Kenwood Chef: to do or not to do

[peterb]

<---snip

one I've got has handled cakes, bread etc and i've got the glass liquidiser too.<---snip

snip---> then it gets used once a week at least.)

At least?

But that is the real testimony!

[tiggerai]

At least?

But that is the real testimony!

4 times this week. Ginger cake, bread, sugar cookies and vanilla sponge.

[GoNz0]

isnt it nice to toss the flour and yeasty water into the chef and watch it do all the hard work

[Saracen]

Too much like hard work, GoNz0. I toss the yeast, flour, salt, sugar, water and oil into the breadmaker, and don't bother to watch it doing the work. I just come back later and eat the results.

[GoNz0]

i never liked the stuff my dad made in the bread maker

[Saracen]

i never liked the stuff my dad made in the bread maker

It depends (in my opinion, of course) about 10% on the breadmaker, and about 90% on the recipe and ingredients.

My experience is that the biggest single factor ius the flour used, but obviously, other ingredients matter, as does the exact recipe. My machine (Panasonic) has both standard and "fast" programs. The fast one involves a small change in ingredients (more water and yeast, IIRC) and about half the total time. I much prefer the standard option - it takes 4-5 hours instead of 2-3, but the result is lighter.

And I've used a given recipe resulting in bread we love, which has turned into bread we thought foul simply by changing the flour. One such example was a 50/50 white/wholemeal loaf. I've used Allinsons wholemeal, and it was fine. I've used (and prefer, Waitrose Very Strong Canadian wholemeal, and it was fine. Several others have been okay. But we used Tesco Strong Stoneground wholemeal and ended up ditching not only the bread but (after the second try) the rest of the flour.

There is even variance in the results from the same brand, and I'm convinced, especially with supermarket brands, that what you get inside the packet varies over time, and even from batch to batch.

The point though .... I take your point about your dad's breadmaker bread, but don't assume all breadmakers are equal because in my experience, they aren't, and it might have been the ingredients he used, the exact program or a mismatch between the two.

My in-laws like a heavy white bread for toast. They use a specific recipe, and use Allinsons Premium white. I like their bread for toast, but it's far too heavy, for my taste, for sandwiches. The identical recipe, though, produces slightly different results in my (Panasonic) machine to their Morphy Richards.

So sure, if you mix the dough in the Chef and bake it yourself, you have more control, especially over temperature and timings, but you also have more variance due to differences in timing and temperature .... and to exactly how long you mix the dough for, how long you leave it to rise, etc.

Breadmakers, or some at least, can give very good results, and also offer both much less hassle and more consistency. I guess we all take our pick.

[GoNz0]

indeed i see your point

but can it whip egg whites ?

[Saracen]

No, but my sub-£10 whisk does a pretty good job.

Horses for courses, Gonzo. The breadmaker is very good (IMHO) at a relatively small number of things. My Chef is more work than the breadmaker, but far more versatile.

One thing I like about the breadmaker. From the time I start getting ingredients out to the time I press "start" on the breadmaker .... under 6 minutes. Including washing the items I use (1 spoon, 1 measure, one bowl). And if I hustle it, 5 minutes, start to finish.

And that also includes programming the timer so the bread is ready for me right when (allowing for cooling time) I want it, even if I start it at night and it cooks ready for the following morning.

For me, it's largely about convenience. Nice bread, very low running cost and so easy to use.

[Zak33]

I was looking for a breadmaker just for french bread......... yard sticks in particular, as my current one struggles with anything longer than a normal uk bread loaf




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[Clingy]

I have always wanted a proper Kenwood Chef or equivalent, but when it came to it I relaised I would not use it much. Don't eat Cake and very few deserts. So when it came to replacing the food processor, I went for a the usual thing. Suppose I could get one just for show?

[Clingy]

I was looking for a breadmaker just for french bread......... yard sticks in particular, as my current one struggles with anything longer than a normal uk bread loaf

Current Breadmaker makes good French bread in a loaf form. Can make the dough. The Ciabatta dough it makes is excellent although it takes about 16 hours to make.

[andyjhill]

Bread making is very dependant on the mosture content in the air as this affects the amount of water or milk you need to put into the bread. Canadian strong flour is the best .bread making gets alot better the more bread you make

[Biscuit]

i looked at this thread thinking... what the hell is a kenwood chef... i have left looking at breadmakers, expensive food processors and loads of recipes :s

[Saracen]

Bread making is very dependant on the mosture content in the air as this affects the amount of water or milk you need to put into the bread. ....

Agreed.

.... Canadian strong flour is the best .....

That's a bit more contentious. In my view, it depends very much on what you like, because the choice of flour massively affects the results, and because different people like different breads, and for different purposes. For instance, I use one recipe for bread for toast, and another much lighter recipe for bread for sandwiches.

.... bread making gets alot better the more bread you make

Agreed.

I spent quite a lot of time experimenting and making notes on results - what happens if you increase this, decrease that or substitute one ingredient for another .... for example water or milk, oil or butter?

[peterb]

Bread making is very dependant on the mosture content in the air as this affects the amount of water or milk you need to put into the bread. Canadian strong flour is the best .bread making gets alot better the more bread you make

I suppose that is one reason why the traditional wood heated brick bread (and pizza!) ovens produce such tasty bread, and the hot oven cooks the outside first sealing it and keeping the moisture in. I have a breadmaker (Breville) but the results always seem better if I take the dough out and cook it in a hot pre-heated oven, rather than letting it cook in the breadmaker

i looked at this thread thinking... what the hell is a kenwood chef... i have left looking at breadmakers, expensive food processors and loads of recipes :s

That's HeXus!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

That's HeXus!

HeXus FTW!!!