Over quarter of a million breadmaker machines are now sold each year in the UK, with this figure rising an estimated 5 million in the U.S. The average UK household buys about 86 loaves of bread each year. Due to a recent rise in wheat prices, the price of supermarket loaves is likely to rise considerably in the near future, making home-made bread the more cost-effective, as well as healthy, option.

Sara Lewis was the cookery editor of Practical Parenting magazine for over 12 years. She is also the author of the best-selling 30-minute Kids' Cakes, Kids in the Kitchen and Kids' Baking, all published by Hamlyn.

Introduction. Includes: Ingredients; Basic equipment; Step by step to that first loaf; Getting to know your machine; Tricks of the trade; Getting the best from your machine; What went wrong and why; Everyday Classic Loaves. Including: Healthy white; Honey and oat; Milk and muscovado sugar; Olive oil; Rapid granary; Malted barley; Gourmet Breads. Including: Lemon and dill; Buttermilk and fennel; Mediterranean herb with salt glaze; Buckwheat, celery and walnut; Beetroot and horseradish; Wholegrain mustard and potato; Shaped Breads. Including: Black olive and rosemary foccacia; Peppered parmesan bread sticks; Wholegrain baguettines; Cheesy garlic twist; Sticky orange and raisin swirls; Ring doughnuts sprinkled with vanilla and orange sugar; Wheat-free. Including: Breakfast bread; Buckwheat and hone; Chillied red onion and corn; Rye with soured cream and fennel; Basil and parmesan; Sweet Treats. Including: Sweet potato and chocolate loaf; Ginger, date and apricot teabread; Lemon and black cherry loaf; Banana gingerbread; Cinnamon, chocolate and pecan panettone; Cheat's stollen; Sticky orange and raisin swirls; Orange and vanilla doughnuts; Index.