Bread making

[JoPaul]

Apologies if this has been dealt with before. I'm new here and not sure how to search for previous topics. But does anyone have any tips for making bread on board? Thinking about buying a breadmaker but not sure if it will run under 9 volt power? Thanks!

[JPA Cate]

Hi, Jo Paul, and welcome aboard CF.

I have seen some bread makers aboard larger boats. So, people find out ways to do it. Mostly, they are run off inverters (if large battery banks) or gensets.

To me, you spend so much effort cleaning up from the bread maker, you might just as well make bread from scratch. I only bake bread when bought bread I like is unavailable, so it is not a burden: it is like a special gift to bake something for someone. I have never bought special flour, regular flour works just fine!, and sometimes, if it is low gluten, I have added gluten to improve the texture of the bread. I determined it by trial and error. No one in their right mind, imo, will turn down freshly baked bread, even if it is imperfect in your eyes.

IME, the most important thing to do is prove the yeast in the very beginning, because if it is losing its viability, you need to use more and give it a while to grow enough "yeastie beasties" to raise your loaves properly. Something I have done occasionally, is seek out old fashioned recipes (overnight breads), which, in the morning, you fashion into say, loaves, and cinammon rolls.

If you do a CF Google Custom Search on Overnight Bread, you will find one such recipe. I am sure there are many on the net, including ways to make your own sourdough starter, and the whole sourdough world.

Have fun, and enjoy. But I would not expect a breadmaker to work off a 9 v. battery.

Ann

[Attikos]

I don't know of any 12V bread making machines, to say nothing of 8V ones. You can bake bread in a Dutch oven, though.

[robert sailor]

I'm with Anne, I'm the bread maker and to me it's a bit of fun. Breadmakers are a pain to store and on a boat to me anyways it's just one more thing I don't need.?

[JoPaul]

Thanks all. I was feeling a bit intimidated at the thought of baking my own by hand, but now I figure, why not give it a crack?! I'll try at home first and see how it goes ... Ta!

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by JoPaul

Thanks all. I was feeling a bit intimidated at the thought of baking my own by hand, but now I figure, why not give it a crack?! I'll try at home first and see how it goes ... Ta!

You'll never go back!

[Simi 60]

We live aboard at anchor and were gifted a breadmaker.
Used it a few times and then went to this recipe , very simple, cooked in a cast iron dutch oven which is also good for curries, stews etc as well.
Multiple use device vs single use breadmaker.


http://www.jennycancook.com/recipes/...o-knead-bread/


Been doing this with slight changes twice a week for two years now.

[Mike OReilly]

I make pretty much all the bread on our boat. It’s easy, satisfying, usually better than store-bought, and much cheaper (being the frugal cruiser that I am ). Besides, it’s just plain fun and satisfying to make bread.

I’ve never understood the attraction of bread makers, even on land. Might as well just by nice store-bought then. You miss all the tactile joys of getting your hands into the warm, moist, sensual dough. The softness that quivers under your touch… er, what was it we were discussing Oh yah, bread making .

Anyway, definitely something you should do. I think the greatest challenge is keeping the flour dust under control. Flour is fine, and can be a real pain to clean up if it gets away from the working area. So I do all my processing in a large, deep bowl which sits over my sink. I mix, knead, and rise it all in this one bowl. This keeps all the mess contained.

[Vasco]

Every week.

[Eder]

I use a bread maker to make bread under sail....runs fine off the inverter.


Also use it to make pizza dough and pasta dough as well...ya I have a pasta cutter on board as well lol.


We try never to use store bread...to much sugar & preservatives.

[Olddan1943]

Originally Posted by Eder

I use a bread maker to make bread under sail....runs fine off the inverter.


Also use it to make pizza dough and pasta dough as well...ya I have a pasta cutter on board as well lol.


We try never to use store bread...to much sugar & preservatives.

How large of an inverter, how many and size are your house batteries, what's left after making those loaves of bread?
Where do you stow the bread maker?

[Eder]

Originally Posted by Olddan1943

How large of an inverter, how many and size are your house batteries, what's left after making those loaves of bread?
Where do you stow the bread maker?

I have a 2000w inverter, I have 500 AH house bank of Lifelines. Normally I only have 200 AH usable underway ...not sure how much the bread maker uses....its not too bad. We often put it on dough cycle which uses almost nothing but makes killer dough.
I have a dedicated shelf in a closet to store it, blender, ice maker etc...IP's have a lot of room to put crap like breadmakers lol.
I make bread & pasta dough by hand as well from time to time but it is quite a bit messier than just dumping ingredients into a tub, press start & return 3 hours later for sandwiches.

[44'cruisingcat]

&

Originally Posted by Olddan1943

How large of an inverter, how many and size are your house batteries, what's left after making those loaves of bread?
Where do you stow the bread maker?

We have a 1200 Watt inverter. When it's baking the breadmaker uses 400 Watts.

House batteries are 310 amp hour lithiums.

To make a loaf uses between 30 and 40 amp hours, but usually the charge controller is in float mode, so the batteries are pretty much full at the end of the bake cycle.

We keep the breadmaker in the pantry. Fits nicely.

[Don C L]

Sheesh you guys have some beautiful bread there...
for stove top (and admittedly round bread!) many moons ago I used to make muffins in the Omnia oven:
with all this talk of baking maybe I better get a new one!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Sheesh you guys have some beautiful bread there...
for stove top (and admittedly round bread!) many moons ago I used to make muffins in the Omnia oven:
with all this talk of baking maybe I better get a new one!

Cool stove top oven Don. I used to do all sorts of pan breads when camping. Various versions of bannock. Can make everything from muffins to tortillas to biscuits, in addition to yummy bread.

Hard to beat the smell and taste (and quality) of fresh baked oven bread though .

Originally Posted by Caribbeachbum

Few things are sweeter than the smell of freshly baked bread. A breadmaker, though .. that's a one-trick pony, a uni-tasker, as Alton Brown would say. I don't want to waste the space for it in my kitchen at home, much less the tiny boat galley. Besides, making bread (and fresh pasta) is a zen-like thing that you do with a glass of wine at hand and good music playing. Try it a few times until you get it right. There is a learning curve. But it's not hard at all, and soon you'll laugh at the idea of a machine -- that's for amateurs!

Bread really isn’t hard to make. It’s pretty hard to make something that isn’t yummy.