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I am trying to make all our own bread again......I go though phases, but this time I think I finally have a good consistency bread (not a rock like I have been known to make!)

 

But I still have a dilemma. We don't finish a whole loaf in one day. The first day it slices up really nicely and we have sandwiches or whatever with it. The second day it is more dry and crumbles as I slice! I figure this has something to do with the way I store it?

 

HELP!

 

Thank you!

 

Dawn

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I make handmade (not machine made) bread almost daily. What type of bread are you referring to?

 

If it is Struan or some other sandwich/toasting type bread, after you have sliced what you want for that meal, immediately freeze the remainder of the loaf. I've found that this works best to maintain the original texture of the bread.

 

HTH,

Val

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I am making the King Arthur recipe in my bread machine. I use half fresh ground whole wheat and half white flour at the moment. I haven't been able to make a really good bread with 100% fresh ground yet.

 

If you freeze it immediately then can you slice it frozen and how to you eat it? Do you toast it for future sandwiches.

 

I keep it in a tupperware bread keeper.

 

Dawn

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After freezing it solid, I thaw it completely before I slice it. It thaws pretty quickly on the kitchen counter. I don't slice it until I actually need the slice. I keep it in a bread bag in the refrigerator.

 

I use equal parts all-purpose, whole wheat, and "better for bread" flour. The bread flour adds a little extra gluten.

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Consider switching to Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. It's truly wonderful bread, and absolutely the lowest-maintenance system I have found to date.

 

In a nutshell, you mix up a big batch of dough (using the recipe from the book--normal recipes will not work for this) and keep it in a bucket in the fridge. There is no kneading, rising, or punching down. Every day you bake what you need for that day. It takes about 10-15 minutes to mix up the bucket, and literally just a couple minutes daily to lay out a wad of dough on the counter for 20 minutes, then throw it in the oven to bake. My total work on bread for the entire week is about 30 minutes.

 

We actually bake every other day--the bread lasts pretty well to the second day. Since it's preservative-free it doesn't last much longer (except for toast).

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Call King arthur flour. They are really nice and will try to answer your question.

 

I store my bread on the cutting board with the cut side down. The crumbling.... it is curious. What kind of flours are you using? It almost sounds like the gluten wasn't built up in the kneading. But that doesn't make sense.

 

King Arthur has a website and there is a phone number. Or at least there was :confused: I think they also have a message board.

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I made bread without a breadmaker and honestly, I don't have the time or patience to deal with the mess. I throw it all in the breadmaker, push a button, and I am DONE! If I have to go through all the flour all over the counter and getting on the floor again I will not make bread....we will buy store bought. That is the reason I stopped making bread before!

 

Thanks though.....I just have a strong reaction to going through that again!

 

Dawn

 

Consider switching to Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. It's truly wonderful bread, and absolutely the lowest-maintenance system I have found to date.

 

In a nutshell, you mix up a big batch of dough (using the recipe from the book--normal recipes will not work for this) and keep it in a bucket in the fridge. There is no kneading, rising, or punching down. Every day you bake what you need for that day. It takes about 10-15 minutes to mix up the bucket, and literally just a couple minutes daily to lay out a wad of dough on the counter for 20 minutes, then throw it in the oven to bake. My total work on bread for the entire week is about 30 minutes.

 

We actually bake every other day--the bread lasts pretty well to the second day. Since it's preservative-free it doesn't last much longer (except for toast).

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I always add vitamin C to my bread b/c way back when I first started baking bread, I was told it improved the "keeping quality". Don't really know if it's true - but I don't have the problems you're describing. I make 100% whole wheat bread if that helps.

 

Anne

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I made bread without a breadmaker and honestly, I don't have the time or patience to deal with the mess. I throw it all in the breadmaker, push a button, and I am DONE! If I have to go through all the flour all over the counter and getting on the floor again I will not make bread....we will buy store bought. That is the reason I stopped making bread before!

 

Thanks though.....I just have a strong reaction to going through that again!

 

Dawn

 

We used to do breadmaker bread also, and yes, I really liked the convenience.

 

The one thing I didn't like was the way the machines would die after a few years of heavy use. We ended up on the Artisan Bread method because I was tired of having to buy new machines every couple years.

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Really? Oh dear. Well, if this one dies, I may reconsider. For now, it is very convenient. I have a 10 year old Zojirushi and it is still a workhorse. But I got it used so I don't know how much it was used before last year.

 

Dawn

 

We used to do breadmaker bread also, and yes, I really liked the convenience.

 

The one thing I didn't like was the way the machines would die after a few years of heavy use. We ended up on the Artisan Bread method because I was tired of having to buy new machines every couple years.

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How do you add Vitamin C? Where do you get it? Is it a powder?

 

Dawn

 

I always add vitamin C to my bread b/c way back when I first started baking bread, I was told it improved the "keeping quality". Don't really know if it's true - but I don't have the problems you're describing. I make 100% whole wheat bread if that helps.

 

Anne

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I make bread. I slice it ALL the first day, as soon as it is cool. Then - into ziplock bags. I make sure as much air is removed as possible.

 

Note - I slice it myself as hubby and the teens tend to either squish the loaf or cut all crooked.

 

Bread here, two loaves, is gone in two or three days. So I make some more.

 

I use my KitchenAid mixer. I get two loaves, baked in 8 x 4 inch pans (9 x 5 they just do not seem to fill as nicely.)

Into mixer bowl dump 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup wheat flour or other grains (I use cornmeal - adds a bit of crunch to the toast we love to make), a tablespoon of wheat germ or sesame seeds, etc.

Add 2 tablespoons sweetener (brown sugar here), 1 tablespoon salt (yes, a tablespoon - not a typo) and two tablespoons fat (I use olive oil).

 

Pour on two cups boiling water, cover, and ignore for an hour.

 

After an hour, proof a package of yeast (I use rapid rise) in half a cup of water while you slightly warm the oven for rising (if you are in an old drafty house like I am). Add yeast and four cups of BREAD flour to the bowl, add the dough hook and slowly mix in the flour - speed up to speed 2 once you are sure flour won't poof up into your face and make you stop to clean your glasses.

 

Set your timer for 7 - 8 minutes. Gradually add more flour, a half-cup at a time, until the total flour is 5 - 6 cups. You want the dough to clear the sides of the bowl and be "right'.

 

Once kneaded by your faithful kitchen companion, Mr. KitchenAid, spray the dough with PAM or whatever (to avoid it getting crusty), cover, and let rise in a warm place for a hour. Then punch down, shape into loaves, let rise in the pans another 40 - 50 minutes, then bake at 375 for about 35 minutes.

 

Note - I got this recipe from a neighbor - her version called for FOUR tablespoons of sweetener and we all found that too, too sweet.

Edited by JFSinIL
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It is the fat. You need a fat. It makes a smaller, denser crumb, and is softer. Yes, you make a French loaf with no fat and you get awesome crusty loaves, but for a sandwich bread you need butter or oil.

 

I make mine in the evening and slice it the next day. I store it in a large plastic bag (an old double loaf bag from the store.) I get almost no crumbs and can slice it very thin. You can't slice it well while it is the least bit warm. Unless you're wanting it warm with some butter and cinnamon sugar.

 

Odd question-you're using a wide tooth serrated knife? A good bread knife? That makes a *huge* difference.

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I store mine in plastic storage containers that are the size of a loaf of store-bought bread. It holds 1 1/2 loaves of my homemade stuff. Like JFS, I slice it as soon as it cools so that it is cut *right*. :D The consistency stays the same for a week.

 

I use the breadmaker, but then bake it in the oven.

 

My sandwich bread recipe is half ww and half unbleached bread flour, so it is probably similar.

 

This past week, we tried 3 c ww and 1 c unbleached, with the addition of vital wheat gluten, but it wasn't great. :glare:

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I make bread with my Bosch Mixer and make 4-5 loaves at a time. I could make more, but we're not huge bread eaters so that lasts us about a week-week and a half or so.

 

After I bake it I butter the tops when I first pull them out of the oven, then cool completely on the cooling rack on counter. Then for the loaf we're leaving out I slice it all and put it in a bread bag that I buy in 100 bag packs from http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com the ones that I'm going to freeze I don't slice and I put in a bag and into the freezer. When I need one I pull it out of the freezer, thaw for about 30 minutes and slice. I use a Pampered Chef bread knife to slice with or my electric knife.

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How do you add Vitamin C? Where do you get it? Is it a powder?

 

Dawn

 

I usually have vitamin c sitting around in tablet form - I take a lot of it during the winter. I throw about 1000 mg worth in the blender with the water and cooked potato I always add to my bread.

 

You could probably put it in a small grinder or a manual mortar&pestle. Or maybe a hammer???

 

Anne

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You make potato bread? My husband loves potato bread. Do you have a recipe to share?

 

Dawn

 

I usually have vitamin c sitting around in tablet form - I take a lot of it during the winter. I throw about 1000 mg worth in the blender with the water and cooked potato I always add to my bread.

 

You could probably put it in a small grinder or a manual mortar&pestle. Or maybe a hammer???

 

Anne

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I am using a bread knife made by Tupperware. It was one of their E-series knives. It slices nicely the first day, so I don't think it is the knife that is the problem.

 

Dawn

 

It is the fat. You need a fat. It makes a smaller, denser crumb, and is softer. Yes, you make a French loaf with no fat and you get awesome crusty loaves, but for a sandwich bread you need butter or oil.

 

I make mine in the evening and slice it the next day. I store it in a large plastic bag (an old double loaf bag from the store.) I get almost no crumbs and can slice it very thin. You can't slice it well while it is the least bit warm. Unless you're wanting it warm with some butter and cinnamon sugar.

 

Odd question-you're using a wide tooth serrated knife? A good bread knife? That makes a *huge* difference.

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So, does the butter on top make a difference?

 

I used to do several loaves like this, but I was never able to get a good loaf (and it made a big mess!)....so I now use the bread maker.

 

Dawn

 

I make bread with my Bosch Mixer and make 4-5 loaves at a time. I could make more, but we're not huge bread eaters so that lasts us about a week-week and a half or so.

 

After I bake it I butter the tops when I first pull them out of the oven, then cool completely on the cooling rack on counter. Then for the loaf we're leaving out I slice it all and put it in a bread bag that I buy in 100 bag packs from http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com the ones that I'm going to freeze I don't slice and I put in a bag and into the freezer. When I need one I pull it out of the freezer, thaw for about 30 minutes and slice. I use a Pampered Chef bread knife to slice with or my electric knife.

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So, does the butter on top make a difference?

 

I used to do several loaves like this, but I was never able to get a good loaf (and it made a big mess!)....so I now use the bread maker.

 

Dawn

 

I put butter ont op when it's warm out of the oven, because dh doesn't like the top crust hard. It keeps it soft. :001_smile:

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how much fat does your recipe use? My regular recipe has 2 tbsp. butter in the recipe (for a 1.5 lb loaf) and it keeps about 3 days in a Tupperware bread keeper. You could try adding butter, coconut oil, or olive oil and see if that helps.

 

My french bread recipe has no fat and I always use it or freeze it the same day.

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So, does the butter on top make a difference?

 

I used to do several loaves like this, but I was never able to get a good loaf (and it made a big mess!)....so I now use the bread maker.

 

Dawn

 

I just brush it on top when it's warm, right out of the oven because it makes the crust softer

 

 

I put butter ont op when it's warm out of the oven, because dh doesn't like the top crust hard. It keeps it soft. :001_smile:

 

This is why I do it, except it's my dd that likes the tops soft.

 

Here's my recipe. It has always turned out beautifully for me....

 

http://www.plantoeat.com/recipes/104874/9943jcq5grbcdv/becky-s-whole-wheat-bread

 

My recipe is pretty much the same as this (I got it from Pleasant hill Grain with my Bosch) and I use King Arthur Bread Flour (not using whole wheat yet) and it turns out great every time. I've even left out the dough enhancer and it turns out just as well.

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