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I'm not much of a cook but I love fresh bread. So I got this ideal to buy a bread maker but don't know much.
What's the best out there?
Is Zojiroshi bread maker any good?
How about Cuisinart?
I want to make fresh crusty Italian bread, French bagetts and brioche.
Best way to cook fresh made pizza in conventional oven. Need one of those pizza stones?
Thanks for any advice
Never mind the bread machine. Every time I go to the thrift store, I see at least 10 of them on sale for a few dollars. That says something. I bought one several years and used it a whopping five or so times - then gave it to a neighbor. I'm guessing it also ended up on the shelf at the Goodwill.
Go back to basics and make bread from scratch. It's much more rewarding.
I make pizza dough and twisted pretzels in a regular oven - nothing fancy. Pizza stones are good, I recommend getting one.
I have two a Hitachi and a Sunbeam.
I can't advice you what to buy, because I've got mine for one purpose only... to knead the dough for me.
I always bake the bread the old fashion way (I mean in the oven).
Crusty Italian Bread or any other bread needs study before you start, because is not just simple as 123. There are tips and tips regarding the dough.
Go to the local library and get some books about baking breads and study them carefully. Chose some that have step by step pictures so you can see and judge for yourself what need to be done.
Then I would advice to make a dough recipe and see what the feel to your hand the dough has. There are secrets there too.
Not sticky to the board/hand and very soft and silky is the perfect dough.
Don't think that if you fallowed the recipe exactly, means you get the perfect product... there are adjustments to be done regarding the flour, yeast, water, humidity, hot/cold... and so on.
I have two a Hitachi and a Sunbeam.
I can't advice you what to buy, because I've got mine for one purpose only... to knead the dough for me.
I always bake the bread the old fashion way (I mean in the oven).
Crusty Italian Bread or any other bread needs study before you start, because is not just simple as 123. There are tips and tips regarding the dough.
Go to the local library and get some books about baking breads and study them carefully. Chose some that have step by step pictures so you can see and judge for yourself what need to be done.
Then I would advice to make a dough recipe and see what the feel to your hand the dough has. There are secrets there too.
Not sticky to the board/hand and very soft and silky is the perfect dough.
Don't think that if you fallowed the recipe exactly, means you get the perfect product... there are adjustments to be done regarding the flour, yeast, water, humidity, hot/cold... and so on.
Once you get used to the dough, it is fun
Thanks for you advice but that's the step I want to avoid. I don't have time to make the dough. I was hoping just pop it in the machine and "BAM!,forget it 'bout it."
Thanks for you advice but that's the step I want to avoid. I don't have time to make the dough. I was hoping just pop it in the machine and "BAM!,forget it 'bout it."
If you have counter top space and you are ready to pull up your sleeves and watch, then you can find a machine for about $40 that will keep for few years.
My machines done tons of dough in the last 5 years, I am very familiar with the process I can tell everything you need to know
I love my bread machine! I use it to do the mixing and kneading and then bake conventionally. That is the only way I will typically even make yeast bread. My son loves cinnamon rolls and these cheeseburger filled pocket sandwiches that I make a lot. If I had to make them by hand, he would get them far less often...
How do you get pizza crust to be crisp? I like thin crust pizza and have made pizza dough in a bread machine, but the dough is always soggy after the pizza cooks. Do you cook the crust in the oven first, then add toppings and cook some more?
2 things; if you don't already have a pizza stone, go to Lowe's and look for "unglazed quarry stone" tiles. A whole box will be like, $4. I lined the bottom of my oven with them in a 3x2 grid and I leave them in there all the time. I cook pizza directly on the tile. A pizza peel helps with this. They maintain temperature due to their thermal mass, and they are porous, so steam gets absorbed, making the crust crisp.
2nd - another problem is that residential ovens top out around 500 degrees, and that's just not hot enough. This dude got around the issue by disabling the automatic lock and cooking pizza at 800 degrees on his oven's self cleaning cycle. I imagine that not only voids your warranty, but also your homeowner's insurance policy and several fire codes - but hey, he's making some good looking pizzas.
2 things; if you don't already have a pizza stone, go to Lowe's and look for "unglazed quarry stone" tiles. A whole box will be like, $4. I lined the bottom of my oven with them in a 3x2 grid and I leave them in there all the time. I cook pizza directly on the tile. A pizza peel helps with this. They maintain temperature due to their thermal mass, and they are porous, so steam gets absorbed, making the crust crisp.
2nd - another problem is that residential ovens top out around 500 degrees, and that's just not hot enough. This dude got around the issue by disabling the automatic lock and cooking pizza at 800 degrees on his oven's self cleaning cycle. I imagine that not only voids your warranty, but also your homeowner's insurance policy and several fire codes - but hey, he's making some good looking pizzas.
Thanks! Do you cook the pizza crust with the toppings on it the entire time?
Yes, I do - but my wife won't let me cut the lock on my oven, so I have to make do with 500 degrees.
Unfortunately I also have a gas oven. I'm wishing I had sprung for a dual fuel model because I love cooking with gas - but baking not so much; too humid, and the broiler doesn't seem to get as hot. I've tried 4 minutes on the stones, then swtch on the broiler and move it to the top rack - that works OK, but not that different than just leaving it on the stone the whole time. My problem isn't crispy crust, it's getting the browned cheese by the time the crust is perfect.
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