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(More customer reviews)We have a non-wheat eater at home, and we are not alone. Many people these days have found out they are intolerant to gluten, and others eat low-carb breads while losing or maintaining weight. Standard bread machines make bread by mixing, kneading and then baking breads with some variations of timing and temperature, but generally they have not been able to handle specialized bread mixes such as gluten free. That is, until now. This machine has additional cycles for specialized breads, so now you can use gluten free mixes, gluten free flour blends, spelt, and low carb recipes.
The Breadman BK2000B has just about everything a bread baker could want. There are 14 programs on board, including gluten free, low carb, sweet, whole wheat, as well as dough only, BAKE only (use commercial dough, or perhaps a dough you froze earlier) and jam, where you can heat and stir preserves. In addition, the paddles that mix the dough in the machine collapse, meaning you won't be pulling those out of the bottom of the loaf after it's baked, and if THAT weren't fabulous enough, there are three pans. One is a 2.5 pound standard long loaf and there are two smaller coffee-can sized 1 pound loaves if you want to make give-aways or if your family eats less bread and you want to freeze a loaf and serve a loaf. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, there is a nut or fruit dispenser for stirring in raisins, cranberries and the like at the proper time. No need to run in and add them during the cycle yourself.
I know, I know, you are salivating at this point and you haven't even baked your first loaf. What do you choose to make first? Cranberry nut tea bread? (no yeast), a jam out of the apricots from Mom's tree? We chose to make Spelt Bread first, because it is wheat free (though not, repeat NOT, gluten free. We can tolerate spelt but celiac sufferers cannot.) Spelt requires low kneading as the gluten of spelt falls apart with rough handling. The Breadman BK2000B employs the Gluten Free setting for spelt--as gluten free bread and spelt all require less kneading time on that part of the cycle.
But first, let's talk about the "OOBE" or out-of-box-experience. Here's what comes with the unit and what you receive:
1. The bread machine itself. It's large. Maybe 20 inches long (deep.) It's longer than it is wide and it's an attractive glossy black (won't show heat staining as white machines can do after time.) The controls are on the front of the top, push buttons, not the membrane type but actual buttons, with an LED display. The lid lifts back. There is a vent at the very back top for the heat. The top has a silver brushed trim. This is an attractive, serious-looking appliance.
The fruit/nut dispenser doubles as a vent. On top, in back, is a vented compartment. You lift it off, drop in your fruit or nuts, and then when the time comes during the dough cycle to stir in these additions, the bottom opens up to drop in the ingredients and then stays open to provide venting for the heat. A very clever design.
The cycles not only include sweet breads, whole wheat, gluten-free and low carb, but have quick cycles for some of the breads, in case you want to speed up your process. I was asked "why a bake-only" cycle; it's possible you might have a sourdough or a commercial dough, neither of which would go through any of the dough cycles but could be baked in the breadmaker nonetheless.
2. Comes with a measuring cup and a sliding measuring spoon for salt and yeast.
3. Three baking buckets; one long for the 2.5 lb and two of the smaller for 1 lbs.
4. The paddles (coated with non stick)
5. An instruction book. The book has the operating instructions on one side. Flip it over, and there is a recipe book including low carb and gluten free recipes, some from scratch with various non-gluten flours and one for standard gluten free bread mix as you can find in most grocery stores these days. The book is spiral-bound so it will stay open on your counter.
I made a standard white bread from the recipe book. It was a 2 lb loaf that rose up beautifully, but needed to be baked longer (the dark setting would be better.) I just added 10 minutes using the bake only cycle after the initial baking had ended. The collapsible paddles are only slightly good; one collapsed, one stuck in the loaf in the open position. I think soaking them before using, in a light vegetable oil might help in future. Will be testing this.
We made my standard spelt bread: recipe as follows:
1-1/4 cups boiling water with 1/4 cup oatmeal soaked in it until cooled (put in pan, let soak until lukewarm)
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups whole spelt flour
2-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
optional; tbs golden flax seeds soaked with the oatmeal.
Bake on gluten free setting. Makes a 2lb loaf.
MELBA TOAST: If you have stale ends of bread, let's say an inch or three of the end of a loaf and you want to be thrifty yet make a new fresh loaf, take the stale bread and cut it 1/4 inch thick, then halve the slices. Butter them lightly, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake at 475 F in your oven on a cookie sheet. This takes about 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and you CANNOT leave them unattended. Keep checking. When toasted, take carefully off the sheet immediately with a spatula. This is true Melba toast and it's really delicious. Serve with soups or breakfast with coffee or tea. Store leftovers (hahah) in a cookie tin.
This machine is really fantastic. We are so thrilled to be able to make our wheat-free breads. Will update this review with how it works for jam and for non-spelt, non-wheat flours, which we use less often. So far, I give this a huge thumbs up as it does EVERYTHING you need for baking.
*** UPDATE, NOV.2010. We use this almost daily. Only issue is that a small plastic peg used to hold the spring latch on the fruit/nut dispenser was defective and broken, so the dispenser doesn't work. Bad design to use a thin plastic peg to hold a screw. And would be a nuisance to have to pack the whole thing up and return for replacement, so we'll live with it. I still give this high marks.
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Breadman BK2000B 2-1/2-Pound Bakery Pro Bread Maker with Collapsible Kneading Paddles and Automatic Fruit and Nut DispenserNo need to live above a bakery to enjoy the warm aroma of freshly baked bread on a daily basis. With an array of convenient features for ease of use, this Bakery Pro bread maker comes in handy any day of the week. Its exclusive dual bread-pan baking system allows for baking a traditional loaf up to 2-1/2 pounds or two 1-pound loaves simultaneously. Make anything from fresh cinnamon-raisin bread for breakfast toast, banana nut to serve with tea, or a loaf of whole wheat to serve with a hearty stew for dinner. Choose from 14 baking functions, including low carb and gluten free, as well as the option to make a variety of doughs and jams. Unlike other bread makers, the machine's exclusive kneading paddles collapse automatically before baking to prevent holes from baking into the bottom of the loaves, and its exclusive fruit and nut dispenser adds extras to the dough at the right time automatically--no need to wait around. The bread maker also provides a 15-hour delay timer, which makes it possible to wake up to--or come home to after a long day--a loaf of freshly baked bread ready to be sliced and slathered with butter and jam, spread with soft cheese, or enjoyed with other toppings or on its own. Accessories include a collapsible measuring cup, an adjustable measuring spoon, and a recipe book with over 80 recipes. The bread machine measures 14 by 19 by 12 inches and carries a two-year limited warranty. From the Manufacturer
The Breadman BK2000B 2-1/2-Pound Bakery Pro Bread Maker
Get the bread maker that makes it easy to bake like a pro and really bring home the bakery. This unique, 2-1/2-pound bread machine offers a wide range of features that you won\'t find anywhere else. You\'ll enjoy all your favorite baked goods at home, with exceptional results you\'d expect from a baking professional.
Breadman Exclusive Features Two one-pound loaves.
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