Disclaimer: G’day. This is a sponsored post whereby I received a free breadmaker for writing about Electro Seconds. ? All opinions, bad spelling and grammar are my own.

[dropcap]About[/dropcap] a month ago, Sophia from Sparro contacted me about creating a blog post about Electro Seconds. In return, Electro Seconds would offer me a kitchen appliance such as toaster, pizza oven or bread maker that I could keep or be used as a giveaway. Never shy of freebies, I was naturally interested. Besides, I’ve always wanted a breadmaker. So, before too long, after some email talk, the impressive Breville “Baker’s Oven” BBM100 which we’ve since named “Bernie”, aka “B-BO” was delivered.

First, let me clarify and apologise for not using the breadmaker as a giveaway. Believe me, if I already had a breadmaker, I would definitely do so. But wait, if I already had a breadmaker, wouldn’t I just ask for the fancy toaster or pizza oven or something else instead? Most likely. But you understand where I’m coming from, don’t you? I’m all about doing giveaways. Especially since it was Padaek’s second anniversary on the 11/12, and doing so would’ve been a good way to celebrate it. Next time, I promise.

Speaking of the blog birthday, it kind of just passed oh so very quickly and quietly, didn’t it? A bit like a dream. A lot like this year, actually. Anyhow, it was a lapsed event. To be honest, I’d forgotten about it and only realized when I decided to search and verify the date of the first post. These things happen, and there’s no need for tears. To be frank, this year has been a little quiet over here on the blogging front, for several reasons. Next year though, a new leaf turns, I promise. I’ve recently found some new blogging vigour and enthusiasm (with the extra help of Bernie) to resurrect the blog and bring life and focus back to Padaek in 2016. Follow the light and stay tuned peeps!

Truth be told, I had not heard of Electro Seconds before until recently. After doing my online research, I was surprised and impressed to find out that they’re Australia’s leading clearance outlet for top brand appliances. Now that’s a pretty big claim to make, and where on earth have I been, right? ¹ They sell all sorts of electro and white goods from breadmakers to fridges, tvs to bbqs too. So, if you’re looking to buy any of these and more, be sure to check out their site for a vast selection at competitive prices. It’s now one of the sites we’ll be visiting when shopping online.

We were both so excited when we received the breadmaker last week that we simply had to bake a loaf straight away, even if it meant doing so at night. We’re both regular bread and toast eaters, and the idea of baking our own bread on a whim, albeit with a breadmaker, was delightful as we imagined the myriad of fancy and tasty recipes that we could concoct and let our breadmaker bake for us. I’m a little embarrassed to confess that I’ve never baked bread before, not even at home economics class way back at school. However, I’ve been very much interested in doing so for several years now. While making/baking bread with a breadmaker is not the same as baking in an oven, it’s definitely a good start/intro. Besides, we currently don’t have an oven, so Bernie suited our needs/situation perfectly. ?

The smart looking breadmaker comes with a 12 month warranty and an instructions/recipes booklet which contains several different bread recipes to try. For our first loaf, we decided to make it easier (or more difficult, as we had to adapt the recipe a little) and used a Defiance (Easy Bake) breadmaker mix instead. ² The whole process was easy enough. All we needed to do was add the water, yeast and bread mix into the bread pan (in that order – as instructed). Then, we gave the mixture a gentle/good stir with a wooden spoon (just to help it get started) before putting the pan back into the machine. We closed the lid, programmed the settings, and then pressed start. And then, it was simply a matter of stepping back and watching the machine do its thing.

We identified the machine’s job in the bread making process as three separate stages. First, the kneading of the dough – a session of rhythmic spins and turns (and pauses) as it gently wobbled/danced on the bench. ³ Second, a long resting time for the kneaded dough to rise (obviously well earnt from all the dancing!). Finally, the cooking/baking of the bread. About 3 and a half hours in total later, we opened the lid and right before us was [insert singing angels here] a glorious and sweetly scented wholesome freshly baked pint sized loaf of bread. ? Incredible! I lifted the pan out with a tea towel, tipped it over on the board and the perfect loaf plonked out. I cut it into generous never seen before thick slices and we enjoyed them with soft butter and a topping of curried eggs in the early hours of the morning to our hearts’ content with glasses of wine. With the leftover, I simply stored it in a plastic container and put it into the fridge, ready for later consumption. Easy peasy, and pretty amazing, right!?

We were both very impressed with our new breadmaker and first baked loaf. To nitpick, regarding the loaf, I thought it was a little firm and not as soft or fluffy as say a store-bought loaf. Perhaps, it’s because we adapted the recipe? Perhaps, it turned out exactly how it’s meant to be? Still, we were both in awe of it and finished it, and couldn’t wait to bake another loaf. I’m sure we’ll better the art and science of breadmaking and be able to bake ideal loaves with practice. We’ve entertained all the new flavours and mixes in our head. Fruit bread, Aussie damper, nut bread, you name it. Watch out.

While it’s unlikely that we’ll stop buying bread from the shop any time soon, especially considering the convenience and price of some, having used the Breville breadmaker has been a welcome experience and great intro to the art of home baked (specifically machine baked) breads. It’s opened up a whole new world of cooking/baking to us and given us the appreciation of home baked foods. The joy of seeing and knowing the raw ingredients that go into a recipe and what they’re transformed into is wonderful. I’m so glad that I chose the Breville breadmaker and it was gifted to me. If you enjoy eating bread/toasts and are new to baking, I recommend it or any other breadmaker for that matter. It’s a fun and easy way to bake your own bread, at the same time learn about bread making. Maybe, you want to buy one as a gift for Christmas? If so, do check out the ones on offer at Electro Seconds. The range and service they provide is excellent. Thank you Electro Seconds and Sparro for the awesome gift. Merry Christmas everyone. ? ?