Krusteaz Country White Bread Mix, 14-Ounces

I make bread from scratch with regularity, but I picked up two of these mixes purely out of curiosity. At such a low price, what the heck. Surprisingly, they made excellent bread with a great crumb, very nice crust and a pleasant flavor. I followed the directions on the box to make a one and a half pound loaf. I used my bread machine set on a dough cycle. My machine makes a two pound loaf, so this smaller loaf was no problem. At the end of the dough cycle I removed the dough, shaped it and allowed it to rise for approximately one hour. Into the 450 degree oven for 20 minutes and it was perfect. I did substitute my yeast for the package yeast (1-1/2 tsp) because I figured after a long ride in the back of a UPS truck it was likely bad. That substitution proved to be right because when I tested the package yeast it had indeed passed on, probably about the same time Jimmy Hoffa did. So, overall it was a very good loaf of bread for the price. Cannot say it was a time saver, measuring dry ingredients is not a huge time suck, but if you do not normally make your bread from scratch this mix is a good place to start, and you end up with a loaf of bread you can proudly say was homemade. Your house will smell great too!

I use this in a bread maker (up to the dough cycle, then shape and bake it in the oven) as the base for a variety of breads. For some I add garlic and/or herbs, such as oregano, basil, thyme. I also made an "apple bread" to celebrate apple season this fall. I just use the directions on the box and do not change anything when I add the other ingredients except for adding about an additional half teaspoon of yeast. I find that shaping it as shown on the box is not as satisfactory as baking it in a bread pan, but the best result is with a "bread cloche" (I use an old ceramic coated cast iron little dutch oven instead of an expensive cloche.) My way of getting a browned chewy crust with a soft inside is on the final egg wash -- I add about a half teaspoon of tapioca starch (any other starch would probably work) to the beaten egg yolk, spread it on the loaf for the last five minutes of baking, and it always comes out with a wonderful dark chewy crust (not just for this particular bread mix, but for any other I have tried.) These bread mixes may add up to a more expensive loaf than starting from scratch, and a mix and bread maker may not satisfy those whose ego want to say they made it from scratch, but the convenience is certainly worth the little difference in price, I get my ego trips elsewhere, and whenever I see the label "Krusteaz" on a box I feel I can trust the product.

I make a lot of bread with my machine. I use Krusteaz Hawaiian, sour dough and country white. I doctor them up with herbs and spices to create variety and special combinations. With the Country White, I add rosemary and sage or Italian herbs & spices depending on who the recipient is. They love them! The mixes are cheaper than store bought bread and who can resist fresh, warm scented bread. Makes the whole house smell like a Thomas Kincade painting. Bravo!

Any bread that can be ready from a box to the table in under one hour is a winner in my book! Tastes so good, not like the refrigerator rolls of bread. The box has instructions for a long or short prep method. I was in a pinch and did the under 1 hour and couldn't believe how good it was. I have to be honest and say the leftover piece did not hold up the best though.I want to try the long prep next time and see if it changes at all.

This mix makes a very good tasting loaf of bread. I bought a few of these to have on hand for those times when you just can't get to the store for a loaf of bread or when you want something to occupy a few hours on a Saturday. It's easy to make and doesn't take a lot of time. The only reason for the 4 stars is I think it's a bit pricey for a loaf of bread that you end up having to make yourself.

Liked the product. Did the kneed one the product came late and crushed box. But i was glad I received it. ‘Tis

Tastes so good and not complicated for an amateur. My husband loved it! I came back to buy a bunch.Update: I'm back to buy even more. I do not use a bread maker or a loaf pan. I use a large square cookie pan and shape it by hand so the bread can expand to its full potential. I also make sure the water is warm. And make sure I give time for it to rise. It's perfect each and every time! I wait about 15 minutes before I cut it.

I have used 12 of the Sourdough mix and decided to try something else. Made the Country White Bread in my WestBend machine per the instructions on the box. Left the bread in the closed machine until I could lift it out without potholders (makes a better crust). I can cut 1/4" thick slices easily and they toast up very crispy (even on "very light") Flavor & texture is great. Unfortunately, I have found no cheaper prices than the single boxes.