I ***CHEAT*** a lot baking bread! Do you?

I am going to make an admission. I use a bread machine. The reasons are simple: 1. I have arthritis, due to many years of a crazy active life combined with crappy genetics. 2. It now gets stupid-hot here in Montana and the oven is not my friend. And lastly, 3. I'm doing a lot of different things and can't always pay attention to when to when to punch down, knead (like I could?), and put into pans for the next rise.

So, do you cheat? If so, how and why?

I don't, anymore, but used to. In fact, I killed a few of them, from over use. Now, I do it with the stand mixer doing the bulk of the work, and use a stretch/ fold instead of kneading, because of my hand troubles.

The reasons I stopped using them was because: 1 - replacing them after  killing them got expensive; 2 - I really always hated that hole in the middle, that ruined a couple slices; 3 - I didn't like being limited to one size & shape of loaf; 4 - I most often bake sourdough breads, and could find a way to make them come out right, in the bread makers.

Carla Burke wrote:I don't, anymore, but used to. In fact, I killed a few of them, from over use. Now, I do it with the stand mixer doing the bulk of the work, and use a stretch/ fold instead of kneading, because of my hand troubles.

The reasons I stopped using them was because: 1 - replacing them after  killing them got expensive; 2 - I really always hated that hole in the middle, that ruined a couple slices; 3 - I didn't like being limited to one size & shape of loaf; 4 - I most often bake sourdough breads, and could find a way to make them come out right, in the bread makers.

I misplaced my old bread maker from when I was much younger, then inherited my mom's bread maker. When that no longer baked, I gave it to a friend who needed it to knead. Since then, I've been on my second bread maker. Weirdly, the Amazon bread maker was relatively inexpensive and it does really well.  

I have heard of people using the dough hooks on stand mixers, but I think I've used one maybe once. I have two inherited stand mixers that I use one and have one as a backup. Of course, I use the stand mixers for other things, but not bread making. Does it work well for you? Does the mixer get hot?

Mine is a 20 something year old Kitchenaid, and it does beautifully, with the dough hook. But, I only mix it for about 10 minutes, then switch to the stretch & fold method. Works like a champ, and my bread is always requested for big gatherings, so...

Carla Burke wrote:Mine is a 20 something year old Kitchenaid, and it does beautifully, with the dough hook. But, I only mix it for about 10 minutes, then switch to the stretch & fold method. Works like a champ, and my bread is always requested for big gatherings, so...

Okay, I think I know what the stretch and fold method is, but maybe not? (Yeah, mine are KitchenAid too!). I really can't manipulate much with my hands without pain, except a keyboard...