. The main reason is I don't like those weird rectangular loaves from the machine.

[corksean]

7. I make Onion Chiabatta by hand..

with rosemary and a hint of garlic (gotta stop, drooling on keyboard)

[Blue in a Red State]

11. Oooo. I can smell it from here.

When's dinner? :D

[October]

8. Gluten-Free Bread -- machine

Tasty.

[WritersBlock]

10. My BH is the baker - Irish Soda Bread by hand, others by machine

(Although I probably shouldn't admit to this right below CorkSean's post, especially since we revamped one of Delia's recipes.) :-)

[eleny]

12. I love to make babka

By hand or in the machine. Yum!

[mac56]

13. Both of us bake bread, by hand.

No bread machine, ever.

My dad has one and swears by it. Not for me.

[breadbox]

15. no bread machine

Don't have a bread machine, but when I teach breadmaking classes I
tell the students that they are fine as a substitute for a heavy duty
stand mixer: just let the dough rise in a cool place and bake in the
oven.

I usually use a stand mixer (kitchen aid pro model, though I am thinking
about getting a viking) although I sometimes choose to mix by hand with
a brotpik (danish bread whisk: great gadget).
I don't keep a sourdough starter going: my bread schedule is frequent
enough (average twice a week or so) but not regular enough (every once
in a while it will be two or three weeks between batches) to keep a
starter going.

I mimic the starter by using a sponge, sometimes spiked with some old
dough, thawed from the freezer, and then giving the bread a very slow
rise, sometimes in the fridge overnight: gives great flavor and texture.


For wholewheat bread I always use a mixer unless I am teaching, and for
brioche, it is essential. My favorite brioche recipe is from Baking
with Julia: try baking chocolate inside brioche as a breakfast treat!

Best,
Breadbox.