Bread Maker Recipes

OK, we got a bread maker for our wedding and I have a couple of questions....

First, we can't find "sachets" of yeast and everyone seems to have a different opinion of how much, either in teaspoons or weight, is actually IN a sachet.

Second, I've had good luck with french bread and other savory breads, but less luck with sweet breads, largely because they just seem boring to me. I did cinnamon raisin, but it was just... not very interesting. Is there a way to make cinnamon swirl bread in a bread maker? Like is there some way that I could maybe combine cinnamon and sugar and maybe some sort of goo (butter?) and put it in when you add the "add in" ingredients like the raisins to keep it from just getting incorporated into the bread? I'm jonesing for the cinnamon swirl bread I knew as a kid but I'm far too lazy to take the dough out of the machine and finish it in the oven, which is what most recipes I've found seem to suggest. 

Sachets of yeast  -- I found them at the ASDA and Waitrose.  We got FIL a breadmaker for his birthday and he couldn't decide whether he preferred the "add water" mixes or to make it from "scratch."  Cheap entertainment for an 87y.o git.  He only makes bread for himself.   

Another thing I remembered -- he follows the instructions for the breadmaker -- not what's on the packages.  He did once for one of the smallish packages(it said it makes ONE loaf) -- and it was this HUGE loaf of bread.

Holland and Barratt sometimes stock fresh yeast if that's any help.

I think there are some online interpretations of yeast sachets. I've found the sachets at every supermarket I've ever been to in the UK so not sure why you haven't had luck. 

As for the swirl bread, sorry lady, my guess is you're gonna have to have a non-lazy moment, or just have a cinnamon raisin non-swirl loaf! 

That said, I think Marks or Waitrose does a great swirl bread. One of them does. Or maybe it was one of the other stores...?

Our local  wholefood shop sells a vacuum sealed pack (the size ground coffee comes in) of Fermipan (dried) yeast, which works out much cheaper than buying sachets if you bake a lot. Or some supermarkets sell small tins of Allinsons dried yeast, which again is cheaper than sachets.

OK, I can't figure why I can't find bloody yeast sachets! LOL. But I think I've determined that a sachet is about 2 1/2 scant teaspoons - that's the measurement I used in a loaf last night and it's the most successful one yet.  I've tried Sainsbury's, our little local store, and Budgens to no avail but haven't tried ASDA or Waitrose. But I think now I'll just keep using it in "bulk" since I think you're right, HME - it's cheaper that way.... Britwife, fresh yeast doesn't really fit the bill, but they just opened a Holland and Barratt in our village - just haven't been in to explore yet!

Balmerhon, alas, I think you're right - I'm just gonna have to suck it up about the swirl bread. But meanwhile if anyone has any breakfast-y type bread maker recipes (i.e. sweet), let me know!

Oh, and DUC, I think it's super cute that your FIL makes himself bread! LOL. And you are SO right about the size of the loaf - I made a "medium" sized loaf of french last night and it was HUGE!!!! 

Hiya AnneG 

Waitrose carries McDougalls Fast Action Yeast packets- 8 -7g packets! I get them there all the time 

Even the Alldays (Co-op) where I work carries the packets (could help in a pinch?)

My bread maker here makes you go through all sorts of things like lining the dang tin before baking a really sweet bread like banana... I do have some really good recipes for breads.  Do you want chocolate? Fruity?  Bread like or more loaf cake like?

Granted some are US recipes, but they all come out okay in the UK bread maker.

Also you are right about your measurements for a sachet, but will find that the yeast you use should depend on the type of bread.  

The only bread I have not been able to make successfully here in the UK is anything using buttermilk.  I am not sure what is causing the problems, but both my potato based loaf using buttermilk and my oatmeal one came out dense as rocks.  I am not sure why.  On the second one I even tried adding vital wheat gluten I brought from the USA and still no dice.  

Anyways...I make bread almost daily so let me know what you would like recipe wise.

OK, sounds like Waitrose is my ticket for sachets, should I decide to go that route.

Vnice, I'd love a chocolate one as I could use that in a pinch with some whipped cream as a pudding when people are coming over.... Other than that - I've got a decent raisin one, so maybe something loaf cake like? I used to make tangerine loaf cake all the time by hand and it was lovely - something along those lines maybe?

Funny about the buttermilk problem - I wonder what the issue is.... Could the buttermilk be reacting funny with something else in the ingredients?

Careful with recipes. You should really only use the ones that come with your machine as other recipes tend to go wild.

Of course, you could get a recipe and tweak it to work with your machine.

We have a lovely raisin bread one. We put sultanas in and it was nice. Other than that we only use it for regular bread. We don't buy bread anymore. Nowadays, you never know what you're getting.

Also, as far as sachets go, Hovis makes some. Although, we tend to open all the sachets and pour them into a big jar. Our machine came with measuring cups and we find that the stuff in the sachets is too much for one loaf.

Anne.. I will give you a recipe once I test it this weekend.  Just one question or two... does your machine have a sweet bread option and do you have US measuring cups or shall I weigh and convert it to grams? 

I just made a lovely traditional loaf with 1/4 whole wheat and no fat...it's fabu...(won't keep long though). 

Ashley most of the recipes I use come from a book called the bread Bible and are compatible with most bread makers.  I have used them in two different bread makers and they work.  The only problem like I said is that I can't seem to get the buttermilk based ones to rise enough even with super strong flour and extra yeast though I will keep playing with it.  I think maybe I might try it on the French cycle to allow for a longer rising time.

Do you guys have machines that go yeast first or liquid first?

LOL, the cooks are online tonight! 

Yes, my machine does have a sweet bread option. And yes I have US measuring cups as well as an electronic scale so I don't mind how the ingredients are presented....

Oh, and mine goes liquid first, yeast last.

It is a tiny bit frustrating that fresh bread doesn't keep very long, but I made bruschetta tonight with a VERY stale loaf of french from earlier in the week and it was fine for that! Jamie swears that getting a bread box is the answer, but I find that they just trap humidity and make bread go mouldy rather than stale.    I keep store bought bread in the fridge and it keeps forever, which is vaguely disconscerting....   

You can prolong the life of the bread by adding more powdered milk to it.  They still only last about a few days but some of my traditional loaves only work for a day.  We use the older stuff for toast, bread crumbs, stuffing, croutons well... all sorts of things. 

Okay I will get the recipe to you!

Do you guys have machines that go yeast first or liquid first?

Liquid first, yeast last.  It was my friend who taught me that, though. The machine doesn't say anything about it.