# New Bread Machine..Or Me?



## Chef Munky (Aug 1, 2013)

My guys picked me up this goodie. Amazon.com: Cuisinart CBK-200 2-Pound Convection Automatic Breadmaker: Kitchen & Dining

Here I'm trying to downgrade the kitchen. They couldn't pass up a good deal. They said I needed another one. My eye! They want more bread! Fancy bread at that.

I tried my TNT recipe that works well with my other bread maker in this model. Just a simple 1Lb loaf.
Picked the correct settings. It did what it should have.. I think. It didn't come with a manual. I have it on a PDF. Read that. Ok, on track so far.

Everything was fine until it went into bake cycle. When I checked on it the whole loaf had deflated like a flat tire. It was so funny. I was shocked. Laughed it off anyways. Looked like a sink hole. let it finish baking.

My other bread maker isn't a convection. So what happened with that loaf? It cooked to a nice med brown crust. Evenly cooked on all sides. What do you call flatness in techie terms. I'm not a baker. All of the ingredients were fresh.

Are Convection bread makers that different from the standard models?
Did I miss a secret tip along the way?

Here's the TNT I usually use.

1C. warm water
2T. sugar
1 package of yeast.

Let it rest until it foams
Then I add the rest of the ingredients and let it go.

1/4 C Vegetable oil
3C AP flour
1Tsp salt

Last night I added the liquids first. Then the rest. Just like the video showed.

They ate it anyways. Said it tasted the same as the other.

Open for suggestions.

Munky.


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## taxlady (Aug 1, 2013)

Sounds to me like it raised too much. It has happened to me without a bread machine. Maybe less yeast or bake it sooner?


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## Addie (Aug 1, 2013)

Every night Spike sit at my computer. I am going to make sure this bread maker is the first thing he sees. I like Cuisinart products and this is the first bread maker that I have seen that I like and in my price range. Spike doesn't know it, but he is going to get it for me.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Aug 1, 2013)

Munky, I'd try changing the yeast. If you are not using bread machine yeast, get some. I have that same model and have never had my bread deflate. 

Addie, you can buy that same bread machine refurbished for a much lower price. Try Overstock.com


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## Chef Munky (Aug 1, 2013)

taxlady said:


> Sounds to me like it raised too much. It has happened to me without a bread machine. Maybe less yeast or bake it sooner?



I'm not sure about the too much rise. This model has the option of letting you remove the paddle before the final bake cycle begins.
It has 3 distinct succession beeping tones. 6 beeps. You can't NOT hear it. That's when you push the pause, remove, wait and let it resume. Oh no 666!!!! seriously?

Once you start the machine the only thing you can do is pause it. It won't allow you to start the baking time sooner. You will get the error message beep. The pause is also for adding additional ingredients when they are needed. It will should you miss the beep have the red indicator light come on. Nice feature.

That is the only thing that I can pinpoint that was done differently.
It did after the paddle was removed try and knead the dough again. With what???   It didn't interrupt the rise.

I'm trying it again now the old way. It's too late to decrease the yeast.
That could be the problem to. Now isn't this a fun who dunnit'?


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## Chef Munky (Aug 1, 2013)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Munky, I'd try changing the yeast. If you are not using bread machine yeast, get some. I have that same model and have never had my bread deflate.
> 
> Addie, you can buy that same bread machine refurbished for a much lower price. Try Overstock.com



That's a possibility. I used the rapid quick rise yeast. The recipes said you could use either kind. Interesting.


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## Chef Munky (Aug 1, 2013)

Addie said:


> Every night Spike sit at my computer. I am going to make sure this bread maker is the first thing he sees. I like Cuisinart products and this is the first bread maker that I have seen that I like and in my price range. Spike doesn't know it, but he is going to get it for me.



Have Spike check Good will. My guys pick this one up there for $10.00

I'm liking so far how this bread machine doesn't move at all on the counter.
R2D2 the other one rocks around. It should have seat belt wrapped around it. This one is very sturdy. Easy access. Much easier to use. You can add the ingredients and then place the baking pan into the bread maker. R2 didn't have that option.

My Cusinart blender finally died after 20 years just recently. They do have some nice products. The pitcher went. Not the base.

I need to buy some bread machine books. I don't have any.


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## Chef Munky (Aug 1, 2013)

*Just Finished*

Whodunnit? Was me.

Just finished making the 2nd loaf. It turned out perfectly. This machine is a definite keeper.

Where I went wrong was not selecting the correct # for the type of yeast I was using. It should have been #2 for a basic 1Lb white loaf. Figures it would be a simple thing. The light crust setting is actually better with this bread maker. It started baking before I even knew it. The machine is very quiet during that cycle. Felt a little cheated that it started without me. It took the smell to get my attention.These guys didn't even wait for it to cool down before tearing into it. That's why we have no pics today.

Now I can sell my Presto canner. Ball can keep the new counter top jam & jelly maker. This gem can do that to. Can't wait to try making pasta in this. $10.00 well spent. They might even be reimbursed for it.
Love Mom! 

@Addie 
Here's a link. You might want to D/L the manual before you buy.
CBK-200 - 2-lb Convection Bread Maker - Bread Makers - Products - Cuisinart.com

Oh look, it matches the pie maker. I'm just sayin' 
Don't want to start any trouble... Well yet anyways.

Munky.


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## Roll_Bones (Dec 7, 2013)

I always thought bread machines were silly.  JMHO.

Its that I have never been impressed with bread machines or the bread that comes out of them. 
I am not one for gadgets.


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## Addie (Dec 7, 2013)

Roll_Bones said:


> I always thought bread machines were silly.  JMHO.
> 
> Its that I have never been impressed with bread machines or the bread that comes out of them.
> I am not one for gadgets.



How silly do they sound if you have crippling arthritis and am no longer able to do the kneading?


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## Katie H (Dec 7, 2013)

Addie said:


> How silly do they sound if you have crippling arthritis and am no longer able to do the kneading?



Yep, Addie!  In my case, you're preaching to the choir.  I bought my bread machine in 1999 and it has NEVER baked a single loaf of bread.  I have only used it on the "dough" cycle to do the kneading and, in some cases, for the first rise.

Arthritis in both my hands prevents me from kneading even biscuit dough.  I just can't take the pain.

I can say that my Welbilt machine has been a real trooper all these years, especially these last few weeks as I've been making all the French bread for my friend's fundraiser.  72 loaves to date, along with 8 today and another 6 planned for tomorrow.

I've never used a recipe specifically meant for a bread machine.  I simply use any of my TNT ones and go for it.  Never had a problem.

As a matter of fact, I spoke with one of the resident bakers at the King Arthur baking site and was told that a bread machine does a far better job of kneading than one can do by hand.  I was already sold on the idea because I'd already been doing it for a few years, but that sealed the deal for me.

I have 2 of the Welbilt machines, one purchased at a thrift store for $2., and my original 1999 one and it's not unusual for both of them to be going at the same time, especially during the holidays.


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## taxlady (Dec 7, 2013)

Roll_Bones said:


> I always thought bread machines were silly.  JMHO.
> 
> Its that I have never been impressed with bread machines or the bread that comes out of them.
> I am not one for gadgets.


I have considered getting a bread machine. But, I don't like the shape of the loaves. Does the bread taste good? Better than most bread you can buy, but not as good as hand kneaded bread. It will also have fresh baked bread ready when you get up, if you want. Some people have issues with kneading bread E.g., arthritis. Me, I just find that I don't make bread any more, because I don't feel like kneading it. I'll give the FP a try.

You say you aren't one for gadgets. What do you consider a gadget? A food processor? A mandolin? An electric spice grinder as opposed to mortar and pestle?


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## Addie (Dec 7, 2013)

These decrepit hands can't do what they used to do 40+ years ago either. I look upon 'gadgets' as just one more thing to keep clean. Unless it is one that really makes my life a lot easier. They didn't have bread machines when my kids were growing up. And by the time they were out of the home, I had stopped making bread. So living alone, I decided that one more item to keep clean was not in my best interest. I don't want my last words on this earth to be "But I haven't clean the ........ yet!" But I can certainly understand where you are coming from. 

I tried to respond to RB's remark as politely as I could without coming across as attacking him/her. That certainly was not my intent.


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## dcSaute (Dec 7, 2013)

mega big bread fan here.  

I dislike kneading.  don't find it nice, therapeutic, no warm&fuzzies . . .

I like easy - my KA lift bowl model does me wonders.
speed 1 or 2, set the timer,,,  highly recommended.

oh, the 3-4 bread machines I've been "blessed with" over the years have all gone in the dumpster.  frightful chunk of technology.  as in like who needs a paddle baked into the bottom of their loaf.....

I am not adverse to _eating_ all those wonderful hand mixed, hand kneaded, hand everything bread(s) / products - but I work on duplicating those results with a KA.


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## Katie H (Dec 7, 2013)

I agree with you dcSaute.  Kneading, to me, is simply boring and way to repetitive for my taste.  That's one of the reasons I like my bread machine to do the, um, "heavy lifting."

That's a good thing, too, because for the last nearly 30 years I have baked ALL our bread products.  Yes, I said...all.  All breads, hamburger and hotdog buns, English muffins, toasting bread, rolls, pizza dough, pita, scones,......  All of it and bread rules in my house, so I've probably made tons of bread items in that time.

As far as the taste of the bread is concerned, since I use my TNT recipes, some of which have been in my family for generations, that isn't an issue.

One of the benefits of allowing my machine to knead the dough and put it through its first rise is that I don't have to babysit anything, nor even be in the same room.  That frees me up to do something else.

For example, today I made 8 loaves of French bread and I didn't begin until about 10 a.m.  I'm done now and have been busy doing other things while the bread was doing its thing except, of course, when I had to take about 4 minutes to shape the loaves and set them for their final rise.

All told, I've now made 80 loaves of French bread for my friend, 6 loaves of roasted garlic-rosemary bread, 18 potato rolls, 18 cornmeal pan rolls and about 3 dozen English muffins.  All these were made within the last two weeks.  There's no way in this world I could've done even half that much if I'd done it the traditional "by hand" way.

Here's is a picture of my first 2 loaves done today.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Dec 7, 2013)

Beautiful Katie!


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## Addie (Dec 7, 2013)

Great job Katie. And here's hoping your two machine give you many more years of devoted service.


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## bakechef (Dec 7, 2013)

My mom bought me a bread maker before anyone even knew what they were.  When I opened it, I didn't even know what it was!  I'd say that this was likely around 1988-90 I still have the machine, it's a one pound machine, with the weird, vertical shaped loaf.  It's a Sanyo.

I remember when I would tell people about it, they couldn't wrap their head around a machine where you could add the ingredients and 3 hours later have a loaf of fresh baked bread!

I really need to take it out and give it a spin for nostalgia sake!


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## Zhizara (Dec 7, 2013)

Years ago, my Mom bought  a bread machine for us for Christmas.  I thought it was a stupid thing to add to our tiny kitchen.  

It turned out to be so good.  It got used a couple of times a week, with a few failures, until we learned not to put the yeast anywhere near the salt.  Our favorite was always the herb bread.  Oh! what a delicious bread, and the smell.

Sometimes, she would set the timer so we woke up with the wonderful scent of fresh bread baking!

I'm still thinking of getting one for myself. I have a small kitchen, but if Mom could do it, I don't see why I can't too.


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## bakechef (Dec 8, 2013)

This thread encouraged me to take out the old bread machine and give it a go.  It came out darker than I remember in the past but the old machine (more than 20 years) did a great job!


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## GotGarlic (Dec 8, 2013)

Does anyone use a bread slicing guide for homemade bread? Can you recommend one you like? My slices don't always come out straight, which makes it a pain to make sandwiches sometimes  Thanks.


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