# Bread maker question



## schoolgirl (May 26, 2010)

I have several questions about making bread in the abm. I have read to add 2 t. vinegar in with the dough. Do I add this in the water measurement? Someone said they put the fresh loaf in plastic as soon as it is baked. Do you slice as soon as it gets cool to put in bag? When I set it on a cooling rack the bread is soft, but after cooling the crust gets a little hard, when I put it in a forever bag it gets soft again. Do you slice and freeze after the first day. When thawed does it taste fresh again? Sorry for so long a post.


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## Selkie (May 26, 2010)

I don't know about the vinegar in your recipe. It's not a typical ingredient for basic bread. I know there are vinegar and sour dough breads, but I don't know what you are specifically trying to bake.

As to the rest, yes, it must be cool before slicing. And slice only what you need for the moment. Don't pre-slice even if you intend to freeze it. Only slice bread when you're ready to use it.

Store your bread in paper bags only. Plastic will make it soggy and turn moldy faster than paper. Paper will help the crust stay crispy.

Nothing tastes like freshly baked bread. No, freezing does not taste the same as fresh.

Until about 60 years ago, bread was either baked at home or purchased at the bakery *THAT DAY* it was baked. It was simply accepted as a part of the daily routine for the average housewife or kitchen servant. Day old bread was used for purposes other than eating as "bread." Freezing has never been a satisfactory substitute.

Enjoy making it, and know that you're carrying on a tradition more than 10,000 years old!


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## schoolgirl (May 26, 2010)

Selkie, I haven't heard that about the paper bag. I'll have to try that. I baked a loaf of bread yesterday and had a tomato sandwich last night and it was soooo good. This a.m. I tried it as toast and again was very good. The name of it was sahara sand bread and it had lemon juice in it.That was the only real difference from the others that I bake. I usually try to use some wheat in everything, but with this one only 1/2 c. was used. If my gchildren are around I don't have to worry about leftover bread. They love it.It amazes me how long a loaf at the store last. It must be full of preservatives!!!


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## bethzaring (May 26, 2010)

I've had 7 bread machines, and one model's recipe book had 1 t. lemon juice added to all its recipes...said it was a dough softener.

I don't like how hard the crust gets in bread machine bread so here is what I do. Just as the loaf has almost cooled, I put it in a plastic bag and leave it there until the next day. I remove it from the plastic bag and slice the part of the loaf I want to freeze. I almost always freeze part of any loaf of bread I make, in slices. This method yields a soft crust. Then when needed, I remove as many slices of bread from the freezer that I want. I leave the bread chunk in plastic as well. It keeps nice and soft. I make sure I use up the chunk in a few days. I generally use 100% whole wheat flour in my loaves of bread, but use about 25% white flour in rolls, with the rest whole wheat.


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## CherokeeRose (May 27, 2010)

I don't use a bread machine.  I do as my ancestors have done in the past.  I usually mix my dough in the evening and after the second kneading leave it to raise over night.  Then in the morning I bake it.  I've never had a problem and since the bread doesn't last long in my house I have no need to freeze the leftovers.


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## schoolgirl (May 27, 2010)

I can believe that the lemon juice is a dough softner. That was the best loaf I have baked. I had a piece this morning for toast and then for lunch toasted it and had blt's. It was so good. The breadmaker I have does the express cook-baking in an hr. The 2 loaves I have baked were a little dense, but I bought some fast acting yeast today so maybe that will help. I get the most enjoyment from trying new bread recipes.


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## No no (Jul 20, 2010)

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html
No-Knead Bread - Video Library - The New York Times

Try these websites, you'll learn Baking Revolution from Jim Lahey.


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