Bread in the slow cooker

Haven't had time to read all the posts but wanted to add my twopenn'orth! I love bread from breadmakers but there's that pesky hole in the middle from the blades! As regards slow cookers, has anyone used an Instant Pot? I've seen rave reviews..

That looks so good Grannyknot, I can almost smell it . I have a crockpot too so when I get a bit of respite from all this DWP stuff going on I will give it a go. I can just see me having it with a lovely boiled egg...Jam...Honey...Cheese, anything in fact lol

Knocking back is giving it a second short kneading after it has risen the first time, to get rid of the bubbles. Then you shape it how you want it and let it rise again, which it should do in a shorter time than it took the first time. Then you bake it.

Am I presuming knocking back is kneading I m no cook or baker so just guessing

I make all our bread and have just seen this thread.
As you say,Grannyknot it seems strange to have the proving and baking as one process. No 'knocking back'.
I have an oval slow cooker so will try it. Thanks .
Making bread is so different from other kinds of baking - so many things to go wrong. I regularly have 'flops' after all these years. It's like a chemical experiment.

I tried this ....... it was like a door stop!! Back to the supermarket ?☹

Good luck. Make sure your loaf tin fits the slow cooker before you make your dough (big mistake on my part!)
And do not prove or rest put straight in tin.

Thank you cherry tree. I'll think of you as I munch on my loaf?

Just bumped this thread for jayanna
Also like to say thanks to Grannyknot
As I mentioned on another thread cooking bread in a Slow Cooker has been a Revelation
It is now a weekly occurrence in our house

I had a bread maker which I loved but my DH complained all the time that the bread was bad to cut, it's because it's fresh I used to tell him. Got sick of the complaints so I sold it. I was given a slow cooker and when I read on here about making bread in it I was keen to try. I bought a whole meal bread mix from Tesco, mixed it a popped it in, it turned out great first time! I'm thrilled, not only that but it cut easily. Of course it's only a small loaf but now I know it works I will make more as and when.

I've just revived my slow cooker and would love to have a go at this. Whilst cleaning out a cupboard in the kitchen recently I found a handful of linseeds, which I will chuck in the mix. I suppose you can use your own mix, it doesn't have to be a packet.....

Who was asking what "knocking back" is? It's the second kneading, where the yeast has risen for the first time. Here's a really good video explaining the stages of bread-making

www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/techniques/how-make-bread

(I remember learning "the seven stages of .." at school - but on the internet, some say there are 12 stages, some even say there are 14 stages! bread-magazine.com/bread-making-steps/

Sourdough doesn't have to be fed every day, it can rest for a while, but you have to re-activate it before you can use it again. My DIL in California makes bread this way, I'll ask her what she does exactly.

Thank you for this thread GrannyKnot.
I've just ordered a Morphy Richards Sear and Stew Slow Cooker (on special offer of course) and expect delivery any day now.
I chucked my old one out when we moved (over 40 years old and didn't trust the electrics). We now have an electric oven and it seems an awful waste of electricity to heat it up for a casserole.
Looking forward to trying bread now.

Ramblingrose I finally succeeded in making a sour dough starter this summer! Third time lucky.

I used this recipe as a basis. www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-sourdough-starter-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-47337 I didn't bother with filtered water as I didn't know what it was, I just used tap water, which where I live is very good.

I think my previous attempts failed because it simply isn't warm enough where I live in Scotland to get it going. I overcame that by standing the kilner jar I use inside my yoghurt maker, on a ramekin. That seemed to provide just enough background heat to start it off.

You'll see from the recipe that you do need to feed it daily, but only for five days, to begin with. After that, it just needs 'refreshing' when you want to make a loaf or at regular intervals if you're not wanting a loaf. I keep mine in the fridge in a kilner jar and feed it whenever I remember when is usually every ten days to two weeks. I forgot to feed it over Christmas/NY but it happily burst back into life when I got it out and it came back to room temperature last week.

I've been making the bread in my breadmaker using these tips, which basically is to use the dough programme followed by the French bread programme. blog.rachelcotterill.com/2014/04/making-sourdough-in-bread-machine.html

The first loaf was the devil's own job to remove from the tin but I've overcome this by oiling and flouring the tin well. I use a flexible spatula to loosen the sides, as well. I haven't discovered a method to easily remove the paddle but I'm working on it!

I was wondering what knocking back was. Probably an alcoholic beverage when you find the bread's sunk!

Thanks for sharing your slow cooker method it sounds fun. Will give it a go. My sort of cooking. Will crisp it in the oven too. Good tip.

What is knocking back?

If anyone has any tips about making sourdough bread- especially the starter - I'd be interested to know them.

I have heard you have to "feed" the starter every day. If this is true, you'd never be able to go on holiday! Or may be you take it with you.......!?!

Impressed!!!!!Ali

Wow Ali that looks professional!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201701/medium-489789-bread.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201701/medium-914886-bread--cut.jpg

Success. It is delicious!
I put it in a hot oven for 10 minutes at the end to get a crust. Thanks again to Grannyknot for telling us about it.

Thanks for this Grannyknot, I had no idea you could make bread in the slow cooker. My first loaf has just gone in to cook...I will report back later!

I have a small bread maker and use it to make just the dough. Make two small loaves or rolls. Can adjust the amount of whole meal flour to white to suit. Also make dough for fruit loaves or buns. Have never tried ready mixes and cannot remember the last time I bought a shop loaf. Don't like all the additives put in them.
My daughter in law makes sough dough loaves in her bread maker to the dough stage.

Meant to add... our Panasonic runs the programme for 3 hours from resting the ingredients, two mixes and risings, then the final baking.

That's fascinating!

My husband makes bread every week for us using a New England bread recipe I cannot buy here. We are on our 3rd Panasonic bread machine after 6 years of this. They are about £90 a throw!

The crispiness comes from the last blast of heat from the bottom element during baking. There are also vents to let the steam out.

I can see some experimenting might do the trick with the crockpot.

Cool idea... thanks for posting!

Have given up breadmaking as the bread was so lovely DH and I are far too much of it .We are both inclined to the podge ....