Anyone use this kitchen gadget?

[LeslieDean]

It is called a danish food whisk.  I had never heard of it or had seen one till I went to a sisters house for a lesson on bread baking.  I have made bread that anyone would consider good about 6 times in my lifetime.  I have failed at making bread dozens of times.  So many in fact that I gave of trying.  This is a sore spot with me because I really am a good cook.  I guess just not a baker.  I grow weary from all the effort and waste I put in to trying to make bread.  My husband asks "what's wrong with the bread from the bakery?"  It's not homemade!  It does not give me personal satisfaction to know that I made it.  That's what is wrong with it.  Plus the aroma!  The anitipation!  The beauty of every loaf not looking the same!

 

Any way, she told me that she ordered this "danish food whisk" from Amazon and her baking skills improved 10 fold.  She said it does not over work the dough and her bread, cakes, muffins are amazing once she changed to this tool.

 

I'm going to order one.  I hope I am not disappointed.  I always thought my problem was the yeast, or the timing, or the water temperature, or the oven, or the humidity, or the alitutde.  Could it possibly be the absence of the Danish Whisk?

[bohemian]

Buy a breadmaker! My wife makes all our bread in it. Fennel seed bread, tomato bread, black olive bread, carroway seed, sesame, rosemary and sea salt!, Mmmmmmmm. Great every time.

It will also make the dough for you to make your own plaits etc., or ciabatta.

[LeslieDean]

I do have a bread maker.  And it does make the house smell good.  I just like the idea of being able to be in the house on a cold winters day and go into the kitchen and make it myself.  It is more of the emotional aspect of doing it than the loaf.  So many memories ties in with my mother when she use to make bread.  She died when she was 53.  I know it is just the connection with her because my whole mood and feelings change just thinking about remembering her in the kitchen.

 

The same with sewing.  She was a fabulous seamstress!  She would take newspapers and cut her own patterns because she did not want to spend the 25 cents for one she could make herself.  Also my dad would complain about spending the money (25cents?)  She could knit, crochett, embroidary, hand stitch, --made all us girls wedding dresses and veils.  I tried embroidary once and placed the hoop on the shirt and did a pretty good job for me.  Went to take the hoop off and discovered I had sewn the front of the shirt to the back.  Sewed a skirt in homemaking and placed the zipper upside down AND inside out.  Had to rip it out so many times the material was thread bear and could not hold the zipper.  Got a D-- (D minus minus) on the assignment because anyone that turned in a project did not get an F.  The teacher told me she could not believe how bad my project was since she knew what an accomploshied seamstress my mother was.  

 

Oh well, eternity is coming up...

Edited March 30, 2014 by LeslieDean

[timpin]

Leslie, I'm in your kitchen, the good news is the bread was great, the bad news is you're out of butter (and I just lost a button) .... http://www.amazon.com/Danish-Dough-Whisk-11-inch/dp/B004HGJLQW .... [aren't you glad I didn't say my zipper is broke]

[Lance]

Leslie

Cool whisk ... I have seen them .. Wasn't sure what I would use it for ... I thought it was for honey or syrup..

My wife is a great cook,pie,and cake maker... But I do the bread.. And wheat less pizza dough

I personally don't like a bread maker but that is just me ..

Lately I do a batch up ...I do it very wet...not runny but very sticky .. Let it rise .. Punch it down .. Throw it in the fridge with a damp heavy towel covering it ..

Then when I get home from work the next day .. I throw the dough into pans .. Let it rise .. Then bake

The only failure I have had is experimenting with different types of flour ... Just didn't like the texture or taste

I always get yeast going with warm water and honey .. Sometimes you can get bad yeast

Edited March 30, 2014 by TheDoorGuy

[Qapla]

I have been using "Red Star" yeast lately because it is much lower in cost - and it has worked just fine.

 

I have found that I get really good results using a "poolish" to make start the bread.

 

To make a poolish, mix equal amounts of flour and water together (I use 1 cup of each) and mix in the package of yeast. You do not have to use warm water, but as long as it is not too hot, warm is fine. Let this sit - overnight, if possible. If it spends the night in the fridge it will have one taste, if it spends the night on the kitchen counter, it will have a slightly different taste.

 

I use a mixer with a dough hook to make the bread. Be careful not to use too much flour as it will make tough bread. Also, mix it according to what you are after. Long mixing times (kneading in the mixer) will give one result and shorter times will give another.

 

Let it rise and punch it down. Then, shape it according to what you want and cook it after the second rise.

 

If it falls before you can bake it, just reshape it and let it rise a third time - It will rise again.

 

I bake mine at 350 for 35 minutes and that seems to work - for me, and my oven.

 

You can also try putting some ice cubes in a sheet/baking pan in the bottom of the oven while the bread is baking and it will add moisture to the oven - and the bread.

[Toy Poodles]

Has anyone had a good batch of bread not using wheat flour, soy or corn? Trying to stay away from the GMO's. We are currently using rice flour for gravy and egg noodles has worked well just a little sweeter and a touch grainier. 

[Wren]

The tool looks interesting. It is cheap enough to try. I usually use a mixer and dough hook, after it's mixed and risen  I treat the dough gently as I degas it and shape.  I've been using recipes from "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" book by Peter Reinhart and have found it pretty good and some recipes may be online.. There is a bread pain a l'ancienne (sp) which is soooo good...

[Qapla]

Here are two forums that deal with bread making. The first is aimed at loaf bread while the second is primarily for pizza dough

 

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/forum

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php

[Allabord4Jah]

My mother had a "hand's on attitude" when it came to making her own bread.  She never used any machines, or gadgets, well only one, to slice the bread, a knife.  She made bread, and her own pasta up to 100 yrs old.  Looking forward in the paradise to get her back in a kitchen!!!

[Ivana Dayoff]

I make Irish brown bread or brown cake, soda bread whatever version you choose. Bread makers use lots of electricity

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[Qapla]

...  She made bread, and her own pasta up to 100 yrs old. ...

 

I hope it was you Mother who was 100 years old and not the pasta ....

[Julsey]

I am hopeless with yeast breads unless I use a bread maker.  My Mom never had a problem, but with me, it's another story entirely.

 

I used to make soda bread when I was a teenager, and I loved it.  I am going to have to try it again. 

[Allabord4Jah]

I hope it was you Mother who was 100 years old and not the pasta ....

Ha ha ha!