Lisa McManus answers all your questions about the Gear Heads episode all about bread gear.
Watch the original episode:
Get the quarantiny starter recipe:
Buy our winning dry storage container:
Buy our winning scale:
Buy our winning serrated knife:
Buy our winning Dutch oven:
Buy our winning bread lame:
Buy our winning cooling rack:
Buy our winning dough whisk:
Buy our winning skinny spatula:
Buy our winning less expensive stand mixer:
Follow Lisa on Instagram:
ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.
If you like us, follow us:
Related posts
24 Comments
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I can't find the video for bread machines!
The storage container you guys recommend has BPA in it……
Hi lisa what's the two recommended bread machines on the market 2021/2022
Can you guys review a product called safe sealer? And other reusable plastics for the kitchen? Thanks
Thank you for all the shows, love them. Wish there was more. The starter bread, I have a coffee cake recipe for some of that left over.
Bread makers are great for just preparing the dough and for the first rise. I just bake it in the oven as usual. Tastes about a thousand percent better than baking in the machine.
Lisa is the best ATK presenter. Always clear and filled with useful facts.
#1 first try at bread making: pizza dough😎
My favorite recipe for baguettes comes from a book by Charles Van Over, The Best Bread Ever, using a food processor. Never fails.
Lisa, thank you for answering my question, I can't wait to see another episode of Gear Heads.
You should mention that an easy formula for using discard is to use 1C of starter and then omit ½C of both flour and ½C liquid (assuming you're using a 100% hydration starter ofc)
Lisa is always so knowledgeable! Respect her!
Pro tip, watch this in 50% and laugh in delight. Lisa gets drunk!
A shout out to the ATK's video team for having proper subtitles with the video!!! 🥰🥳 Very much appreciated, thank you guys so much!
Isn't no sticking the point of parchment?
I imagine reviewing bread makers is pretty tough since quality can vary considerably even within a single brand… but it would be appreciated.
I recently bought the cheap Hamilton Beach bread maker when they were on sale at Amazon for only $50.. it replaced a 20 year old Oster that was getting a bit too “loud”. The Hamilton Beach model isn’t perfect.. but it isn’t awful either (I’ve read horror stories about others including Amazon’s own “AmazonEssentials” model). The only bad loaves I’ve had so far were due to questionable yeast and poorly written (online) recipes. For the price though it’s been great. I’m looking forward to using it to make pizza dough and sourdoughs.
In addition to the review, I’d love to see a Bread maker version of your “Bread Illustrated” cookbook.
I use a 14 inch mud pan as a banneton… it's what plasterers use to hold the wet plaster as they trowel it on… I like a long loaf rather than a round boule. Actual bannetons are quite expensive where mud pans are cheap, washable plastic. Lined with a well floured cloth it doesn't even have to be food safe, but most are anyway.
Re: sourdough starter. I started out with the feeding, discarding, etc. But I watched another sourdough YouTuber (Ben Starr) and he recommended making a big batch, putting it in fridge, using as needed without feeding and when you’re getting down in supply, then feeding it.
I don’t make as much as he does, but I make enough for 4 loaves (10+ days worth) without feeding. When I’m getting down to only about 125-150 g remaining, I take 60 out for my bread, feed what’s left with 150 g flour, 150 g water, leave it out for a few hours until it rises about an inch, then put it in the fridge. I never deal with discard at all.
Oh, one other tip, I use a clean jar when I do those feedings just so things don’t get too messy.
My sourdough bread turns out very well.
The colander and cloth tip is great!
Lisa you're such a beautiful person.
Great stuff. But what I really need is for you to do a review on electric can openers. Is there any chance that may happen in the near future?
You rock Lisa, your equipment reviews are spot on. It'd be nice to see you with Julia or Bridget making a dish in the "main" part of the show.
someone i know is a professional baker, makes amazing breads, pastries and cakes. Their first loaf of bread was so dense and hard that when showing how awful it was by hitting the edge of a wooden table with the loaf/ It actually broke off the edge of the table. Had they given up then they never would have gone on to be the baker they are now.
Lisa, where did you get that skillet pot with the top? I would love one of those.